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The French genealogists and historians have nothing whatsoever to say about the DELAFORCE family! They have a lot to write about the Dukes de La Force (Caumonts) and occasionally about one or two families who at a late date, occupied, purchased or otherwise obtained possession of a Delaforce chateau and subsequently took the DELAFORCE name. (In the Auvergne, for instance.)
This situation was created because (a) the main family as Huguenots (the Jacques/James and the Jeans/Johns) left France in the persecutions of mid 16th century (Jacques father and son) and the end of the 17th century (Jean) and (b) the original family derived from Gascony, Gironde and Navarre so that the name sounded (and thus became written) as FORCES or Fourcès. The old maps of Gascony showed the family bastile town as FORCEZ: now it is Fourcès. These are the reasons for there not being ready-made histories of the DELAFORCES - but there are excellent records of Fourcès, FORCEZ and immediate derivatives from the original latin ‘chartes’ which showed FORTHON, FORT, etc. These reasons are written after the research had been completed - not before!
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1.
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J.F. BLADÉ, a distinguished historian, states the two GUILLAUME FORTONs, father and son, in 993 AD were Princes of VERDUN, Vicecomtes de GIMUEZ (i.e. born about 950 and 970 AD respectively).
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2.
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Abbé AIGNAN du SENDAT, the doyen of AUCH, capital of Gascony, noted that ‘GUILLAUME, cadet de la maison de Fezensac au commencement de Xeme siecle, fut apanagé du domaine de Fourcès’, i.e. about 920 AD, the title was awarded by Royalty.
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3.
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M.P. POTIER de COURCY ‘Nobiliare de Bretagne’ p.128 mentions the DE FORSANZ family ‘cette famille alliée à: la maison d’Armagnac.’
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4.
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‘DE FORSAN de GARDISSEUL, de MARADAN en Bretagne, famille d’ancienne chevalerie, originaire de la province de Gascoigne. La seigneurie de la ville de CONDOM lui appartenait jadis en partie et un seigneur de FORSAN épousa en 1025(?) la fille du comte d’Armagnac, Duc de GUIENNE.’
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5.
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Abbe D’OLGIVIE’s Nobiliare en Guienne & Gascoigne p.443 states that WILLIAM, younger son of GERALD TRENCALEON, Comte d’Armagnac, and brother to Bernard II TUMAPALAER, Duke of Gascony, founded the ‘Maison de FORCEZ.’ He had misinterpreted a charte which showed WILLIAM’s son BERNARD in mid-l1th century with his uncle BERNARD II Tumapaler. BERNARD de FORCE was referring to his mother’s brother (Bracheutte d’Armagnac, sister to Bernard Tumapaler). The word ‘uncle’ was correct, but referred to his mother’s side of the family.
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6.
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Pere Anselme, the best regarded of the noble genealogists, indicated that GUILLAUME, sieur de la Force, who married Bracheutte d’Armagnac very early in the 11th century, was the first of the line.
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7.
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MONTLEZUN, another eminent historian of Gascony, notes that in 1189 Peregrin de Fourcès, Abbot of Condom ‘appartenait à la noble et ancienne famille de Fourcès qu’on dirait une branche de la maison comtale d’Armagnac.’
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8.
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J.B. BOUILLET ‘Nobiliare d’Auvergne ‘Le fief De la Force de Charlus-le-Pailloux relevant avait donné son nom a une famille d’ancienne chevalerie.’
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9.
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DE FOSSA family from 1566 of St MAIXENT PECOLE, Deux Sevres (near NIORT and CHATELLRAULT).
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10.
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DE FORTON ‘famille originaire des frontiers d’ESPAGNE, mais etablie dans le bas Languedoc depuis quatre cen ans (1475). Cette famille a fourni deux conseilleurs au parlement, un president a la chambre des comtes ..et deux chevaliers de Saint-Louis.”
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11.
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DE FOURCY de CHESSEY of PICARDIE/ISLE de FRANCE, famille noble éteinte à donné un Prevost des Marchands de Paris 1684.
