Prince of Essling (French: Prince d'Essling) is a hereditary title in the Nobility of the First French Empire. It was granted by Emperor Napoléon I to Marshal of the Empire André Masséna in 1809 as a victory title after the Battle of Essling. The creation of the title was finalised by letters patent of 31 January 1810.[1] The year before, Marshal Masséna had already been created Duke of Rivoli (French: Duc de Rivoli) after his victorious Battle of Rivoli.

Prince d'Essling
Coat of arms of the Prince d'Essling
Creation date31 January 1810
Created byNapoléon I of France
PeerageNobility of the First French Empire
First holderAndré Masséna
Present holderVictor-André Masséna, 7th Prince
Subsidiary titlesDuke of Rivioli
Seat(s)Masséna Museum

Both titles are hereditary by primogeniture and have been united since Marshal Masséna received them. As of 2021, Prince d'Essling is the only princely title created by Napoleon still in existence, without having become merged with titles created by other rulers.

List of titleholders

edit

Between 1810 and today, there have been the following titleholders:[1]

Coat of arms

edit

The heraldic achievement of the Princes d'Essling, Ducs de Rivoli comprises the following: "Or, the winged Victoria, holding in one hand a palm and in the other an olive crown, the whole Vert, accompanied in a point of a dog lying Sable;[1] all beneath the chief of Princes of the Empire (azure with the golden eagle, the flight extended, head rounded, encroaching a thunderbolt with two lightning bolts, on either side). The shield surrounded by the collar of the Legion of Honour, with its pointed decoration; the whole set in the mantle of Princes of the Empire (azure, lined with ermine, adorned with gold) and crowned with the crown of Princes of the Empire (gold, cap azure, surmounted by a globe, circled, crisscross, gold)."

Footnotes

edit
  1. ^ a b c Révérend pp. 200–201
  2. ^ "Victor-André Masséna". Fondation Napoleon. Retrieved 2021-12-10.

References

edit