8 janvier 1759
4 juin 1811
Avaray (comte d')
Avaray, François (1759-1811 ; duc d’)
Fils aîné de Claude-Antoine de Béziade d’Avaray (1740-1829), Antoine Louis François de Béziade (ou Bésiade), d’abord comte d’Avaray, entre au service en 1774 comme sous-lieutenant dans le régiment de La Couronne, commandé par son père, y est nommé capitaine en 1777, puis, en 1779, aide-maréchal-général des logis du corps d'armée commandé par le maréchal de Vaux, et destiné à effectuer une descente en Angleterre. En 1782, le comte d'Avaray sert au siège de Gibraltar, en qualité d'aide de camp du duc de Crillon. On le nomme colonel en second du régiment de Boulonnais en 1782, et il le commande en chef, en 1788, au camp de Saint-Omer.
Il fait son entrée à la cour en 1775, comme maître de la garde-robe de Monsieur, frère de Louis XVI.
En juin 1791, il joue un rôle important dans l'évasion de Monsieur du Petit Luxembourg. Avaray se charge de trouver la voiture et les vêtements. Monsieur quitte Paris le même soir que la famille royale, le 20 juin 1791 mais préfère utiliser des chevaux de poste plutôt que d'avoir recours à des relais, afin de ne pas éveiller l'attention. La comtesse de Balbi, maîtresse du comte de Provence, part seule pour Bruxelles tandis que le prince, accompagné de d'Avaray, la rejoint en suivant un autre itinéraire et en se faisant passer pour un Anglais (Avaray et Monsieur se font appeler Michel et David Foster). Malgré la nécessité de réparer une roue à Avesnes-sur-Helpe, l'équipage arrive à Bruxelles sans encombre le lendemain soir, alors que Louis XVI et la famille royale sont au même moment arrêtés à Varennes.
Avaray y gagne son surnom de « libérateur ». Il suit le comte de Provence en émigration, est nommé capitaine des gardes de Monsieur, et c'est en cette qualité qu'il fait la campagne de 1792. Il devient maréchal de camp en 1795, et en 1796 capitaine de la compagnie écossaise des garde du corps du comte de Provence devenu Louis XVIII. Il aide son maître à sortir de Vérone et à rattacher aux princes l'armée de Condé campée sur la rive droite du Rhin. Ayant opéré l'union des royalistes, d'Avaray négocie la libération de la fille de Louis XVI, Madame Royale, et obtient l'assentiment des Puissances à son mariage avec le duc d'Angoulême, son cousin.
En 1799, le jour de cette union, Louis XVIII érige en faveur de d'Avaray le comté de L'Isle-Jourdain en duché-pairie, sous le nom d'Avaray. Cette érection est confirmée et régularisée en 1817 avec réversion au profit du père du premier duc. Dès le 1er juillet 1795, Louis XVIII a accordé au comte d'Avaray la concession transmissible de l'écu au lys de France, ajouté à ses armoiries, ainsi que la devise « VICIT ITER DURUM PIETAS ».
Avaray meurt sans descendance dans l'île de Madère le 4 juin 1811 où il était allé pour tenter de rétablir sa santé.
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