Duke of

Mayenne Mayenne () is a landlocked department in northwest France named after the river Mayenne. Mayenne is part of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Manche, Orne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Ille-et ...

(duc de Mayenne) is a title created for a cadet branch of the

House of Guise The House of Guise (pronunciation: �ɥiz Dutch: ''Wieze, German: Wiese'') was a prominent French noble family, that was involved heavily in the French Wars of Religion. The House of Guise was the founding house of the Principality of Joinvil ...

. It subsequently passed by marriage to the Gonzaga in 1621. They sold it to

Cardinal Mazarin Cardinal Jules Mazarin (, also , , ; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino () or Mazarini, was an Italian cardinal, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Louis XIII and Louis X ...

in 1654; he bestowed it on his niece,

Hortense Mancini Hortense Mancini, Duchesse de Mazarin (6 June 1646 – 2 July 1699), was a niece of Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister of France, and a mistress of Charles II, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. She was the fourth of the five famous Mancini si ...

in 1661. Due to the terms of entailment on the title, it became extinct in 1781, but it is still claimed by the

Sovereign Prince of Monaco The sovereign prince (french: prince de Monaco) is the monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All reigning princes have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, although some have belonged to other families (Goyon de Matignon or ...

, a descendant of Hortense.

Dukes of Mayenne (1573)

* Charles Ι de Lorraine (1573–1611), also known as

Charles de Guise Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne (26 March 1554 – 3 October 1611), or Charles de Guise, was a French nobleman of the house of Guise and a military leader of the Catholic League (French), Catholic League, which he headed during the French ...

* Henry of Lorraine (1611–1621) *

Charles II Gonzaga Charles II Gonzaga (22 October 1609 – 30 August 1631) was the son of Charles I, Duke of Mantua, and Catherine de Lorraine-Guise (also known as Catherine de Mayenne). He was the Duke of Nevers and Rethel, together with his father. In 1621, he s ...

(1621– 1631) *Ferdinand Gonzaga (1631–1632) * Charles III Gonzaga (1632–1654) *

(1654–1661) *

(1661–1699) *Paul-Jules de La Porte (1699–1731) *Guy-Paul-Jules de La Porte (1731–1738) *Louise-Jeanne de Duras (1738–1781) Due to various entailments, Louise-Jeanne could not pass on the title, which became extinct at her death. Her daughter, Louise-Félicité d'Aumont, married

Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco Honoré IV (Honoré Charles Anne Grimaldi; 17 May 1758 – 16 February 1819) was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 1814 to 16 February 1819. Because of his health, the state of affairs was managed by a regency of his brother Joseph ...

, and their descendants still claim the title.

Dukes of Mayenne (1573)

See also