MONTMORENCY, the name of one of the oldest and most distinguished families in France, is derived from Montmorency, now in the department of Seine-et-Oise, in the immediate neighbourhood of Enghien and St Denis, and about 9 miles to the north-north-west of Paris. The family, since its first appearance in history in the person of Bouchard or Burchard I., sire de Montmorency in the 10th century, has furnished six constables and twelve marshals of France, several admirals and cardinals, numerous grand officers of the crown and grand masters of various knightly orders, and was declared by Henry IV. to be, after that of the Bourbons, the first house in Europe. Matthieu I., sire de Montmorency, received in 1138 the post of constable, and died in 1160. His first wife was Aline, the natural daughter of Henry I. of England; his second, Adelaide or Alice of Savoy, -widow of Louis VI. and mother of Louis VII. According to Duchesne, he shared the regency of France with Suger, during the absence of the latter king on the second crusade. Matthieu II. had an important share in the victory of Bouvines (1214), and was made grand constable in 1218. During the reign of Louis VIII. (1223-1226) he distinguished himself chiefly in the south of France (Niort, Rochelle, Bordeaux). On the accession of Louis IX. he w*as one of the chief supports of the queenregent Blanche of Castile, and was successful in reducing all the vassals to obedience. He died in 1230. His younger son, Guy, in right of his mother, became head of the house of Montmorency-Laval. Anne de Montmorency (1493-1567), so named, it is said, after his godmother Anne of Brittany, was the first to attain the ducal title. He was born at Chantilly in 1493, and was brought up with the dauphin, afterwards Francis I., whom he followed into ...