History of the French line of succession
Encyclopedia
A history of the French line of succession, from Hugh Capet to Napoléon III, showing its state at the death of each monarch. For the current lines of succession to the French throne, see the links section below. Normally, only the first ten heirs are listed, if possible. It is notable that the dynastic principles of primogeniture in accordance with Salic Law
were not deviated from between Hugh Capet's accession in 987 until the deposition of Louis XVI
in 1791; every monarch of France (with the exceptions of the Napoleonic emperors) was a legitimate, agnatic
male descendant of Hugh Capet.
House of Capet
Following the accession of Hugh Capet to the French throne in AD 987, there was not to be a significant issue of dynastic inheritance for three centuries: through thirteen generations
, the deceased King's oldest surviving son inherited the throne as follows:
Following the death of Philip IV
in 1314, he was succeeded by his eldest son Louis X
, but Louis died two years later, leaving his posthumous son John I
as his heir; John died within five days of his birth. It was then deemed, in accordance with French Salic Law
, that females could not inherit the throne; Joan
, Louis X's daughter, was therefore passed over for the French throne (although she later inherited the throne of Navarre). Louis X's younger brothers Philip V
, and then Charles IV
, succeeded him in turn and died without sons (although both, like Louis X, had daughters).
Following the death of Charles IV in 1328 a successional dispute arose. By Salic Law, which permitted inheritance only through male lines, the heir to the throne was Philip (son of Charles of Valois
, son of Philip III
), who duly acceeded to the throne as Philip VI
. However, the applicability of Salic Law had never been tested, and Edward III of England
argued that the system of cognatic primogeniture
in place elsewhere gave him a superior claim as the son of Isabella of France
, daughter of Philip IV and sister of Louis X, Philip V and Charles IV. In fact, Edward was not even the senior cognatic heir, who instead was Joan II of Navarre
, daughter of Louis X, followed by several other male-line granddaughters of Philip IV, one of whom had a young son (Philip II, Count of Auvergne); on the other hand, in 1328, Edward was the senior cognatic heir who was neither a woman nor a child. Edward and his successors pressed their claim militarily until 1453 (see the Hundred Years' War
), and the monarchs of England continued to call themselves monarchs of France until 1801.
Charles IV
At the date of the death of Charles IV
, the last male member of the direct House of Capet
, February 1, 1328, the Salic line of succession was as follows:
As described above, Philip of Valois became Philip VI
amid some controversy, establishing the pattern of Salic Law
that would govern the French succession thereafter.
Philip VI
At the date of Philip VI's death, August 22, 1350, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became John II
.
John II
At the date of John II's death, April 8, 1364, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles V
.
Charles V
At the date of Charles V's death, September 16, 1380, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles VI
.
Charles VI
At the date of Charles VI's death, October 21, 1422, the line of succession was as follows:
In 1420, Charles VI had adopted Henry V of England
as his heir, displacing his own son the Dauphin, as part of his capitulation to Henry in the Treaty of Troyes
. By the time of the death of Charles VI in 1422, this claim was represented by Henry's infant son Henry VI of England
, who was crowned King of France in 1431, and whose government controlled most of France from 1422 until 1435. But the Dauphin was crowned as Charles VII
in 1429 and gradually expelled the English forces from France by 1453, ending the Hundred Years' War
.
Charles VII
At the date of Charles VII's death, July 22, 1461, the line of succession was as follows:
As the Dauphin had been living in exile due to conflict with his father, some thought his brother Charles of Valois might succeed as King. However, the Dauphin returned after learning of his father's illness, and smoothly became Louis XI
.
Louis XI
At the date of Louis XI's death, August 30, 1483, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles VIII
.
Charles VIII
All of Charles' children predeceased him, including his only son Charles Orland, Dauphin of France
, who died in 1495 aged 3. At the date of Charles VIII's death, April 7, 1498, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XII
.
Louis XII
At the date of Louis XII's death, January 1, 1515, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Francis I
.
Francis I
At the date of Francis I's death, March 31, 1547, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Henry II
.
Henry II
At the date of Henry II's death, July 10, 1559, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Francis II
.
Francis II
At the date of Francis II's death, December 5, 1560, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles IX
.
Charles IX
At the date of Charles IX's death, May 30, 1574, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Henry III
.
