Etienne Henri d\' Escayrac Lauture
Etienne Henri d' Escayrac , Marquis d' Escayrac, Baron de Lauture, Colonel of the Royal Regiments of Pomegranates of Guyenne, knight of the royal and military Order of Saint-Louis, born on September 27th 1747 with the castle of Saint-Romain, close to Montauban, deceased on January 5th 1791 with the castle of Buzet.
Biography
Resulting from one of the most former families of Quercy whose three members took share with the crusade of Louis saint, it was an outstanding figure of the Contre-révolution in Quercy. He wanted his ancestor following the example of to traverse the military career and entered as second lieutenant the regiment of Vermandois, in 1764. The body having been indicated to be sent to the colonies, it left for Saint-Domingue, the Martinique and the Guadeloupe.He married on May 22nd, 1777 Stanislas Louise Chaumont of Galaizière, girl of the chancellor of Lorraine Antoine-Martin Chaumont of Galaizière and goddaughter of Stanislas Leszczyński, king de Pologne, father-in-law of Louis XV.
He was chosen by the King to belong to the continuation accompanying the emperor by Austria, Joseph II of Austria in his visit of the South in 1777.
He protested against the law of May 22nd, 1781, holding for the nobility only the monopoly of the rank of officer, payment of the Marshal of Ségur, saying that this law “would have deprived France of the services of Fabert and Rene Duguay-Trouin”.
In 1782, the war still lasted in the colonies. February 4th, 1782, it belonged to forwarding under the orders of the duke of Crillon removing the island of Minorque to the English. He asked to belong to the seat of Port-Mahon, he conquered there the admiration of his comrades in arms by his brilliances exploits, because three times he went up to the attack. This brilliant deed gave him the load of second lieutenant of the company of weapons of Artois “to hold the row of Mestre of camp of cavalry”. In June 1788, it accepted the load of colonel of royal Pomegranates of Guyenne.
The king Louis XVI thought of convening the General states. Consequently, the assembly of the deputies of the seneschalsies of Quercy meets in Cahors, on March 16th, 1789, for the election of the deputies. The marquis d' Escayrac there went and made a speech favorable to the division of the taxes, whose we reproduce the conclusion: “I do not doubt only the Gentlemen in front of whom I have the honor to speak, do not agree to divide with the clergy the burden of the tax in proportion of their fortune”.
The marquis de Lavalette Parizot, elected official appointed of the nobility to the General states, died a little later the marquis d' Escayrac, named temporary appointed in March 1789 of the nobility would have to go immediately to Paris within the National Assembly, but he preferred to remain in his province more agitated than the others, to bring back the order and peace. Assisted by some dedicated gentlemen, it had dissipated various gatherings threatening public peace. Its activity attracted hatred to him, and consequently its death was decided by the instigators of the disorders, furious to see that its ascending on the public opinion paralyzed all their attempts.
However in spite of the efforts, the disorders gained the province and removed any hope to restore the calm one. It decided, but too late, to go in Spain where the king Charles IV called it, which had honoured it with a letter autograph found on him when it was massacred.
It left its castle of Lauture in the night from January 5th to 6th 1791 to gain the castle of Buzet, pertaining to Mr. de Clarac, located in Languedoc (today in Haute-Garonne). But its steps were followed and shortly after the castle was besieged by two or three thousand " brigands" who reflect fire with the castle, and launched a hail of rifle shots when it was presented to an opening to breathe.
The news of its death became a signal to make new atrocities in Quercy, where 24 castles were burned in the eight days space.
From its union with Louise Chaumont of Galaizière were born:
- 1 Leonce d' Escayrac-Lauture, Marquis d' Escayrac, Even of France.
- 2 Antoinette d' Escayrac, Marchioness of Astier Saint.
Sources and accounts on its death
- Joseph Thomas Anne Espinchal, Ernest de Hauterive, Newspaper of emigration of the count d' Espinchal published according to the original manuscripts , Paris, Perrin, 1912, p. 252 .
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National Gazette or the Universal Monitor, Friday, January 21, 1791, rééd. 1861, T. VII, p. 171.
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Municipal Files of Toulouse, BrFaC1380, song counter-revolutionary spread after the death of the marquis:
Refrain: Go down from the Skies, arms your arm avenger,/Descends, guardian justice,/And come to prevail in your holy fury/Against the fixed prices of the ground. ((a))
It of Escayrac, which the seditious ones,/Long-temps connected the license,/Allait to seek under a happier sky,/peace, defector of France. ((a))/It of Escayrac, the glory of Quercy,/has the heart more magnanime; /It is a hero, your blood and your friend,/You received it, here is your crime.
Where thus runs these cowards assassins? /For which these sanguinary finishes? /What! Of the French want to carry their hands/On their benefactors, on their brothers! ((a))/Will at least know, in your cruelty,/Respectez, infernal weapons,/the Holy-Law of the hospitality/Which the cannibals respect!
Against the swarm of these dreadful monsters/Which most male courage can? /You go, Clarac, while offering to you to their eyes,/Attiser fires of their rage. ((a))/You do not fear to face the knife/to face lead homicide… /But these brigands set ablaze your castle,/It is a Priest, with the sky! who the guide.
Which black pencil, of this flashover/Will dare to describe the scenes? /Bientôt fire is spread and extended/Jusques with the underground vaults. ((a))/the two friends, in these dreadful moments,/At the bottom of a set ablaze tower,/Offer to the sky, for their poor children,/Their wishes, their last thought.
of Escayrac leaves this horrible place,/to flee the extreme air which it breathes; /Suddenly on him, thousand mouths of fire/Vomit death… It expires. ((a))/People assassin, you mugis of pleasure! /The fruit of your crime Devours… /What did I hear? “, It,/It we are necessary to die misses Clarac another victim! ”/Go down from the Skies, arms your arm avenger.
Vain fury! Not, he will not die; /Two cities took its defense: /Generous Hearts, of the horrors of the demise/You will have saved innocence! ((a))/I like to see you, full with a noble ire,/Déployer a heroic zeal; /Rome, formerly, had with each one of you/Décerné the civic palm.
the scélérats will betray their oath: /But they fear your presence… /Of the undergrounds of its collapsing castle,/intrepid Clarac springs. ((a))/Its firm glance wakes up the remorse… /What a courageous and proud heart! /Stops alas! You will press the body/Of your friend in dust.