House of Béon

The house of Béon is a house Chevaleresque, seigneuriale then comtale originating in the Béarn drawing its name from the village from Béon in the valley from Ossau and whose existence is ensured since at least the end of the 12th century. It was the subject of relatively little studies in consideration of the rise which it knew of the end of the 15th century at the 19th century, time to which, although already very reduced in term of manpower, it still evolved/moved in the entourage of the royal family. Godson of the Count de Chambord, last applicant French legitimist with the throne of France, the last count de Béon dies out without descent in April 1908.

Origins

Legends

Many legends surround the origins of this house inhabitant of Béarn. They appear mainly at the XVIIIe century within the family then among the genealogists and give a report on work of former historians whose traces today are more or less lost.

The principal legend is reported as of the first edition of the Dictionnaire of the Nobility of Chesnay-Desbois (1857-1866) starting from work of genealogists of XVIIIe to the XIXe centuries and will be taken again regularly with more or less faith thereafter. It establishes that this house left the first house of Béarn and that it would have been formed by one puîné of the Viscount Centulle V of Béarn (actually more probably Centulle VI of Béarn taking into account the dates) which would have received the ground of the valley of Béon like prerogative by an act of the Easter Day 1133. This filiation made it possible to classify the house of Béon among the downward families of Mérovingiens via the Viscounts of Béarn, the dukes of Gascogne then the dukes of Aquitaine, dynasties left the first race of kings de France. The author of this theory refers to several more or less reliable guarantors whose anonymity historian of the counts de Brabant which would have quoted in example, at an unknown date, the house of Béon like tie its origin of the former Viscounts of Béarn, and wanting for proof makes it, exact it is true, that the house of Béon, at least his elder branch, always carried of right the weapons full and whole of Béarn.

It is besides in second half of the XVIIIe century that the representatives of this same branch modify their noun in favor of a " Béon-Béarn" even of a " Béarn de Béon" in order to better emphasize their alleged origins mérovingiennes. These modifications appear in various specimens of the General state of France as from the years 1770. We know since famous Centulle VI of Béarn evoked in the legend did not have a descent and that with him the first house of Béarn died out.

One second legend exists around the figure of the author of this house, its first representative known by an act of November 19th, 1204: Arnaud-Guilhem de Béon, mentioned in a letter of Mazère in which Raymond-Roger, count of Foix, request with his/her uncle, the aforementioned Arnaud-Guilhem de Béon, to release from the prisoners. This document is the first preserved to reveal the name of this house. The family ties evoked in this letter of 1204 were used at the end of the XVIIIe century and at the XIXe century by many genealogists to consolidate the princely ascent of Béon and to establish the first known alliance of this family: that of Arnaud-Guilhem with NR. of Foix, a hypothetical aunt of Raymond-Roger and girl of Roger III of Foix. Not exploited curiosity of the genealogy, such an alliance would place among the authors of this family a hero of the literature and history: the Cid. Indeed, Roger III of Foix married the little girl of Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar in the person of Chimène Diaz of Barcelona, girl of Maria Diaz de Bivar, the girl of Cid, on the one hand and of Raymond-Beranger III of Barcelona on the other hand. Unfortunately for this alliance, no act attesting it was preserved and one can stick only to this name of uncle appearing in this letter to consider it. Thereafter, the counts de Foix and the lords of Béon will continue to be called cousins, as did it Roger IV of Foix with Philippe de Béon, captain governor of Foix, in a mail of November 3rd, 1260; but such practices discussed between the princes and their principal lords as between the kings France and their dukes without real family ties always not existing.

These various legends turning around the origins of this house attest considerable prestige obtained by this family in the French western south and well beyond at the end of the old mode, prestige formed partly by a long familiarity maintained with the most important feudal dynasties Gascogne and Guyenne but not only…

Sources and historical context

The independent sources having been used for knowledge of this old house are preserved in various funds of French files consisted the genealogists of the king at the end of the XVIIIe century at the time of the evidence of nobilities made by various members of this family in order to obtain the Honneurs of the court (in 1780 and 1782), of the presentations to the royal family, the entry in the Ordres of the king (Saint Louis, Saint Lazare)…
These papers contain many acts belonging to the family like some documents of an even political familiar nature. Those made it possible these genealogists to consider this family as one of the first of the kingdom by classifying it among the houses of the nobility on the basis of its seniority, of the quality of its alliances and its many distinctions. We will reconsider lower the credit than it is necessary to grant to these considerations.

Other sources make it possible to have a more distant glance with respect to this family and especially to better anchor its course in the social context and policy of the times considered. The participations in the reviews of companies, the states and other manifestations of the public life make it possible to see appearing certain of its representatives in a different context, confronted with their real prerogatives: those of men-at-arms and simple notable of the area.