Henry III
At the date of Henry III's death, August 2, 1589, the line of succession was as follows:
There was intense opposition to the succession of Henry of Navarre due to his Protestant religion. As part of the ongoing French Wars of Religion
, the Catholic League
argued that Henry's religion disqualified him from the throne and championed Charles of Bourbon (who himself refused to oppose his nephew's claim). After the Cardinal's death in 1590, several claimants appeared until Henry IV
converted to Catholicism and consolidated his power by 1594.
Henry IV
At the date of Henry IV's death, May 14, 1610, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XIII
.
The House of Courtenay
claimed a place in the line of succession after those named above, as they were descended in legitimate male-line from Louis VI
. However, the Bourbons consistently denied the Courtenays' petitions to be recognized as princes of the blood
, recognizing only the male-line descendants of Louis IX
as royal. The last Courtenay died in 1727.
Louis XIII
At the date of Louis XIII's death, May 14, 1643, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XIV
.
Treaty of Utrecht
When the Spanish king Charles II
died, his closest heir was Louis, the Grand Dauphin, son of Louis XIV, King of France. Charles knew that the other European powers would oppose the union of France and Spain. Thus, in his will, Charles named Philip, Duke of Anjou, second son of the Grand Dauphin (and thus, the first person not in the direct line of succession to the French throne) as his heir.
France and Spain fought the other major European powers in the War of the Spanish Succession
. The war ended with the Treaty of Utrecht
which required that Philip, in order to retain the throne of Spain in his lineage and for Louis XIV to obtain peace for France, to renounce for himself and his descendants any right of succession to the French throne, thereby preventing the crowns of France and Spain from being united on the head of a Bourbon. Despite doubts in France as to whether the Treaty was binding, Louis XIV and the other European powers ratified it and the Parlement of Paris registered it. This would be the source of future conflicting claims between Legitimists (descendants of Philip V, who consider the Treaty of Utrecht invalid) and Orléanists (descendants of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who claim their right of succession based on the Treaty of Utrecht and the residence abroad of Philip and his heirs as kings of Spain).
Louis XIV
The succession to Louis XIV changed upon the deaths of his eldest son Louis, le Grand Dauphin, the Grand Dauphin's eldest son Louis, Duke of Burgundy, and Burgundy's eldest son Louis, Duke of Brittany, all in 1711–1712.
At the date of Louis XIV's death, September 1, 1715, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XV
.
In his will, Louis XIV attempted to insert two of his illegitimate sons, Louis Auguste, Duke of Maine (b.1670) and Louis Alexandre, Count of Toulouse (b.1678), into the line of succession immediately following the Dauphin. However, this action was nullified after his death by the Parlement of Paris.
Louis XV
The succession to Louis XV changed upon the death of his son Louis, Dauphin of France in 1765. At the date of Louis XV's death, May 10, 1774, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XVI
.
Louis XVI
At the date of Louis XVI's deposition and the proclamation of the First Republic
, September 21, 1792, the line of succession was as follows:
Louis XVI remained the claimant to the throne until his execution on January 21, 1793, after which his imprisoned son and then his brother were recognized by monarchists as the rightful king.
Napoléon I
On the dates of Napoléon I's first abdication, April 6, 1814, and his second abdication, June 22, 1815, the line of succession was as follows:
At the date of Napoléon II's abdication, July 7, 1815, the line of succession was as follows:
In both events, the senior living representative of the Bourbon line was Louis-Stanislaus, Count of Provence
(b. 1755), Louis XVI's third brother, who became Louis XVIII
, while Napoléon I continued to claim the Bonaparte legacy.
Louis XVIII
At the date of Louis XVIII's death, September 16, 1824, the line of succession was as follows:
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles X
.
The senior living representative of the Bonaparte line was Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte
(b. 1768), Napoléon I's eldest brother.
Charles X
At the date of Charles X's abdication, August 2, 1830, the line of succession was as follows:
Charles X continued to claim his right to the throne, which passed de facto to the Duke of Orléans as Louis-Philippe I.
The senior living representative of the Bonaparte line was Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte
(b. 1768), Napoléon I's eldest brother.
, February 24, 1848, the line of succession was as follows:
The senior living representative of the Bourbon line was Henri, Count of Chambord (b. 1820), grandson of Charles X.
