David-Louis Constant de Rebecque, seigneur d'Hermenches and Villars-Mendraz, also known as David-Louis Constant d'Hermenches (Lausanne, 17 November 1722 – Paris, 25 February 1785), was a Swiss mercenary, colonel and commandant of a Swiss regiment in the Dutch Republic and maréchal de camp in French service with Swiss regiments. He is also known for his contact with Voltaire and his correspondence with Isabelle de Charrière.
Constant d'Hermenches was born in Lausanne into the Constant de Rebecque family.[3] He was the eldest son of Samuel Constant de Rebecque (1676–1756) and his wife, Rose Suzanne née de Saussure de Bercher (1698–1782).[4] His father was a mercenary in the Dutch States Army and a veteran of the War of the Spanish Succession. Later he raised a small Swiss regiment in the Dutch States Army. He bought the seignories of Hermenches in 1725 and Villars-Mendraz in 1753.
Constant d'Hermenches entered Dutch service in 1736, starting as cadet in his father's regiment.[3] He was promoted to captain in 1741 and served as an aide-de-camp to his father at the Battle of Fontenoy, where he was wounded.[3] He covered the scar above his left eye with a black band across his forehead. Constant d'Hermenches was given command of the Prince of Orange's company in 1748.[3] In 1764, he joined the Swiss troops of the French Army, and served with the Eptingen Regiment in the invasion of Corsica in 1768.[3] Constant d'Hermenches reached the rank of maréchal de camp in 1780, and also served as governor of La Rochelle.[3] He died in Paris on 25 February 1785.[3]
He kept up a long correspondence (1760-1776) with Isabelle van Tuyll van Serooskerken, the future Isabelle de Charrière.
Constant d'Hermenches entered an arranged marriage in 1744 with the daughter of the mayor of Lausanne Louise Anna Jeanne Françoise de Seigneux (1715–1772). In The Hague in 1750 they had a son Guillaume Anne de Constant Rebecque de Villars with as godparents William IV, Prince of Orange and his wife Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange.
From his first marriage to Louise Anna Jeanne Françoise de Seigneux (1715-1772):
In 1776 he remarried Marie Catherine Philippine de Préseau, née Taisnes de Rémonval (1743-1779). From this marriage:
He had a daughter out of wedlock with Bénigne Buchet, his housekeeper/nursemaid:
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