If the criteria which make it possible to appreciate the nobility at the end of the old mode tend to be standardized it should not be forgotten that the second order is plural and that it evolved/moved within frameworks very varied according to the provinces.
In its Cartulaires of the valley of Ossau , Pierre Tucoo-Chala evokes the structures of this Pyrenean nobility: " There was however in Ossau a certain number of noble houses, of " domenjadures" , whose owners could avoid title of " seigneur" : three in the southernmost part of the valley, Saint-Colome, Izeste, Louvie-Juzon; five inside, Béon, Louvie-Soubiron, Béost, Espalungue and Assoute. As the centuries pass - and the cartulaires carry an interesting testimony from there - their influence increases. But it is only of influence and not about domination, they are simple lords of villages not returning justice, not having any share with the exploitation of the vallée". The same author specifies the functions of these families installed in the valley in Islam was with the doors of the Pyrenees : " they were simply viscontal castles whose guard had been entrusted to " cavers" ; the higher authority claimed of it their restitution three times in the year. In this case, potentates inhabitant of Béarn would not be the vassal ones, but the faithful ones which sit at the court and keep the public fortresses; their relations with the Viscount are characteristic of those which the large ones maintain midday with comtaux chalk-linings holders of the public authority before the feudal crisis of XIe century. (...) " cavers" were thus moulting as lords lords of the manor with around them them small troop of chevaliers."

The origins of the house of Béon are to be imagined among these tracks. The most probable assumption is that of a knight close to the Viscount, to have undoubtedly belonged rather near to its family, placed at Béon in the valley of Ossau there to represent the viscontal authority and to keep the valley in a context of Reconquista and which would have made stock…

Genealogy

General structure

All the genealogists agree on this point: this house was already divided into two principal branches as of XIIIe century without one knowing with exactitude the conditions of this old division. Moreover, certain historians wondered finally if it were indeed only one and even family. The geographical proximity and the relations maintained throughout the centuries by the representatives the two branches seem to attest it. To the XVIIIe century, in spite of a so remote separation, the chiefs of the two branches still give each other " cousin" and both are appropriate that one is well the elder branch and that its chief is thus that of the whole house.
The genealogy reproduced here takes as a starting point that proposed in the Nobiliaire of Guyenne and Gascogne of O' Gilvy.
A first branch elder, known as of Béon-Béarn, would have run of XIIe in XVe century before being melted in that of the Viscounts of Sère. The branch of the lords of Armantieu it Palu would then have become the elder branch until its extinction at the end of the XVIIIe century. The second principal branch is that known as of the Viscount of Sère which made several branches: that of the Viscounts of Sère, melted in the house of Pardaillan-Gondrin, that of the lords of Massed, melted to some extent in the house of Timbrune-Valence, that of the lords of Massed then the barons of Bouteville known as Béon-Luxembourg extinguished in 1725 and that of the lords of Cazaux extinguished at the end of the XVIIIe century.

Branch elder, known as of Béon-Béarn

It is formed by

I. Arnaud-Guilhem de Béon (1145/1204 or 1188) ¤ NR. of Foix, of which it have

II. Philippe de Béon (1180/1223), who had

III. Jean de Béon, who had

IV. Jean-Menaud de Béon, who had

V. Raymond de Béon (? /1362) ¤ Lady Claire, of which it had

VI. Arnaud-Guilhem II of Béon, which had

VII. NR. of Béon, which had

VIII. Jean III of Béon, which had

IX. Jean IV of Béon, which had

X. Jeanne de Béon, rams of Béon ¤ Pierre II of Béon, Viscount of Sère (probably)

Second elder branch known as of Béon d' Armantieu

It would be formed by a son junior by Philippe de Béon, name of

III. Arnaud de Béon (1223/1284), who had

IV. Arnaud de Béon (? /1319) ¤ Jeanne of Palu (¤ January 6th, 1269), of which it had

V. Bernard II of Béon, which had

VI. Pierre de Béon (? /1338), which had

VII. Bernard III of Béon (? /1358), which had

VIII. Pierre II of Béon (? /1418) ¤ Jeanne de Maumut (1378/1425), of which it had

IX. Odet de Béon ¤ Marie of Castelbajac, of which it had Jeanne married to Amanieu of Lau and Miramonde married to Amadon of Montesquiou

IX. Bernard IV of Béon (1400/1450), which had

X. Odon de Béon (1430/1488) ¤ Catherine of the Flax (or Catherine de Olino) (1435/1475/1488), of which it had

XI. Bertrand de Béon (1475/1537) ¤ Jeanne d' Ornezan de Saint Blancard (¤ January 17th, 1501), of which it had

XII. Gabriel de Béon (1501/1577) ¤ Catherine de Saint-Lary-Bellegarde (¤ August 17th, 1556 in Bellegarde), of which it had

