Nicolay family
“Guards of the interests of France, these worthy magistrates were characterized by their talents, their fidelity, the noble independence of their character, and several between them illustrated in the rows of army, before arriving at this long hereditary succession, the same dignity - one of most beautiful of the Kingdom of France - and whose public, unanimous votes during several centuries, seemed to predict perpetuity in the House of Nicolay”
(from Ruthière’s speech to the French Academy4)
The earliest known reference to the ancient and illustrious, Countal and Baronial House of Nicolay begins with Guy (also known as Guglielmo) who was born close to Florence, Italy and accompanied Pope Clement V (circa 1305) when the Papacy was first established in Avignon, France. His son, Guy (II) (who had married Jaqueline de Baroncelli) followed his father to France and settled in the town of Bourg-Saint-Andéol in the Province of Vivarais (now Ardeche).
Guy & Jaqueline de Nicolay continued to live in the town of Bourg-Saint-Andéol and in around 1380 they had a son, who they named Ahoult. Ahoult de Nicolay grew to be an influential and accomplished man; exerting the role of Lieutenant of the Bailiff of the King in Vivarais. He died in 1428 leaving two sons, Jean and Raymond. Jean de Nicolay (named the first in the will of his father) became the author of the branch of the House of Nicolay referred to as the Marquis de Goussainville and Raymond de Nicolay became the author of the branch of the Barons de Sabran.
The House of Nicolay in France
The House of Nicolay was of the Ancien Régime in France and over the centuries produced a Chancellor to the Kingdom of Naples (1502), a Marshal of France (1775) a General Lieutenant of the Grand Master of Artillery (under the reign of King Louis XIII) several Generals, several Colonels of the Regiment of Nicolay Dragoons, four Bishops, a Vice-Legate of Avignon, Cahors, Béziers and Verdun; this last at the same time as a member of the family was made First Chaplain to Duchess Marie-Josèphe of Saxony, mother of King Louis XVI. In addition, the family produced several Knights of Malta and Saint-Louis, the First President of the Grand Council, a Member of The French Academy, a Chancellor of the Orders of the King (1789) and the first nine Presidents of the Room of the Accounts, which from 1506 until 1794 (time of the suppression of the monarchy) followed one another without interruption (from the Records of the French Magistrature).
By Letter Patent of 1645, Anne of Austria, wanting to reward the services rendered by several generations by the House of Nicolay, set up the ground of Goussainville in Marquisat in favour of Antoine Nicolay and of his descendants. Then finally on May 19, 1815 King Louis XVIII called the House of Nicolay to hereditary peerage in the person of Aymard-Charles-Marie-Theodore Marquis de Nicolay.
The House of Nicolay contracted its principal alliances with those of Vesc, Montaigu, Bailliet, Molé, Maillé, Lamoignon, Mortemart, Fare, Vintimille, of Forbin-Janson, Jarente, Roncherolles, Châtre, Potier of Novion, Bercy, Lostanges, Levis, Murat, Lameth, Durfort de Lorge, Noailles, Grammont, Beaufort, Bonneval, etc.
Towards the end of the fifteenth century, the House of Nicolay was divided into two branches, the first known as the Barons de Sabran, established in Ardeche and the other, The Marquis de Goussainville, in the Île-de-France.
The House of Nicolay in England
Gaspard de Nicolay Nicolay and his wife Joanna Sapphira (Schmidt) arrived in England from the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha (now Thuringia, Germany) in 1736. Gaspard was Attendant and Page to Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha and the Nicolay family accompanied her to London, where she was to marry Frederick, Prince of Wales. Gaspard and Sapphira had two sons: the elder, Frederick de Nicolay (b. Saxe-Gotha - d. 16 May 1809 at St James’ Palace, London) and the younger, Christian Frederick de Nicolay (b. Saxe-Gotha circa 1728, Saxe-Gotha - d. November 1811).
Elder Branch.
Frederick was introduced to King George III, with whom he became a very great favourite; so much so that when his affianced bride Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was to be married to the King, his Majesty sent Frederick Nicolay over to attend his future Queen. He remained ever after the confidential friend of both their Majesties, as well as of their family, the princes and princesses. He lived in St. James's Palace. He married Miss Lattream(?) and had 13 children; only three of whom lived to maturity. Reverend George Louisa Nicolay (D.13 December 1847) was called after the King and Queen of Denmark who were his sponsors. Frederick Nicolay became Chief Clerk to the British Treasury. Lt-General Sir William Nicolay K.C.H., C.B. (B.1771) distinguished himself at the Battle of Waterloo and became Governor of St Kitts ,Mauritius & Dominica.
Younger Branch.
The younger son of Gaspard de Nicolay, Christian Frederick, was brought up in the medical profession. He was private Physician to the Princess Dowager of Wales, the Mother of King George III on whom (with Sir Clifton Wintringham and Dr Pringle) he was in constant attendance for two years. They alone were in the room with H.R.H. at her decease. Her son Prince Frederick of Great Britain whom he also attended, was particularly attached to Christian and gave him a ring worked in his own hair.
Christian married Miss Turner, elder daughter of Thomas Turner Esq. and had three sons and two daughters; only two survived - Augusta Georgiana Louisa called after her sponsor King George IV (of whom she was also God Daughter) and the Queen of Denmark and Prussia, and Thomas Frederick Nicolay who became a Lieutenant-Colonel and surgeon to His Majesties forces. Of Christian's son and daughter, only Thomas Frederick fathered children: Christian William, Frederick Lewis and Thomas Frederick.
External links
References
1. Nicolay Fund Date Range: 13th century – 19th century. Material importance: 338 paperboards is 40,20 ml. Place of conservation: Public Records (Paris). Producing organization: Nicolay (of). Methods of entry: Deposits 1932-1999. Conditions of access: Access subjected to authorization 2. Extract from 'Sketch of the Nicolay Family in England - Part 1' By Augusta Georgiana Louisa Nicolay. 3. D' Hozier, General Armorial, register V, 2nd part; Chenaye Desbois, T.X, p. 73 and suiv; P. Anselme, History of the Grand Officers of the Crown; Evidence of The Order of Malta; Universal biography of Michaud; P. Daniel, French history, etc. 4. See Universal Biography of Michaud