Nobiliaire universel de France, ou recueil général des généalogie historiques des maisons nobles de ce royaume

The Nobiliaire universel de France was a monumental genealogical project initiated during the early 19th century by Nicolas Viton de Saint-Allais. Published in Paris starting in 1814, the work sought to consolidate and codify the histories of the French nobility following the turbulent upheaval of the French Revolution. In a period where the social order was being reconstructed, this collection served as an essential reference for families seeking to formalize or validate their lineage under the restored Bourbon monarchy.

Saint-Allais compiled these volumes by drawing on extensive archival research and correspondence with noble families, aiming for an exhaustive systematic record of the kingdom's heraldry and ancestry. The design emphasizes clarity and scholarly formality, utilizing a structured approach to genealogical record-keeping that became a standard for the period. While intended as a definitive reference, the work has been frequently analyzed by modern historians for both its extensive documentation and the political motivations inherent in its focus on legitimizing aristocratic bloodlines during the Restoration era.