XIII. Pierre III of Béon (1556/1590) ¤ Marguerite of Noah (¤ December 31st, 1579), of which it had

XIV. Jean-Antoine de Béon ¤ Marguerite de Soyanne de Lasseran-Massencome (¤ February 23rd, 1628), of which it had

XV. François de Béon who married Jeanne of The-Turn-of-Lives

XV. François II of Béon ¤ Francoise de Moura (¤ October 17th, 1663), of which it had

XVI. François III of Béon ¤ Marie-Catherine de Rollet, of which it had

XVII. François IV of Béon ¤ Anne de Puyberail (¤ June 20th, 1735), of which it had

XVIII. François-Frederic de Béon (1754/179?) ¤ Marie-Madeleine-Charlotte de Béon of Massed-Cazaux, of which it had

XIX. François-Antoine-Henri de Béon (death in 1820)

XVII. Jean-Antoine de Béon (1715/?) ¤ Therese Cauvet, which made stock…

Connect Viscounts of Sère

The connection is hypothetical: it would be also formed by a junior by Philippe de Béon, name of

III. Pierre de Béon, who had

IV. NR. of Béon, which had

V. NR. of Béon, which had

VI. NR. of Béon, which had

VII. Pey, or Pierre II of Béon, ¤ Jeanne de Béon-Béarn (probably) of which it had

VIII. Arnaut-Guillaume de Béon ¤ Constancy of Montault (¤ on January 8th, 1422 with Tarbes), of which it had

IX. Pierre III of Béon ¤ Jeanne d' Ornezan d' Orade (¤ in 1487), of which it had

X. Jean de Béon ¤ Jeanne de Foix, of which it had

XI. Sebastien de Béon ¤ Marie Isalguier, of which it had two girls: Marguerite married to Beraud de Goth (of the Taste) then with Joseph-François of Montesquiou and Philiberte married to Jacques de Béon his cousin

XI. Bernard de Béon, lord of Ricau ¤ Miramonde de Montaut (¤ in 1549), of which it had

XII. Jacques de Béon, Viscount of Sère by his marriage ¤ Philiberte de Béon (¤ on July 24th, 1569), of which it had

XIII. François or Jean II of Béon, ¤ Anne de Flageac, of which it had

XIV. Jean III of Béon (death without alliance), Anne married to NR. of Bezolles, NR. married to Jean-Louis of Pardaillan-Gondrin, and Catherine married to Anne de Monstron

Of its second marriage with Catherine de Faudoas-Serillac, Jacques de Béon did not have a child.

Of its second marriage with Marguerite Isalguier de Clermont, Jean de Béon had a son, François died without alliance, and four girls whose elder one, Catherine, was married in Corbeyran de Faudoas

Of its second marriage with Guiote de Devèze, Arnaud-Guillaume de Béon had two wire, Menaud de Béon, died without alliance, and Pierre IV of Béon which made the branch of the lords of Massed.

Principal illustrations

General presentation

O' Gilvy in its Peerage-book of Guyenne and Gascogne introduces this family in these terms: " This noble and ancient exclusively military race has largely paid and without interruption its debt in France for eight centuries. It had representatives with the crusades. It produced a great number of knights, captains and governors of places, captains of fifty men-at-arms, knights commanders about Malta, a knight of Saint-Michel before the creation about the Holy Spirit, a knight of the Holy Spirit, four generals, including three brigadiers and a general lieutenant of the armies of the king, advisers of State, governors of provinces, a bishop of Oloron etc." the Directory of the Nobility of 1876 additions to this already long list: " a large prior and large hospital about Jean Saint of Jerusalem, the gentlemen of the room of the king, the ambassadors, the advisers of State, the chamberlains, Large of Spain, the lady-in-waitings of the queens of France (NDR: one thinks of Louise de Béon, countess of Brienne and Anne of Austria) and royal princesses (NDR: one thinks of the countess of Béon near Mrs Adélaïde), of the pages, of the distinguished prelates, inter alia Raymond-Arnaud de Béon, bishop of Oléron, which was the executor of its relationship Catherine de Foix, queen of Navarre, great-grandmother of Henri IV. "
The same author specifies further the situation from this house to the day before of the Revolution: " At the time of the Revolution, seven members of this noble family belonged to the house of the roi".

