De Mollière family

De Mollière
Family name
Region of origin Gascony region of South West France
Language(s) of origin French
Related names Molière, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin

De Mollière family refers to the ancient lineage of famous kinsmen who were said to have lived in the tiny village of Mollières in the Gascony region of South West France.[1][1][2][3] The family is often linked to Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622–1673), a French dramatist, regarded as the greatest French writer of Comedy.[4][5]

History

The history of De Mollière family has been a subject of inquiry among French history scholars for centuries. Although there are no definitive answers to where the Mollière family name first came from, but most scholars agree that it was probably used by the family occupying the tiny village of Mollières in the Gascony region in South West France.[1][6] The name also has some connections with historical words associated with ‘King, Mother, and Earth’ which in these terms could mean either – ‘a Bastard son of King, later legitimised’ or ‘a quarry, or a marshland of rich soil’.[7]

Records prior to the 15th Century, reveal the Mollière family name were sparse, but the first detailed mention of the name can be found in papers dating back to 1399. In July of that particular year, Bertrand De Mollière was returning from the Battle of Nicopolis when he rendered homage to Charles VI of France, effectively ‘donating’ all his estates and lands in Ste-Croix, (an area in the Dordogne region of France), to the Royal Estate, as well as gifting the King with a ruby he had allegedly acquired from the Ottomans. Since then, the Mollière family has continued its association with extracting rare jewels from the earth, and providing precious stones to the nobility of Europe.[8]

Mollière family shield

The Mollière Family shield is said to have a field of Gules (red), a colour restricted by ancient law to princes and their families since its first appearance in 1454. This is evident in all ancient literature that pertains to the family.[9]

Generations

Several generations of De Mollière Family continued in the service of subsequent monarchs and were frequently rewarded for their loyalty and distinguished efforts, with Antoine De Mollière granted the title of Lord of La Bastidette in September 1540.[8] Another historical association with the profession of gemstone mining can be traced herein, as it was well established that a Royal Family member would be distinguished by the riches he possessed. Diamonds, Gold, Silver and other valuable objects were the focus of much attention and many an expedition to foreign lands were the order of the reigning monarchs of most European nations, including The King of France.[8]

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin connection

The history of De Mollière Family would not be complete without the worthy mention of the famous playwright, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known as 'Molière'. He was a renowned satirist and comedian who was able to master his destiny after he was released from debtor's jail.[10]

Jean-Baptiste's father; Jean Poquelin; paid the debt of 2000 livres supported by a donation from the De Mollière family. Days after his release, Jean-Baptiste adopted the nom-de-plume 'Moliere' and developed his craft in the arts and entertainment to later become France’s most celebrated and famous writer of comedy. His works include Tartuffe (1664), The Misanthrope (1666), L'Avare (1668), Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (1670), and Le Malade imaginaire (1673).[5][11]

Other family connections

In line with its association with finesse and culture, the Mollière family continued to circulate within the higher echelons and noble avenues in and around Paris, Versailles and Northern regions of France. It is perhaps the continued acquaintanceship with Louis De Mollière, the King's Counsellor and President of the General Treasury, that can be most noted for the family's close ties with the French Royal Family.[1]

In 1650, Louis De Mollière travelled to the Kollur Mine on the Krishna River in India and brought back samples of both blue and white diamonds, using his connections at the royal court to not only extend his network of prestigious clients, but also to take permanent residence in Versailles, where the De Mollière family have kept a home ever since.[1]

Following the French Revolution in 1789, Gilbert De Mollière, Lord of Albans and of Talans, was named Captain of the Confederation of La Voulte, and played a minor role in securing the emancipation of the Jews thanks to his influence in the diamond-trading community. Subsequently, the six-pointed mullet (star) was added to the family shield.[12]

With France evolving from a Monarchy to a Republic, to an Empire, and then back again to a modern Republic, married with the great exodus of diamond mining from India to Brazil and South Africa, the family retreated from public life and retained only a handful of discerning clients into the 20th Century, most notable being Queen Amelie of Portugal.[13]

When the Nazis invaded France in 1940, the uneasy alliance with the Vichy Government meant that the fate of the Jews was in the balance. Roland De Mollière, a young officer in the French Resistance, used his knowledge of the countryside and smuggling routes to assist in the transportation of Jewish families to safety in Spain and North Africa.[12] The coded messages he left in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles - his preferred method of communicating instructions to other cells within the Resistance network - were always signed with the images of 3 diamond shapes; one blue, one white, and one red.[12]

One night, Roland was attacked by a German patrol and captured. He was beaten and tortured over many days and the injuries he sustained forced him to remain in a POW hospital until the war ended. Afterwards, partly to convalesce and partly to remove himself from the atrocities he witnessed, he became a celebrity photographer in Deauville and Cannes, working with actors such as Eddie Constantine, Juliet Greco and Jean-Paul Belmondo, all of whom were reputed to have worn diamonds sourced by Louis De Mollière and passed down through the generations.[14] This, in turn, led to a new world of celebrity clients stretching from the sound stages of Hollywood to the Sydney Opera House as his grandson, Pascal De Mollière continues his work, photographing luminaries such as Sir Anthony Sher, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellan.[15]

From the kings and queens of Europe to the lords and ladies of the stage and silver screen, for over 600 years, the De Mollière family have always been discreet when it comes to who actually has sported some of their precious stones. Suffice it to say that on catwalks and red carpet events the world over, their beautiful diamonds have continued to shine as bright as the stars who wore them.[15]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Moliere Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History". Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  2. ↑ Hanks, Particia, and Flavia Hodges. "A Dictionary of Surnames, Oxford 1988. Print (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)". Oxford University Press.
  3. ↑ Dauzar, Albert. "Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famille et Prenoms de France Paris: Larousse, 1987. (ISBN 2-03-730012-3)". Dictionnaire Etymologique.
  4. ↑ "Molière". Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 "MoliÈre Biography". Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Tresor Heraldique. A de la Porte.". Paris: Casterman, 1864.
  7. ↑ "Illustrations to the Armorial General by J.B. Riestap. Rolland, and H.V. Rolland. Ramsbury". Heraldry Today, 1967. (ISBN 0-900455-209).
  8. 1 2 3 "Nos Origines en France: Des debuts a 1825 (7 volumes)". Montreal: Societe de recherche historique Archiv-Histo, 1984.
  9. ↑ "Armorial Universal. Koller, K. and A. Schillings.". Brussels: Libraire Encyclopedique, 1951.
  10. ↑ "Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, Lives of the Most Eminent French Writers.". Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard. p. 116.
  11. ↑ "Hartnoll, p. 554. "Author of some of the finest comedies in the history of the theater", and Roy, p. 756. "...one of the theatre's greatest comic artists".
  12. 1 2 3 Doyle, William. "The Oxford History of the French Revolution; Oxford University Press, 1990. (ISBN 0-19-285221-3)". Oxford University Press.
  13. ↑ "Debrett's Guide to Heraldry and Regalia. Williamson, David.". London: Headline Book Publishing, 1992.
  14. ↑ "European Society, 1500-1700. Kamen, Henry.". London: Hutchinson, 1984. (ISBN 0-09-156991-5).
  15. 1 2 "Annuaire General Heraldique Universel.". Paris: Institut Heraldique, 1901.
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