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Count of Longueville is a French noble title, whose holder had the fiefdom of the County of Longueville. The County was erected into a Duchy in 1505.
Contents
Origins
The Lordship of Longueville was a fief that belonged to the Giffard family. William Marshal received half of this honour by right of his wife, Isabel de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke in 1191. The heir of the other half was Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford. After 1204, William Marshal managed to keep his part, which in 1219 still belonged to his widow Isabel de Clare (Apr. 1172-1220) and her children in 1219. On the death of Isabelle de Clare, his son William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke gave his brother Richard his land in Normandy or the honours of Longueville and Orbec. Richard died childless, and Louis IX of France seized the lands.
Changes
In 1305, it was given by Philip IV his minister Enguerrand de Marigny only for him to be forfeited in 1314. It belonged to the family of the Counts of Evreux until the death of Philip of Navarre, brother of Charles the Bad in 1363. On 27 May 1364, Charles V offered the county of Longueville to Bertrand du Guesclin. The title of Comte de Longueville was awarded to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Wigtown (d.1438), and his son William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (d.1440) in gratitude for the assistance to the future Charles VII of France by the Scottish army rescue led by Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, killed at the Battle of Verneuil in 1424. Upon the death of James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas and 3rd Earl of Avondale in 1488, all his titles were forfeited and subsequently the title was bestowed upon Jean de Dunois. The title remained in the hands of the Orléans-Longueville family until the death of Jean Louis Charles d'Orléans in 1694.
Separation and Return
In 1364, following the death of John II of France, the County of Tancarville was separated from the County of Longueville, while the city of Montivilliers was attached to the royal demesne. In 1505, the barony of Auffay was united to the county and subsequently, the Duchy of Longueville was created by King Louis XII of France for his first cousin once removed François d'Orléans, Count of Dunois, son of François d'Orléans, Count of Dunois, son of Jean d'Orléans, himself an illegitimate son of the Duke of Orléans. The title became extinct in 1694 following the death of Marie de Nemours. From 1648, Longueville was also Sovereign Prince of Neuchâtel, a Swiss territory. In 1654 the eighth duke was created a peer as Duke of Coulommiers but the peerage was never registered and so became extinct at his death.