The senior living representative of the Bonaparte line was Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (b. 1808), nephew of Napoléon I.
Napoléon III
At the date of Napoléon III's abdication and the proclamation of the Third Republic
, September 4, 1870, the line of succession was as follows:
The senior living representative of the Bourbon line was Henri, Count of Chambord (b. 1820), grandson of Charles X.
The senior living representative of the Orléans line was Philippe, Count of Paris (b. 1838), grandson of Louis-Philippe I.
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
were not deviated from between Hugh Capet's accession in 987 until the deposition of Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
in 1791; every monarch of France (with the exceptions of the Napoleonic emperors) was a legitimate, agnatic
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
male descendant of Hugh Capet.
House of CapetHouse of CapetThe House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
987–1328
Following the accession of Hugh Capet to the French throne in AD 987, there was not to be a significant issue of dynastic inheritance for three centuries: through thirteen generationsCapetian Miracle
The Capetian Miracle refers to the Capetian dynasty of France and its ability to attain and hold onto the French crown.In 987, Hugh Capet was elected to succeed Louis V of the Carolingian dynasty that had ruled France for over two centuries...
, the deceased King's oldest surviving son inherited the throne as follows:
- 987: Hugh Capet
- 996: Robert IIRobert II of FranceRobert II , called the Pious or the Wise , was King of France from 996 until his death. The second reigning member of the House of Capet, he was born in Orléans to Hugh Capet and Adelaide of Aquitaine....
, the Pious - 1031: Henry IHenry I of FranceHenry I was King of France from 1031 to his death. The royal demesne of France reached its smallest size during his reign, and for this reason he is often seen as emblematic of the weakness of the early Capetians...
- 1060: Philip IPhilip I of FrancePhilip I , called the Amorous, was King of France from 1060 to his death. His reign, like that of most of the early Direct Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time...
- 1108: Louis VILouis VI of FranceLouis VI , called the Fat , was King of France from 1108 until his death . Chronicles called him "roi de Saint-Denis".-Reign:...
, the Fat - 1137: Louis VIILouis VII of FranceLouis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
, the Young - 1180: Philip II AugustusPhilip II of FrancePhilip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
, the God-Given - 1223: Louis VIIILouis VIII of FranceLouis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
, the Lion - 1226: Louis IXLouis IX of FranceLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
, the Saint ("Saint Louis") - 1270: Philip IIIPhilip III of FrancePhilip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
, the Bold - 1285: Philip IVPhilip IV of FrancePhilip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
, the Fair - 1314: Louis XLouis X of FranceLouis X of France, , called the Quarreler, the Headstrong, or the Stubborn was the King of Navarre from 1305 and King of France from 1314 until his death...
, the Quarrelsome - 1316: John IJohn I of FranceJohn I , called the Posthumous, was King of France and Navarre, and Count of Champagne, as the son and successor of Louis the Headstrong, for the five days he lived...
, the Posthumous
Following the death of Philip IV
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
in 1314, he was succeeded by his eldest son Louis X
Louis X of France
Louis X of France, , called the Quarreler, the Headstrong, or the Stubborn was the King of Navarre from 1305 and King of France from 1314 until his death...
, but Louis died two years later, leaving his posthumous son John I
John I of France
John I , called the Posthumous, was King of France and Navarre, and Count of Champagne, as the son and successor of Louis the Headstrong, for the five days he lived...
as his heir; John died within five days of his birth. It was then deemed, in accordance with French Salic Law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
, that females could not inherit the throne; Joan
Joan II of Navarre
Joan II was Queen of Navarre from 1328 until her death. She was the only daughter of Margaret of Burgundy, first wife of King Louis X of France...
, Louis X's daughter, was therefore passed over for the French throne (although she later inherited the throne of Navarre). Louis X's younger brothers Philip V
Philip V of France
Philip the Tall was King of France as Philip V and, as Philip II, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne. He reigned from 1316 to his death and was the penultimate monarch of the House of Capet. Considered a wise and politically astute ruler, Philip took the throne under questionable...
, and then Charles IV
Charles IV of France
Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....
, succeeded him in turn and died without sons (although both, like Louis X, had daughters).