Some figures of this house evoked starting from the cards proposed by the Dictionary of French biography of Prevost and Roman of Amat, increased here few complements as well as evidence of nobility provided at the time of the entry in the orders of the king or the access to the honors of the court and which are preserved at the Public records (MM 810/817; M 614; ) and among the Western manuscripts of the BN in the Funds Chérin (n°3) and the funds of the French manuscripts Fr 31782 mainly:

Aimery de Béon of Massed

Governor of Limoges, oldest son of Bernard, rider of stable of Louis XI and chamberlain of king de Navarre in 1480 on the one hand, and of Antoinette de Devèze, married in 1513, on the other hand. It made the war in Italy under Monluc, in Barges and Fossano, in 1543, and became sign with the company of Terms before June 29th, 1559.
In garrison in Bordeaux, it misses assisting on July 17th, 1562 with the combat of targon and complained some bitterly. As Mestre of camp, it took part in that of Vergt, on October 9th, became lieutenant of the company of François d' Escars, of which it took the command in August 1562, after this one had been announced like agent of Condé. At the end of many military peregrinations it is named governor of Limoges at the beginning of June 1569 and dies same the année.
He had married on November 16th, 1540, Marguerite de Castelbajac who gave him at least two wire, Bernard which follows and Pierre, married in Marguerite of Faudoas.

Bernard de Béon of Massed

Brigadier, wire of Aimery. October 1st, 1574, at the time of the reorganization of the French guards, it takes the head of the colonelle company of this body. It took share, in the royal troops, with the battle of Dormans, in 1576, with the seat of Brouage, in 1577, accompanied Catherine de Médicis in her voyage in the South of France in 1578-1579 and, on May 1st, 1584, after being itself dislocated of its company, was named governor of Carmagnole. Brigadier on November 16th, 1585, it was employed into Dauphine under Valetta, then under Epernon. In 1589, it raised a company of fifty lances and, after being dislocated of its government, was indicated by Henri III as general lieutenant with the governments of Saintonge, Angoumois, Aunis and La Rochelle, in March of the same year Henri IV preserved this load to him, created it adviser of State in 1597 and named it knight of his kinds in 1604 but it dies in Monceaux, on August 8th, 1607, before the ceremony of reception to the order of Saint-Esprit.
He had married in 1572, Gabrielle de Marast, widow of Jean of St-Lary of which he will have a son died without descent and two girls: Jeanne married to Jean-Louis of Rochechouart (large uncle of the Marchioness of Montespan) and Marguerite married to Jean-François de Magnat, then Louise of Luxembourg, widow of Georges d' Amboise, count d' Aubijoux, of which it had a son Charles.
This one was, on January 15th, 1623, under the terms of agreements before concluded, substituted for the family of its mother. He married Marie Amelot and described himself as Luxembourg-Béon, while his sister, Louise, heiress of the county of Brienne, brought this ground to her husband Henri-Auguste de Loménie whom she married same the année.
The Montmorency, also allied in Luxembourg, having asserted their rich person succession, Bernard (NDR: raised child of honor of Louis XIV) and Jean-louis, one and the other wire of Charles, then Charles, wire of Jean-Louis, colonel to the regiment of Brassigny, had to support against them an interminable lawsuit, which finished in 1715 by a stop prohibiting in Béon, but against straight, to take the name of Luxembourg (NDR: the called upon reason was the regulation…)
Charles, the last of Béon of Massed, had married Anne-Dorothée of Hautoy (family counted among the small horses of Lorraine), from which it separated in 1698. He became the lover of the woman of Pierre Gardel, treasurer general of the fortifications of France, then of the girl of this one, Anne-Charlotte (who one suspected of being his daughter), that he discharged at 17 years, whereas he had itself of it 54. He died without posterity, on August 9th, 1725, and its succession gave place to a new lawsuit (NDR: between his/her Antoinette-Louise-Therese sister of Béon-Luxembourg and Anne-Charlotte Gardel in favor it had tested, the succession was shared into two). Let us note that at the end of the XVIIIe century the tensions between the Montmorency-Luxembourg and Béon were already repercussions, and in that the extinction of Béon-Luxembourg undoubtedly helped, bus François-Frederic de Béon-Béarn was godson of the duke and of the duchess of Luxembourg and it is in the company of Luxembourg that he was second lieutenant of the bodyguards.