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Other sources were:-
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(1)
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JOUGLA de MORENAS, Grand Armorial de France
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(2)
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RIET STAP ARMORIAL GENERAL (p693)
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(3)
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Pere Anselme (3)DICT-NOBLESSE de la CHENAYE-DESBOISET BALTERA.
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In addition many ARMORIALS and CRESTS are recorded.
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12.
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Modern crest for DE Fourcès: ECARTELÉ aux 1 et 4 d’or au palmier de sin.. et un Chef d’azure chargé d’un croissant d’argt (argent) accoste’ de 2 étoiles d’orz aux 2 et 3 d’argent à l’arbre de sin.. souteau par deux lions affrontés de gueueles et un chef de gueue les chargé de 3 roses d’argent. (Jongla de Morenas, Gr.Arm. de France book 3, p.148)
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13.
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Also ‘DE Fourcès': Elle portait du moins comme nos comtes (comtale d’ARMAGNAC) au 1er et au 4° d’or au lion de gueules, mais elle écartelait au 2° et 3° d’Argent à une corneille de sable qui est sans doute CORNEILLAN.
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14.
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DE FORSAIS (Gascogne et Bretagne) Ecartelé aux 1 et 4 d’or au lion de gueueles aux 2 et3 d’argent à une corneille de sable.
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15.
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DE FORSANZ or FORCEZ (de Gascoigne et Bretagne) (Ref Nouveau d’HOZIER 14), Escartels aux 1 et 4 d’ argent à trois chouettes de sable, becoquées et membres de gueules qui est FORSANZ, aux 2 et 3 d’or au lion de gueueles qui est ARMAGNAC.
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16.
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DE FORS de POITOU et PICARDY, Blason porté à la croix fleuronné ou treflée et 2 besants en chef de.. D’Azur à la croix engrelée d’or fleuronné.
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17.
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DE FOURCY de CHESSEY, de PICARDIE/Isle de France. Daz à l’aigle au vol abaissé d’or, au chef d’argent, chargé de 3 tourteaux de gueules.
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18.
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DE FORTONs "Fidelis et justitia; ármes d’azur à deux colonnes d’argent."
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19.
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FORSAT of the AUVERGNE de guenles à une fleur-de-lys d’or.
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20.
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RAYMOND DE FORT in 1241; "un edefice à pigeon sur lequel perchent trois oiseaux" (A house gable on which three birds perched)
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21.
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The Comtes de Fezensac ‘Armoire d’or à un leopard lyonné de gueules”.
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22.
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The Comtes d’ASTARAC ‘ecartels d’or et de gueules’.
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The main conclusions from this wealth of evidence - some of it collected after the main research was completed, are as follows.
Territorially the areas of search were narrowed. France is a large country with many departments (or counties) and the short list was thus much welcomed. Note, though, that in the chapters written by Ken, the term 'county' is used to denote the area ruled by a Count. GASCONY (modern GERS), BRETAGNE or BRITTANY, PICARDIE/Isle de FRANCE, AUVERGNE, DEUX SEVRES and that lovely phrase ‘des frontiers d’ESPAGNE’. Several towns were mentioned - AUCH and CONDOM in Gascony, ARMAGNAC several times, but where was VERDUN, GIMUEZ and Fourcès or FORCEZ?
A good map soon showed that AUCH was the capital town of Gascony/Gers, that ARMAGNAC FEZENSAC, CONDOM, Fourcès and GIMONT plus the river GIMONNE were also in the same department. VERDUN in the event was not the major city east and north of Paris, but VERDUN-sur-GARONNE between Montauban and Auch. The Auvergne is effectively modern Departement of CANTAL, with its capital town of AURILLAC. Bretagne is of course modern Brittany.
What this research did not show, was that Delaforces had been noted in and around Bordeaux and the Gironde for 500 years!
Appendix II is concerned with sources of French genealogy and local (family) history.
This is the area in which the historic drama that the latter part of this book describes is performed. Pamplona, the capital of Navarre, is just off the map to the left. Ribagorza is roughly where the word ‘Spain’ is & Pallars is to the East of Ribagorze, capital Sort.
Fourcès is a little North of Montreal & Verdun is South-West of Montauban on the Garonne. The Auvergne is off the North-East corner of the map. Otherwise, most of the other place names occur here.
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