History of the Title
The main title of the Baronial House of Hamelin, officially Baron Hamelin de l'Empire, comes from Baron Admiral Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin (right). Created Baron de l'Empire, by Emperor Napoleon I, in 1811 for his service as a Contre-Amiral in the French Imperial Navy. The title carried on to his nephew Baron Admiral Ferdinand Alphonse Hamelin II and then through his branch of the family until the 4th Baron Hamelin de l'Empire. At this point the title was left un-inherited due to the political situation in France.
Through research, energy and time, it was discovered that via the marriage of Edmond de La Garde and Adelaide Hamelin in 1677, the Baronial House of Hamelin was also associated with the ancient French Barony of Maure (baronie de Maure). The title of Baron de Maure was created by "The Sun King," Louis XIV in 1658 and invested through letters patten upon Jean de La Garde -- brother of Edmond. The Barony also held the titles of Seigneur de Bentayou, Seigneur de Sérée, Seigneur de Castéra, and Seigneur de Samonzet, as well as Seigneur de Hamelin (due to a brother's prior marriage) in association with their main title. Again, due to the political situation in France, the last Baron de Maure was Samson de La Garde who died in September, 1731.
In 2023, after an incredible amount of effort, the current Baron Hamelin de l'Empire, Baron Jeremy David Paul Hamelin VI, and his father, Seigneur David Paul Hamelin, worked with a legal team in Europe to have the titles officially recognized and brought back to the family. Their request was granted on 24 March, 2023 and on that date the Baronial House of Hamelin was restored. While initially, the family had agreed to pass the title to the current Baron's father, Seigneur David Paul Hamelin, the decision was ultimately made for the title to pass to the current Baron. As a sign of appreciation, the Baron chose the numeral VI, symbolically indicating his father as the rightful 5th Baron Hamelin de l'Empire. He also decided to forgo the title of Seigneur de Hamelin, wanting to invest it upon his father instead.
