31 Facts About Philippe d'Auvergne

Vice-Admiral Philippe d'Auvergne was a Royal Navy officer who served in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Philippe d'Auvergne was fluent in French and English and had a mathematical mind, later to be used in various scientific studies and research.

Accounts of Philippe d'Auvergne's life put this down to Earl Howe, later Vice Admiral of England and First Lord of the Admiralty.

Howe had befriended Charles Philippe d'Auvergne, whilst commanding the flotilla stationed at Jersey during 1756.

Philippe d'Auvergne was on board one of the ships that bombarded and burnt Falmouth.

Now ashore, Philippe d'Auvergne was made a Major of the Naval Brigade.

Theophile was from Carhaix and mentioned that a Philippe d'Auvergne was being held prisoner.

Philippe d'Auvergne was provided with clothes suitable for a Royal Court and in fluent French told the Duke of his adventures to date.

Commodore Johnstone had previously wished to colonise the island and claim it for Britain, so Philippe d'Auvergne agreed to stay on the tiny island with 30 sailors, 20 captured French sailors, one woman, some animals and supplies.

The Nawab asked Philippe d'Auvergne to make a petition to the King to reclaim his state.

On his return to England Philippe d'Auvergne was promoted to Post-captain, but the peace with France meant demobilisation.

Between 1784 and 1787 Philippe d'Auvergne spent time travelling and escorted John Townsend son of Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney on a Grand Tour.

D'Auvergne was now known as the Prince of Bouillon, and would be Duke of Bouillon if Jacques Leopold de La Tour Philippe d'Auvergne died without issue.

In 1793, at the beginning of the French Revolution, Philippe d'Auvergne was based in London.

The authorities in Jersey were suspicious of Philippe d'Auvergne who was reporting directly to London and of the emigres in Jersey at a time of threatened invasion, emigres were required to wear a white ribbon and obey a curfew.

Jersey was an excellent base for Philippe d'Auvergne, who erected on a tower, the Prince's tower as it became called, that he had owned since 1754 at La Hougue Bie, a signal station, the masts of which could be clearly seen from the French coast.

Not only was Philippe d'Auvergne involved in the administration of French Emigres who had flocked to Jersey and passing intelligence to London, he supported the attempted invasion at Quiberon.

Philippe d'Auvergne continued to ask Henry Dundas if he should send arms to Puisaye.

Philippe d'Auvergne's role was a wartime role, with peace came a Captain's half pay.

Philippe d'Auvergne now spent his time in his house and gardens on Jersey, even opening the gardens to the public.

Philippe d'Auvergne's library contained 4,000 volumes, from scientific to classic, to French history.

Philippe d'Auvergne's promotions raised him to Vice Admiral of the Red.

In Bouillon the French had annexed the Duchy of Bouillon in 1795, and Duke Godefroy III, died in 1794, his son Jacques Leopold La Tour Philippe d'Auvergne inherited the title of Duke.

Jacques Leopold died on 3 March 1802 without issue, and Philippe d'Auvergne used the full title and dignity of Duke after this date.

Correspondence from Mr Merry, Ambassador in Paris, complains of the French authorities actions and states that Philippe d'Auvergne was held for five days, and when released was given only 24 hours to leave France, a near impossibility at that time.

In 1807 Philippe d'Auvergne was informed of the Chouans wanting to rise and rebel again, so Prigent and companions were sent to France to gain intelligence.

When Philippe d'Auvergne visited him in Paris, the King agreed to support Philippe d'Auvergne's claim to the Duchy of Bouillon, due to all the support he had given to the Royalists over the last 20 years.

On hearing Napoleon had returned to power in 1815, Philippe d'Auvergne went to Brussels and marched to war with a small regiment formed in the colours of Bouillon.

Nine days before the Battle of Waterloo, Philippe d'Auvergne discovered that the Congress of Vienna, which was allowed by the Treaty of Paris to rewrite the map of Europe, had decided to form the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as a buffer state along the northern border of France.

Whilst Philippe d'Auvergne was away, the Congress decided to uphold the arbitrators decision in favor of the claim by Rohan, the blood relation.

Philippe d'Auvergne committed suicide at Holmes' Hotel, London, on 18 September 1816; he was buried in St Margaret's Church, Westminster.