Aimery-François de Béon of Massed

Known as the count de Lamesan, brigadier, wire of Jean-Pierre and Catherine de Lamesan, married in 1598, it was used as lieutenant with the regiment of the French guards with the seat as Corbie, in 1636, with those of Landrecies, Maubeuges, Capelle, in 1637, of St-Omer, in 1638, of Renty and Hesdin in 1639.
Promoted captain on June 9th, 1640, it made countryside in Flanders (head office of Arras, 1641), in Roussillon (seat of Colliouren and Perpignan, in 1642), then again in Flanders, was distinguished under the orders from the Grand Cop with the battle from Lens, in 1648, with the blockade of Paris, in 1649.
Brigadier on March 21st, 1650, handlebar (January 12th, 1651), then sign (March 10th) of the gendarmes of the guard, it dislocated his company of French guard, was used with the seat of Angers, the catch of St-Denis, the combat of the suburb St-Antoine, in 1654, it was present ay seat of co.-Menehould, in 1653; with the attempts made to release Arras, in 1654, with the head office of Montmédy, in 1657, and finally with the battle of the Dunes, in 1658. The following year it accompanied the king in his voyage in Provence and Langedoc and was promoted second lieutenant of the company of the gendarmes on February 16th, 1666. Although it was not young any more, it made the Guerre of Devolution like volunteer and was made kill with the seat of Turned, in 1667. He had married Marie Lybaut and had had two wire, Louis de Béon, count of Massed and Lamezan, had died of it without alliance and Aimery-Joesph de Béon of Massed, Viscount of Lamezan, also died without alliance.

Isaac of Béon-Half-cases

General lieutenant, wire of Francois, gentleman of the room of Gaston of Orleans and Agnes de Lévis-Lomagne, girl of Jean, fifth wire of Jean VI of Lévis. It entered as musketeer to the company of the cardinal of Mazarin in 1658 and was used with the seat as Dunkirk. The same year, June 13rd and 14th, it was distinguished particularly under the marquis d' Humières, to the operations which preceded and followed the battle of the Dunes, from where it returned wounded with six men of its company. Lieutenant with the musketeers in 1659, then captain with the regiment of St-Obstructed, it made like volunteer the Guerre of Devolution and the conquest of Frank the County in 1668. Appointed Large Baillif (April 9th, 1668) then commander de Bergues (June 5th), it resided until 1676 in this place for the service of which it raised a company of dragons in 1674 and one company of infantry in 1675. Promoted brigadier on February 25th of the following year, it was employed in Catalonia with the fight against the guerillas, passed to Messine with Vivonne on February 15th, 1677 and returned to Roussillon the following year. It was wounded with the head office of Puigcerda. After the rendering of this city it was promoted general Lieutenant on June 28th, 1678, obtained the government of Bergues on February 15th, 1679, then that of Thionville on January 13rd, 1681, it died two months later without posterity. His/her brother, Pierre-Hyppolite de Béon de Caseaux, married to Jeanne d' Ax, continued the line.

François-Frederic de Béon-Béarn

Count de Béon, lord of Palu, Serissan, Mazerolles, Cassaigne, Castela, Maumus, Artigos, Mestre of camp of cavalry, second lieutenant of the bodyguards of the king in the company of Luxembourg. Born on February 5th, 1754 in Mirande in the diocese from Auch and baptized the 9 following. Wire of François de Béon, count de Beaumont and of Palu, captain to the regiment of infantry of Bolted on the one hand, and of Anne of Puyberail of Froncens, married on June 20th, 1735 with the castle of Froncens and which was girl of Annet and Paule de Montlezun de Saint-Lary on the other hand.
Via his large uncle and from his uncle successively chaplain of ordinary district then chaplain of Mrs Adélaïde it obtains for his wife (who follows) a place of lady to accompany the princess in 1782, load which will insert the couple in the company of Mesdames.
Present in Versailles during the days of October, one very quickly finds the count de Béon in the rows of the army of the princes where it is distinguished like describes it later this extract of article nearly one century:
" François-Frederic de Béarn, count de Béon, took during the emigration of the service in England and obtained the rank of colonel of a regiment of his name to the service of His British Majesty. It was useful in England and Holland (NDR: In April 1793, whereas the insurrections start in the Vendée and that the Dutch troops essuient reverses, the count de Béon receives the mission of organizing a new regiment of emigrants with Nimègue. As of the summer, the Legion of Béon is complete with 200 riders and 600 infantrymen who will take part in the campaigns around Liege and Maubeuge this year there and will undergo many losses) as it had been useful in France, always with honor, bravery and distinction. With the battle of Boussigny, it had two horses killed under him. In 1795, the count de Béon, who was one of the main leaders of the royal army, ordered the honest legion of Béon which, on July 20th, covered glory in its heroic defense in the middle of the bloody catastrophe of Quiberon. " (extracted the Directory of the nobility of 1876.

See also the article: The Hussards of the Legion of Béon.

