 Most authors, however, consider that René Hérault was not the actual biological grandfather of Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles.The real biological grandfather was Louis Georges Érasme de Contades (1704-1793), Marshal of France, who had an affair with Hélène Moreau de Séchelles during her marriage to René Hérault, and who later took care of Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles after the early death of his father at the Battle of Minden in 1759 where Contades was commanding the French army.René Hérault was also the grandfather of the famous Duchess of Polignac, friend and confidante of Queen Marie Antoinette.