Villeneuve

The de Villeneuve were a knightly noble house of Provence, where their ancestor Giraud de Villeneuve was enfeoffed with Les Arcs, Trans and Esclans in 1201. The house split into several branches, including the barons des Arcs.

Hélion de Villeneuve was born around 1270 to the seigneur des Arcs and was the brother of Saint Roseline of Villeneuve. A Hospitaller of the langue of Provence, he became the first prior of Provence in 1317 and was elected grand master in 1319, after the forced resignation of Foulques de Villaret.

From Rhodes he reorganised the order's finances following its absorption of Templar property and led it until his death on the island in 1346. The des Arcs line was raised to the marquisate of Trans in 1505, traditionally counted as the first marquisate created in France.