Marie-Madeleine-Charlotte de Béon of Massed-Cazaux

Girl of Gabriel-Guillaume, marquis de Béon of Massed of Cazaux, lieutenant of a company of the bodyguards and sergeant of the armies of the king on the one hand and Marie-Madeleine-Christine Lombard de Montauroux on the other hand.
Countess of Béon by her marriage, on January 22nd, 1776 with the castle of the Snake, with its distance cousin: François Frederic de Béon-Béarn chief of the house of Béon, under lieutenant with the bodyguards in the company of Luxembourg and knight of Saint-Louis. It was accepted with the Honneurs of the court in 1782 and then obtained a place of lady to accompany Mrs Adélaïde, load which it held until the Revolution. It belonged to the small court of Bellevue where Mesdames had withdrawn themselves in the last decade of the old mode. The Countess of Boigne, born from Osmond and which was also girl of a lady of these princesses, evokes this small firm in its memories: " Thus, I remember very well that to Bellevue, at Mesdames, the officer of the bodyguards of service did not dine with the table on the princesses. That was so much of rigor that Mister de Béon, husband of one of the ladies of Mrs Adélaïde, dined with the second table when it was of service, and, the following day, came to sit down beside his wife, with the table of the princesses. But it was an innovation, and this lack with the label had been a great concession of the good princesses. What is even more extraordinary, it is that the bishops were in the same predicament, and ate neither with the king nor with the princes of the royal family. One explained me the reasons for this exclusion." forever; She is in Versailles at the time of the days of October which transfer the departure of the royal family for Paris. In its memories, the marchioness of Rochejaquelein evokes this short anecdote relating to it: " the count de Narbonne-Lara, which since was minister, then knight of honor of Mrs Adélaïde and large friend of Mr. of Fayette, arrives at eleven hours and half at Mesdames; it came from the Eye of ox, ensures that all is alleviated, starts to joke on the fear of each one; he still spoke, when Mr. de Thianges opens the door, like Mrs. de Béon, while shouting: " Mr. of Fayette is at the roi". Nothing can paint the astonishment, the seizure which this news caused… "

She marries in second wedding in 1808 Joseph-Marie-Prosper, count of Hautpoul, which made career in the embassies of the marquis de Bombelles.

Elisabeth Vigée Brown the made its portrait in 1787, it belonged lengthily to the collections of the family of Mauléon (the single sister of the countess of Béon having been countess of Mauléon) before being put on sale at New York in 1949.

Marie-Louise de Béon

Girl of Pierre-Prosper, count de Béon, second lieutenant of the bodyguards on the one hand and Sophie de Chaumareys on the other hand. She belonged to the last elder branch of this old house, that known as of Béon lords of Beer which was a branch formed in XVe century by Berringuier de Béon, wire junior by Bernard IV of Béon d' Armantieu and which following the extinction of principal the other branches was only found at the XIXe century surviving of a family which was however prolific. She was the cousin of Jean-Marie-Clovis-Charles-Ferdinand-Henri de Béon, last chief of this house, died in 1908 without child of Ines-Mercedes Sanz, married in 1901.

Marie-Louise de Béon remained famous to have been young lady of honor of the duchess of Berry as controlling children whom it had had of its second bed and to have followed it in her adventures until her characteristic died, without alliance, in 1855. She is buried in the royal tomb of the dukes of Parma with Plaisance.

Which nobility?

Which criteria to use?

The nobility is not a quality easy to appreciate for the simple reason which it is not only one quality but also a social status, legal and political evolving/moving in an environment adapted (today disappeared, which is not without consequence on our current definition) itself nonfixed but evolving/moving to the wire of the centuries. For that there is not only one definition of the nobility which would be immutable but well several which followed one another, at the same time as this order of the company adapted to the evolutions that she subissait.
In the same way, the structure of the nobility also changed with time, like its own representation…
Taking account of these considerations it appears obvious that the way more meaning to evaluate the importance or the exemplarity of a house does not rest on a criterion isolated and often subjective such as the fame of a name or the number of brilliant deeds achieved by its membres.
The criteria employed at the end of the old mode by the genealogists of the king are clear and significant: are regarded as pertaining to the nobility the families being able to prove by official titles a great seniority, alliances of quality, possessions extended, a regular frequentation of the court and an occupation quite as regular of the loads of the crown. More simply, it is necessary to be entered the club among the first, not to be mixed with no matter whom, to have taken part as soon as possible in the exercise of the authority and to have taken care of always increasing its base. To belong to the circle of large quite simply means to have known to carry out its boat and to hold the distance while resisting the time and the obstacles of all kinds.
Here ideal conditions to belong to the nobility according to it at the end of the XVIIIe century; but is to pass very quickly on an ultimate criterion which is far from being unimportant: favor of the king. Of course the families which meet all the conditions mentioned above increase their chance to reach the favor but there exist faster ways and those which follow them successfully therefore are not discredited by their new pars, just he are a little envied the space of one or two generations. Thus among the dukes and pars of France one can count some houses of recent extraction but however arrived at the top of the scale peerage-book: it is the case of the Albert de Luynes, of Phélyppeaux (Pontchartrain, Vrillière…), Fleury, Merry… of the rises all formed by success or the favor in a character.

