Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham

Colonel Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham, KG (19 April 1709) was a French-born English army officer, courtier and diplomat. He commanded the royal army which suppressed the Monmouth Rebellion against James II of England in 1685.

Biography Born in the Kingdom of France, he was marquis de Blanquefort and sixth son of Guy Aldonce, Marquis of Duras and Count of Rozan, from the noble Durfort family. His mother was Elizabeth de la Tour d'Auvergne, the sister of Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne. His two brothers Jacques Henri and Guy Aldonce were both appointed as Marshal of France. He was a Huguenot. In 1663 he came to England in the suite of James, Duke of York, and was naturalized in the same year. On 19 January 1673 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, and in 1676 he married Mary, daughter and elder co-heir of Sir George Sondes, created in that year Baron Throwley, Viscount Sondes and Earl of Feversham.

On the death of his father-in-law in 1677, Duras succeeded to his titles under a special remainder. His wife died in 1679. He was appointed by Charles II successively to the command of the 3rd and 1st Troop of Horse Guards, was sent abroad on several important diplomatic missions, and became Master of the Horse (1679) and Lord Chamberlain to the queen, Catherine of Braganza (1680). In 1682 he was appointed as Lord of the Bedchamber, and was present at the king's deathbed conversion to Roman Catholicism. He died without issue on 19 April 1709 and was buried in the Savoy, in the Strand (London); but his remains were moved on 21 March 1740 to Westminster Abbey.