Christian de Villeneuve-Esclapon

Christian de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1852–1931) was a French aristocrat, politician and Félibrige supporter. He served in the National Assembly of France from 1889 to 1893 and published a newspaper called Lou Prouvençau.

Biography

Early life

Henri Marie Christian de Villeneuve-Esclapon was born on 8 August 1852 in Aix-en-Provence. His father was Jules de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1809–1895) and his mother, Henriette de Fresse de Monval. Upon the death of his father, he became the 10th Marquis de Villeneuve-Esclapon.

Career

He served in the Third Carlist War of 1872–1876 under Carlos, Duke of Madrid (1848–1909).

He embarked upon a career in politics by working as the private secretary of Achille de Vallavieille, the Prefect of Hérault. He then served as a member of the National Assembly of France for Corsica from 6 October 1889 to 14 October 1893.

He was a supporter of Félibrige, and started a newspaper in Aix-en-Provence, Lou Prouvençau. He also served as editor-in-charge of Occitania and wrote articles in Souleiado. Additionally, he wrote about Théodore Aubanel (1829–1886), Romée de Villeneuve (1170–1250) and the Château de Vaugrenier in Villeneuve-Loubet.

Personal life

He married Princess Jeanne Bonaparte (1861–1910), daughter of Prince Pierre Napoléon Bonaparte (1815–1881) and Éléonore-Justine Ruflin, and a great-niece of Napoleon (1769–1821). They had six children:

• Jules Pierre Napoléon de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1886–1957). He married Cécile Ernestine Marie de Courtois (1896–1981).
• Henriette Marie Jeanne de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1887–1942). She married Lucien Leret d'Aubigny (1876–1945).
• Romée Napoléon de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1889–1944).
• Lucien Louis Napoléon de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1890–1939). He married Iskouhi-Gladys Matossian (1894–1951).
• Marie Roselyne de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1893–1973). She married Bruno de Maigret (1888–1966).
• Rolande Anne Mathilde de Villeneuve-Esclapon (1896–1972). She married Antoine de Lyée de Belleau (1898–1978).

He died on 3 April 1931 in Paris.

Bibliography

• Lei Jue flourau de Fourcauquié, 13 de setèmbre 1875 (14 pages, Ricateau, Hamelin et Cie, 1875).
• La Félibrejade de la Sainte-Étoile à Avignon (15 pages, Vve Remondet-Aubin, 1876).
• La Première représentation du Pain du péché ("lou Pan dou pecat"), drame provençal en 5 actes et en vers, de Théodore Aubanel (22 pages, Vve Remondet-Aubin, 1878).
• La Maison des Baux (8 pages, L. Duc, 1895).
• Romée de Villeneuve, étude historique (25 pages, Neuilley, 1899).
• La Fondation du château de Villeneuve-Loubet (52 pages, Neuilley, 1902).

References