Following the death of Charles IV in 1328 a successional dispute arose. By Salic Law, which permitted inheritance only through male lines, the heir to the throne was Philip (son of Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois was the fourth son of Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon. His mother was a daughter of James I of Aragon and Yolande of Hungary. He was a member of the House of Capet and founded the House of Valois...
, son of Philip III
Philip III of France
Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
), who duly acceeded to the throne as Philip VI
Philip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
. However, the applicability of Salic Law had never been tested, and Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
argued that the system of cognatic primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
in place elsewhere gave him a superior claim as the son of Isabella of France
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
, daughter of Philip IV and sister of Louis X, Philip V and Charles IV. In fact, Edward was not even the senior cognatic heir, who instead was Joan II of Navarre
Joan II of Navarre
Joan II was Queen of Navarre from 1328 until her death. She was the only daughter of Margaret of Burgundy, first wife of King Louis X of France...
, daughter of Louis X, followed by several other male-line granddaughters of Philip IV, one of whom had a young son (Philip II, Count of Auvergne); on the other hand, in 1328, Edward was the senior cognatic heir who was neither a woman nor a child. Edward and his successors pressed their claim militarily until 1453 (see the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
), and the monarchs of England continued to call themselves monarchs of France until 1801.
Charles IVCharles IV of FranceCharles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....
At the date of the death of Charles IVCharles IV of France
Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....
, the last male member of the direct House of Capet
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
, February 1, 1328, the Salic line of succession was as follows:
- Philip of ValoisPhilip VI of FrancePhilip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
, son of Charles of ValoisCharles of ValoisCharles of Valois was the fourth son of Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon. His mother was a daughter of James I of Aragon and Yolande of Hungary. He was a member of the House of Capet and founded the House of Valois...
, grandson of Philip III of FrancePhilip III of FrancePhilip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
(b. 1293) - John of ValoisJohn II of FranceJohn II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
, son of Philip of Valois (b. 1319) - Charles of ValoisCharles II of AlençonCharles II of Alençon, called the Magnanimous was the second son of Charles of Valois and his first wife Margaret, and brother of Philip VI, King of France...
, son of Charles of Valois, (b. 1297) - Charles of ÉvreuxCharles d'ÉvreuxCharles d'Évreux was the son of Louis d'Évreux and Marguerite d'Artois.From his father, he inherited the lordship of Étampes, which was made a county in 1327....
, Count of Étampes, son of Louis of ÉvreuxLouis d'ÉvreuxLouis of France, Count of Évreux was the third son of King Philip III the Bold and his second wife Maria of Brabant, and half-brother of King Philip IV the Fair....
, grandson of Philip III (b. 1305) - Philip of ÉvreuxPhilip III of NavarrePhilip III , called the Noble or the Wise, Count of Évreux and King of Navarre , was the second son of Louis of Évreux and Margaret of Artois and therefore a grandson of King Philip III of France...
, son of Louis of Évreux (b. 1306) - Louis of BourbonLouis I, Duke of BourbonLouis I de Bourbon, le Boiteux, the Lame was Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche, and the first Duke of Bourbon.-Life:...
, son of Robert, Count of ClermontRobert, Count of ClermontRobert of France was made Count of Clermont in 1268. He was son of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence...
, grandson of Louis IX of FranceLouis IX of FranceLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
(b. 1279) - Peter of BourbonPeter I, Duke of BourbonPeter I of Bourbon was the second Duke of Bourbon, from 1342 to his death.Peter was son of Louis I of Bourbon, whom he also succeeded as Grand Chamberlain of France, and Mary of Avesnes....
, son of Louis I (b. 1311) - James of BourbonJames I, Count of La MarcheJames of Bourbon-La Marche was the son of Louis I, Duke of Bourbon and Mary of Avesnes. He was Count of Ponthieu from 1351 to 1360, and Count of La Marche from 1356 to his death.-Hundred Years War:...
, son of Louis I (b. 1319) - Peter of Clermont, Archdeacon of Paris, son of Robert, Count of Clermont (b. 1287)
- Robert of ArtoisRobert III of ArtoisRobert III of Artois was the son of Philip of Artois and Blanche of Brittany.In 1318 he married Joan of Valois , daughter of Charles of Valois, and had issue:* Louis...
