Gabriel-Jacques de Salignac de La Motte, marquis de Fénelon

A career soldier, his military appointments included Captain in the Royal-Cuirassiers from 1706, Colonel of the Regiment of Poitou and Brigadier-General from 1719, Maréchal de camp in 1734, Governor of Le Quesnoy from 1735, before promotion to Lieutenant-General of the French Army in 1738.

Vicomte de Saint-Julien also served Louis XV of France as Ambassador to the Netherlands at The Hague from 1724, before being posted to London in 1741.

[1] Descended from an aristocratic family of churchmen, courtiers and soldiers, he was accorded the courtesy title of Vicomte de Saint-Julien.

He married, on 24 December 1721, Françoise-Louise, daughter of Louis-Urbain le Peletier, marquis de Rosanbo; they had seven children, including François-Louis de Salignac, who as eldest son succeeded him in the marquessate upon his death in 1746.

[2] His wife, Françoise-Louise marquise de Fénelon, died in 1782.