Noailles family

   distinguished family of civil, religious, and military leaders

   The Noailles were a noble family originally from Noailles, Corrèze. Antoine de Noailles (1504-62), admiral of France, was born in Noailles. He distinguished himself at Ceresole Alba, Piedmont (1544), and was ambassador to England. François de Noailles (1519-85), brother of Antoine, was bishop of Dax and served as ambassador to England, the Venetian Republic, and the Ottoman Sublime Porte and was one of the architects of the alliance between France and the Ottoman Empire. Anne-Jules de Noailles, count d'Ayen and duke de Noailles (1650-1708) was born in Paris and served as governor of Languedoc, where he implemented the policy of the dragonnades (persecutions) against the Protestants. He fought in Spain and was made a marshal of France. Louis-Antoine de Noailles (1651-1729), born in Teyssière, near Aurillac, was the brother of Anne-Jules. A fervid supporter of gallicanism, he became archbishop of Paris (1695) and a cardinal (1700). He made attempts at achieving reconciliation between jacques bénigne bossuet and François fénelon and for a long time was opposed to the bull Unigenitus. adrien-maurice de Noailles, count d'Ayen and duke de Noailles (1678-1766), born in Paris, was the son of anne-jules. He married a niece of Mme de maintenon, mistress of King louis XIV, which furthered his career. After having fought in the War of the Spanish Succession (1715), he helped the regent to overturn the will of King louis XIV. President of the Council of Finances (1715-18), he was dismissed because of his opposition to john law. He reentered the military and again served (Philippsburg, 1734; Dettingen, 1743), became a marshal of France, then foreign minister (1744-45), and concluded an alliance with Prussia. He left his memoirs and correspondence. Philippe de Noailles, duke de Mouchy (1715-94), the son of Marshal de Noailles, was born in Paris and was named governor of versailles (1740) and of Guyenne (1775-86). Marshal of France, a member of the Assembly of Notables (1787-89), and a royalist during the revolution of 1789, he was condemned to death and guillotined under the terror. Louis-Marie, chevalier d'Arpa-jon, viscount de Noailles (1756-1804), born in Paris, the son of Philippe de Noailles. He fought alongside the marquis de la fayette in the American War of Independence and was made a general. A member of the Assembly of Notables (1787-88), then deputy for the nobility to the estates general (1789), he voted in favor of the abolition of privileges during the Revolution (August 4, 1789). An émigré, he went to the United States in 1792 and fought with General jean-baptiste rochambeau at Saint-Domingue and was mortally wounded.