, great-great-grandson of Louis VIII of FranceLouis VIII of FranceLouis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
(b. 1287)
As described above, Philip of Valois became Philip VI
Philip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
amid some controversy, establishing the pattern of Salic Law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
that would govern the French succession thereafter.
Philip VIPhilip VI of FrancePhilip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
At the date of Philip VI's death, August 22, 1350, the line of succession was as follows:- John of FranceJohn II of FranceJohn II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
, Dauphin of France, (b. 1319), Philip VI's eldest son - Charles of FranceCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, (b. 1338), John of France’ eldest son - Louis of France, Duke of Anjou, Count of Maine (b. 1339), John of France’ younger son
- John of FranceJohn, Duke of BerryJohn of Valois or John the Magnificent was Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. He was the third son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxemburg; his brothers were King Charles V of France, Duke Louis I of Anjou and Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy...
, Duke of BerryDuke of BerryThe title of Duke of Berry in the French nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. The Berry region now consists of the départements of Cher, Indre and parts of Vienne. The capital of Berry is Bourges. The first creation was for John, third son of John II, King...
, (b. 1340), John of France’ younger son - Philip of FrancePhilip the BoldPhilip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1342), John of France’ youngest son - Philip of FrancePhilip of Valois, Duke of OrléansPhilip of Valois , Duke of Orléans, of Touraine and Count of Valois, the fifth son of Philip VI of France of Valois, King of France, and Joan the Lame....
, Duke of Orléans (b. 1336), Philip VI's youngest son - Charles of AlençonCharles III of AlençonCharles III of Alençon was the eldest son of Charles II of Alençon and Maria de la Cerda.He succeeded his father as Count of Alençon in 1346, but resigned the county to his brother Peter II of Alençon in 1361 to take up an ecclesiastical career.On 13 July 1365, he was made Archbishop of Lyon...
, Count of Alençon (b. 1337), Philip VI's nephew - Philip of Alençon (b. 1338), Charles III of Alençon's younger brother
- Peter of AlençonPeter II of AlençonPeter II of Alençon, called the Noble , was the son of Charles II of Alençon and Maria de la Cerda. He was Count of Alençon 1361–1404 and Count of Perche 1377–1404....
(b. 1340), Charles III of Alençon's younger brother - Robert of AlençonRobert of AlençonRobert of Alençon was the son of Charles II of Alençon and Maria de La Cerda y Lara. He succeeded his father in 1346 as Count of Perche....
, Count of Perche (b. 1344), Charles III of Alençon's youngest brother
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became John II
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
.
John IIJohn II of FranceJohn II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
At the date of John II's death, April 8, 1364, the line of succession was as follows:- Charles of FranceCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1338), John II's eldest son - John of France, (b. 1359), Charles of France's son
- Louis of France, Duke of Anjou, (b. 1339), John II's younger son
- John of FranceJohn, Duke of BerryJohn of Valois or John the Magnificent was Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. He was the third son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxemburg; his brothers were King Charles V of France, Duke Louis I of Anjou and Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy...
, Duke of BerryDuke of BerryThe title of Duke of Berry in the French nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. The Berry region now consists of the départements of Cher, Indre and parts of Vienne. The capital of Berry is Bourges. The first creation was for John, third son of John II, King...
(b. 1340), John II's younger son - Charles of Berry, (b. 1362), the Duke of Berry's eldest son
- John of Berry, (b. 1363), the Duke of Berry's younger son
- Louis of Berry, (b. 1364), John of Berry, Duke of Berry's youngest son
- Philip of FrancePhilip the BoldPhilip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
, Duke of BurgundyDuke of BurgundyDuke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
(b. 1342), John II's youngest son - Philip of FrancePhilip of Valois, Duke of OrléansPhilip of Valois , Duke of Orléans, of Touraine and Count of Valois, the fifth son of Philip VI of France of Valois, King of France, and Joan the Lame....
, Duke of Orléans (b. 1336), John II's youngest brother - Charles of AlençonCharles III of AlençonCharles III of Alençon was the eldest son of Charles II of Alençon and Maria de la Cerda.He succeeded his father as Count of Alençon in 1346, but resigned the county to his brother Peter II of Alençon in 1361 to take up an ecclesiastical career.On 13 July 1365, he was made Archbishop of Lyon...