The house of Béon does not belong to this last category but is rather the example of a long progression and a more or less fast adaptation of a clan to the evolutions of the company and mechanisms of the social rise and which was, according to any probability, occupied looking after a last criterion at the time when the building collapsed in 1789. Useless to reconsider the criterion of seniority, it belongs to the rows of the chivalrous nobility and is already noble at the time of oldest mention of its name in 1204.

Titles and possessions

This house is established in Béarn, Bigorre, Gascogne, Astarac, county of Foix, Guyenne, Angoumois, the Limousin, Ile de France, the Antilles…
Its titles, thus recalled in introduction of article into the Peerage-book of Guyenne and Gascogne of O' Gilvy, give an idea of its considerable possessions:

Tops and powerful lords, very noble and very famous lords, noble, nobleshommes, lords, messeigneurs, damoiseaux, knights, lords of the valley of Béon, Viscounts, counts and marquis de Béon, Viscounts of Sère, barons de Miglos, counts de Lamezan and of Brienne, marquis de Boutteville etc (NDR: barons of Palu and Armantieu, counts and marquis de Béon-Cazaux, counts of Palu, counts of Massed, Viscounts of Lamezan, counts de Ligny, dukes of Piney); lords of Béon, Armantieu, Palu, Arrembos, Moncassin, Belloc, Castetz, Serian (or Sedian), Maumus, Ortigos, Cassaigne, Mazerolles, Pontac, Beers, Barthe, Birac, Antras, Verduzan, of Saulx, of Massed, Esclassan, Cazaux, Bezian, Lartigue, Ricau, Bellesbat, Bourriège, the Snake…

All these grounds were not simultaneously in this family but it all have be at a given time and some remained it origins until its extinction. The castles which follow were places of residence of the members of this family during more or less a long period:

Hotel of the street Plumet (11 and 16), parish St-Sulpice in Paris

Field of Mitry in France

Castle of Brienne

Castle of Bouteville

Castle of Palu with Mirande

Castle of Sère

Castle of Arrouède or Rouède close to the Masses in Astarac (southern of Gers)

Castle of Bellesbat

Castle of the Snake

Gentilhommière of Béon in Béarn

Its territorial and financial base is solid. As example, with died of the Béon-Luxembourg last in 1725, it is nearly 300.000 books that the two opposite parties dispute.

Quality of alliances

The study of the alliances contracted by the various representatives of this house through the ages makes it possible to see evolving/moving the networks of fidelity and to follow to each level the social and political position of this clan.

The first known, or asserted alliances, are very brilliant since they are unions contracted with princely houses: Viscounts of Béarn (suspected), counts of Foix (several alliances at the end of the Middle Ages in addition to that of XIIe century mentioned above which is only suggested), the counts d' Astarac (XIVe century), the counts de Comminges.

Of XIVe in XVIe century, the very many unions with some large Gascon houses of equal nobility consolidate its place in the networks of being able of the western south: Montesquiou, Castelbajac, Isalguier, Devèze, Noah, Montlezun, Faudoas, Ornezan, Chelles, Pardaillan-Gondrin.

From XVe XVIe centuries, come to be added new houses originating in provinces more distant and representing a considerable extension from its area of influence parallel with its integration with the domestic networks via the house in Navarre its protective (since the installation of the house of Foix-Béarn on the throne of Navarre): the Timbrune-Valence, Luppé (pars), Taste/Goth (pars), Rochechouart-Mortemart (pars), Saint-Lary-Bellegarde (pars), Lévis-Mirepoix (pars), of Castries (pars) for the principal ones.

The military career, which is the destiny of almost all its members, directs them for the moment towards the most brilliant names of the Old nobility (Barthe, Lautrec, Valetta/Epernon, Gontaut-Biron, Moissens, Mauléon, Labadie), and conduit some towards the most powerful houses of then like the imperial and royal house of Luxembourg at the end of the 16th century.

From the XVIIe century of the names of Noblesse de robe appear: Rollet, Amelot, Loménie, Hautoy (old Lorraine house resulting from Luxembourg).

As its rise continues until the middle of the XVIIe century, the quality of alliances goes increasing. As from the XVIIIe century, one sees appearing more modest parties, less old families and probably more difficulty of finding a union with a family of an at least equivalent reputation. The best example in fact is the marriage in 1776 between François-Frederic de Béon-Béarn and Marie-madeleine de Béon of the Mass-Half-cases. The XVIIe century brought in the second order much of new blood and once arrived at the top the chances to find to marry with dignity are increasingly restricted for demographic reasons but also in the case of this house, strategic reasons…

At the XIXe century, the surviving branch has nothing any more for it but its name. She knew same rise and seems to set for objective only that, not always easy to hold, to marry in the nobility (Chaumarey, Bouchiat).

