Blacas

As early as the 12th century his grandson Blacacius de Blacas (died 1236), called "the great warrior," distinguished himself among the most valiant knights of the court of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence.

His name was immortalized by Frédéric Mistral who attributed him the positioning of the chain that links up the two boulders at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

Captured by infidels, Blacasset is supposed to have vowed that, if freed, he would stretch this chain between the boulders and from it suspend a sixteen-branched star, emblem of his family.

The 1st Duke had been previously made an hereditary Peer (without specific rank) as early as 17 August 1815, and had been created Count of Blacas in the French Peerage by ordinance dated 31 August 1817, but having not been regulated by Letters patent, this previous comital title did not become hereditary.

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's only son Marquis Louis-Stanislas de Blacas d'Aulps (b.1982).

Two banners gules, a star of sixteen points argent, crossed in saltier behind the shield surmounted by a coronet of prince and supported by two wild men proper, under the mantel and ducal coronet of a Peer of France (the mantle azure lined with ermine and fringed with gold).

According to Frédéric Mistral, the family crest is canting because blacas also means "white oak" in Provençal[2] Hubert Cuny, Nicole Dreneau, Le Gotha français : état présent des familles ducales et princières (depuis 1940), Paris 1989.