, Count of Alençon (b. 1337), John II's first cousin
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles V
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
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Charles VCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
At the date of Charles V's death, September 16, 1380, the line of succession was as follows:- Charles of FranceCharles VI of FranceCharles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1368), Charles V's eldest surviving son - Louis of FranceLouis of Valois, Duke of OrléansLouis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons....
, Duke of Orléans, (b. 1372), Charles V's second surviving son - Louis of France, Duke of Anjou, Count of Maine (b. 1339), Charles V's younger brother
- Louis of Anjou, (b. 1377), Louis I of Anjou's son
- John of FranceJohn, Duke of BerryJohn of Valois or John the Magnificent was Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. He was the third son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxemburg; his brothers were King Charles V of France, Duke Louis I of Anjou and Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy...
, Duke of BerryDuke of BerryThe title of Duke of Berry in the French nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. The Berry region now consists of the départements of Cher, Indre and parts of Vienne. The capital of Berry is Bourges. The first creation was for John, third son of John II, King...
, (b. 1340), Charles V's younger brother - Charles of Berry, Count of Montpensier, (b. 1362), John I, Duke of Berry's son
- John of Berry, (b. 1363), Charles of Berry's younger brother
- Louis of Berry, (b. 1364), Charles of Berry's youngest brother
- Philip of FrancePhilip the BoldPhilip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
, Duke of BurgundyDuke of BurgundyDuke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
(b. 1342), Charles V's youngest brother - John of Burgundy (b. 1371), Philip of Burgundy's son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles VI
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
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Charles VICharles VI of FranceCharles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
At the date of Charles VI's death, October 21, 1422, the line of succession was as follows:- Charles of FranceCharles VII of FranceCharles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
, Dauphin of France, (b. 1403), Charles VI's son - Charles of Orléans, Duke of Orléans, (b. 1391), Charles VI's nephew
- John of OrléansJohn, Count of AngoulêmeJohn of Orléans, Count of Angoulême and of Périgord , 26 June 1399 – 30 April 1467, younger son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, and Valentina Visconti, and a grandson of Charles V of France. He was the younger brother of the noted poet, Charles, Duke of Orléans, and grandfather of Francis I of...
, Count of Angoulême (b. 1404), Charles, Duke of Orléans's younger brother - Louis of AnjouLouis III of NaplesLouis III was titular King of Naples 1417–1426, Count of Provence, Forcalquier, Piedmont, and Maine and Duke of Anjou 1417–1434, and Duke of Calabria 1426–1434....
, Duke of Anjou, (b. 1403), Charles VI's first cousin once removed - René of Anjou (b. 1408), Louis III, Duke of Anjou's younger brother
- Charles of AnjouCharles of Le MaineCharles du Maine was the third son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon.In 1434, he married Cobella Ruffo Charles du Maine (Château de Montils-lez-Tours, 1414 – 1472, Neufvy-en-Touraine) was the third son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon.In 1434, he married Cobella Ruffo...
, Count of Maine (b. 1414), Louis III, Duke of Anjou's youngest brother - Philip of Burgundy, Duke of BurgundyDuke of BurgundyDuke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
(b. 1396), Charles VI's first cousin once removed - John of BurgundyJohn IV, Duke of BrabantJohn IV, Duke of Brabant was the son of Antoine of Burgundy, Duke of Brabant, Lothier and Limburg.John IV was the second Brabantian ruler of the House of Valois....
, Duke of Brabant and LimburgDuke of LimburgThe counts of Limburg rose to prominence when one of their house was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine.Though Lorraine was soon confiscated, the ducal title was kept within the family, transferred it to the county of Limburg, which was eventually ratified by the Holy Roman Emperor...
, (b. 1403), Charles VI's first cousin once removed - Philip of BurgundyPhilip of Saint-Pol, Duke of BrabantPhilip of Saint Pol , younger son of Antoine, Duke of Brabant and Jeanne of Saint-Pol, succeeded his brother John as Duke of Brabant in 1427...
, (b. 1404), John IV of Brabant's brother - Charles of BurgundyCharles I, Count of NeversCharles I, Count of Nevers , Count of Nevers and Rethel, was the son of Philip II, Count of Nevers and Bonne of Artois....