Loads of the crown

It is a question here of seeing whether the representatives of this house knew to obtain that one entrusts a piece of the public authority to them. As lords of many grounds they of course exerted the lasting power of the generations. But by their investment in the military career they were very numerous to become officers and to obtain great military responsibilities: governments of fortified towns, cities and provinces (as of XIIIe century with the service of the house of Foix, then in XVIe century for the king).

However, it should be noted that contrary to the other houses of the nobility this one does not manage to be maintained in its loads more than one generation and thus sorrow to be installed on the steps of the capacity durably. The reason is certainly to find side of the last criterion: frequentation of the court.

Its presence at the Court

Whereas it appears among the families best represented in the courses of Foix then of Navarre, occupying the greatest distinctions and profiting from famous brands of confidence (chamberlain, tutor of the princely children, executor…) the family pains to bore within the court of France.

When the last house of Navarre reaches the throne of France, all the hopes seem possible for Béon. It is besides at that time (the beginning of XVIIe century) which one assists with the most daring attempt at rise: the substitution of Luxembourg. The branch of Béon of Massed is at the top of its career curiale, the other branches did not have the same military distinctions and are in withdrawal. Louise de Béon, countess of Brienne and wife of the first Loménie de Brienne, is a friend of Anne of Austria, a great virtue and without much of glare. Its position is good but its family will not resist the catch in hand of the capacity by Louis XIV because her husband is thanked. It will be necessary to wait one century before finding Loménie at a ministerial position. Louise manages all the same to obtain a place of child of honor for her Bernard nephew. This one dies without alliance and its small Charles nephew of Béon-Luxembourg will only succeed in attracting himself the discredit of the king by the scandal of his private life: O1 47-239 " Letter of Roy with Mr. de Béon Luxembourg for luy to say to leave the town of Paris without delay and to withdraw themselves in those of its grounds which he will judge by the way to remain until new there ordre". The branch of Béon-Cazaux at this same period seems to benefit from the clearing since it obtains a place of gentleman of the room from Gaston of Orleans. More distant, one counts two riders of the name of Béon to the small stables under the reign of Louis XIV - probably pertaining to Béon de Bière, this branch junior by Béon d' Armantieu.

During all the beginning of the XVIIIe century there is a vacuum with regard to the occupation of the loads of the court. It is the moment when die out Béon-Luxembourg and even before that… any hope of favor. A new attempt at success curiale is launched in the middle of the century, this time on the initiative of Béon d' Amantieu, remained in withdrawal at the previous century.
In 1754 (on April 13rd) Jean-Antoine de Béon, abbot of its state, obtains a patent of Chaplain of Mrs Adélaïde of France. The extraordinary situation of this princess and her sisters, remained so a long time at the court since nonmarried except for one only, the slow aggregation of Béon to the system curial supported. The place will pass to a nephew of the abbot of Béon, also abbot, and this one will obtain a promotion since he will become ordinary Aumônier, with the second rank in the vault. At the same time, François-Frederic de Béon Béarn, nephew of the last abbot, reach the Honneurs of the court in 1780 and obtains them two years later with its wife as well as a place of lady's companion of Mrs Adélaïde become the principal bread-winner. She presses the queen Marie-Antoinette to obtain one évêché of the western south for the abbot of Béon, but the latter will prefer to allot it to her characteristic protected, the abbot of Comminges (intrigue reported in the memories of the Marquis de Bombelles, husband of a friend and rams to accompany Mrs Elisabeth which will make a diplomatic career).

It is not certain only these bases at the court, in other circumstances that those of the end of the old mode, had been a long time able to support them, the position of Mesdames being then increasingly marginal in the networks of being able. Nevertheless, the increasing presence of Béon at the court in this end of the 18th century proves the new strategic priorities of this family and her firm will to reach the favor by its frequentation.

The career curiale of this house, very unequal in time, shows us the difficulties sometimes encountered to adapt to the evolutions of the company and the modes of social rise. Béon were obviously not able to invest the court with energy necessary to one period when it becomes a required passage for that which wants to make career and where it is not enough any more to serve the king in his armies well. The end of the feudal customers and soldiers who had carried the majority of his members until XVIe century and their replacement by the royal absolutism which makes of the king the only Master of the destinies, will destabilize this house durably.

It also appears, through the study of this clan, that a great division of the forces, if it makes it possible to explore several ways, always does not make it possible to constitute a rather solid base in court and that for this purpose it is preferable to have a less wide family or to gather behind only one head if it is not the case. The correspondence between the various branches becomes more numerous at the XVIIIe century. And it is undoubtedly accordingly that it is necessary to include/understand the union of the two branches in 1776 by the marriage of François-Frederic de Béon Béarn with Marie-Madeleine-Charlotte de Béon of Massed of Cazaux.

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