François, Prince of Soubise


François de Rohan was a member of the House of Rohan and founder of the House of Soubise. His wife Anne Julie de Rohan was the one-time mistress of Louis XIV and mother of François's own eleven children. Prince of Soubise jure uxoris, he was also the Lord of Frontenay and of Ponghes.
The title of Prince of Soubise was created in 1667 when the sirerie of Soubise, Charente-Maritime was raised to a principality for the cadet branch of the House of Rohan, and de Rohan raised to prince. François would be succeeded by three further princes before the male line of Rohan-Soubise became extinct.

Biography

François was born to Hercule de Rohan and his wife. His father had been married twice, and François was the only son born from the second marriage. His older sister was Marie de Rohan, wife of the Duke of Chevreuse, Duke of Luynes and a key figure of the Fronde, the great civil war which threatened the power of the monarchy. His older brother was Louis de Rohan, Prince of Guéméné.
He was married twice.
On 27 March 1700, at the insistence of his wife Anne, François bought of the Hôtel de Guise, in Paris, renaming it the Hôtel de Soubise. It was purchased from the trustees of the late Duchess of Guise.
The church of Soubise, Charente-Maritime the Église Saint-Pierre, had been severely damaged during the European wars of religion. Originally built in the 12th century, the nave and choir had been largely destroyed. Between 1700 and 1712, the church was rebuilt and restored to its original grand proportions at the cost of the prince.
Residing at the hôtel, François outlived his wife by three years, dying there 12 August 1712. He was buried at the Église Saint-Pierre.

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