The Curten family was originally from Italy but moved to Switzerland where they settled near the Simplon Pass. By charging tolls on travelers they became wealthy and built a castle in the Valais canton. Later they altered the family name to Courten. The family was important enough that they raised a regiment of mercenary Swiss soldiers to serve in the French royal army. This arrangement continued until the Swiss regiments were suppressed by the French Legislative Assembly on 20 August 1792. In 1789 the De Courten Regiment Nr. 88 was commanded by Antoine-Pancrace, Comté de Courten who was born on 6 October 1720 and died later that year on 27 November. Other leading officers were Joseph Hyacinthe Elie and Charles de Preux. After 1792 the regiment was taken into the army of King Charles IV of Spain. In 1808 the Spanish army included the Preux Swiss Regiment Nr. 6 with 1,708 men in two battalions. The unit was stationed at Madrid.