DURFORT, a family distinguished in French and English history and taking its name from a feudal lordship situated at the village of Durfort, in south-western France, formerly in the province of Guienne, now in the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, 18 m. north-west of Montauban. The pedigree of the family is only clearly traceable to Arnaud de Durfort (fl. 1305), who acquired the fief of Duras by his marriage with a niece of Pope Clement V. His descendant, Gaillard de Durf ort, having embraced the side of the king of England, went to London in 1453, and was made governor of Calais and a knight of the Garter.
The greatness of the family dates from the 17th century. Guy Aldonce (1605-65), marquis de Duras and comte de Rozan, had, by his wife Elizabeth de la Tour d'Auvergne, sister of Marshal Turenne, six sons, three of whom played a distinguished part. The eldest, Jacques Henri (1625-1704) was governor of Franche Comte in 1674 and a marshal of France. The second, Guy Aldonce (1630-1702), comte de Lorges and duc de Quintin (known as the duc de Lorges), became a marshal of France in 1676, commanded the army in Germany from 1690 to 1695, and captured Heidelberg in 1693. The sixth son, Louis (1640?-1709), marquis de Blanquefort, came to England in the suite of James, duke of York, in 1663, and was naturalized in the same year. On Jan. 19, 1672-73, he was raised to the English peerage as Baron Duras of Holdenby, his title being derived from an estate in Northamptonshire bought from the duke of York. In 1676 he married Mary, daughter and elder co-heiress of Sir George Sondes, created in that year Baron Throwley, Viscount Sondes and earl of Feversham. On the death of his father-in-law (April 16, 1677), Duras succeeded to his titles under a special re mainder. He was appointed by Charles II. successively to the command of the third and second troops of Horse Guards, was sent abroad on several important diplomatic missions, and became master of the horse (1679) and lord chamberlain to the queen (168o). In 1682 he was appointed a lord of the bed-chamber, and was present at the king's deathbed reconciliation with the Roman Church. Under James II. Feversham became a member of the privy council, and in 1685 was given the chief command against the rebels under Monmouth, in which he mainly distinguished himself by his cruelty to the vanquished. He was rewarded with a knighthood of the Garter and the colonelcy of the first troop of Life Guards, and in 1686 he was appointed to the command of the army assembled by King James on Blackheath to overawe the people. On James's flight, Feversham succeeded in making his peace with William, on the intercession of the queen dowager, at whose instance he received the mastership of the Royal Hos pital of St. Catherine near the Tower (1698) . He died without issue on April 8, 1709. (See G. E. C[ockayne], Complete Peerage, and art. in D.N.B.) Jean Baptiste (1684-1770), duc de Duras, son of Jacques Henri, was also a marshal of France. His son Emmanuel Felicite (1715-89), duc de Duras, took part in all the wars of Louis XV. and was made a marshal of France in 1775. His grandson, Amedee Bretagne Malo (1771-1838), duc de Duras, is mainly known as the husband of Claire Louise Rose Bonne de Coetnempren de Kersaint (1778-1828), daughter of Armand Guy Simon de Coetnempren Kersaint (q.v.), who, as duchesse de Duras, pre sided over a celebrated salon and wrote several novels once widely read.
The family of Durfort is represented in France now by the branch of Durfort-Civrac, dating from the 16th century.