, (b. 1414), Charles VI's first cousin once removed
In 1420, Charles VI had adopted Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
as his heir, displacing his own son the Dauphin, as part of his capitulation to Henry in the Treaty of Troyes
Treaty of Troyes
The Treaty of Troyes was an agreement that Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the throne of France upon the death of King Charles VI of France. It was signed in the French city of Troyes on 21 May 1420 in the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt...
. By the time of the death of Charles VI in 1422, this claim was represented by Henry's infant son Henry VI of England
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, who was crowned King of France in 1431, and whose government controlled most of France from 1422 until 1435. But the Dauphin was crowned as Charles VII
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
in 1429 and gradually expelled the English forces from France by 1453, ending the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
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Charles VIICharles VII of FranceCharles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
At the date of Charles VII's death, July 22, 1461, the line of succession was as follows:- Louis of FranceLouis XI of FranceLouis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
, Dauphin of France (b. 1423), Charles VII's son - Charles of FranceCharles de Valois, Duc de BerryCharles de Valois, Duke of Berry was a son of Charles VII, King of France. He spent most of his life in conflict with his elder brother, King Louis XI of France.-Life:...
, Duke of Berry, (b. 1446), Louis's youngest brother - Charles of Orléans, Duke of Orléans, (b. 1391), Charles VII's first cousin
- John of Orléans, Count of AngoulêmeJohn, Count of AngoulêmeJohn of Orléans, Count of Angoulême and of Périgord , 26 June 1399 – 30 April 1467, younger son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, and Valentina Visconti, and a grandson of Charles V of France. He was the younger brother of the noted poet, Charles, Duke of Orléans, and grandfather of Francis I of...
, (b. 1404), Charles, Duke of Orléans's younger brother - Charles of OrléansCharles, Count of AngoulêmeCharles d'Orléans, Count of Angoulême was a member of the French Orléans family descended from Louis I de Valois, Duke of Orléans, who was the son of Charles V of France. He was the son of John, Count of Angoulême and Marguerite de Rohan, and was Count of Angoulême from 1467-1496...
(b. 1459), John of Orléans's son - René of Anjou, Duke of Anjou (b. 1408), Charles VII's second cousin
- John II of Anjou, Duke of LorraineJohn II, Duke of LorraineJohn II of Anjou was Duke of Lorraine from 1453 to his death. He inherited the duchy from his mother, Duchess Isabelle, during the life of his father, Duke René of Anjou, also Duke of Lorraine and titular king of Naples...
(b. 1425), René I's son - Nicholas of Anjou, Duke of LorraineNicholas I, Duke of LorraineNicholas of Anjou was the son of John II, Duke of Lorraine and Marie de Bourbon.He succeeded his father in 1470 as Duke of Lorraine, and assumed the titles of Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson, Duke of Calabria, and Prince of Girona, as heir apparent of Bar, Naples, and Aragon respectively.He did not...
(b. 1448), John II of Anjou's son - Charles of Anjou, Count of MaineCharles of Le MaineCharles du Maine was the third son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon.In 1434, he married Cobella Ruffo Charles du Maine (Château de Montils-lez-Tours, 1414 – 1472, Neufvy-en-Touraine) was the third son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon.In 1434, he married Cobella Ruffo...
(b. 1414), René I's brother - Charles of AnjouCharles IV, Duke of AnjouCharles IV, Duke of Anjou, also Charles of Maine, Count of Le Maine and Guise was the son of the Angevin prince Charles of Le Maine, Count of Maine, who was the youngest son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon, Queen of Four Kingdoms.He succeeded his father as Count of Maine, Guise, Mortain...
(b. 1446), Charles of Anjou, Count of Maine's son
As the Dauphin had been living in exile due to conflict with his father, some thought his brother Charles of Valois might succeed as King. However, the Dauphin returned after learning of his father's illness, and smoothly became Louis XI
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
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Louis XILouis XI of FranceLouis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
At the date of Louis XI's death, August 30, 1483, the line of succession was as follows:- Charles of FranceCharles VIII of FranceCharles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1470), Louis XI's son - Louis of Orléans, Duke of OrléansLouis XII of FranceLouis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
(b. 1462), Louis XI's second cousin - Charles of Orléans, Count of AngoulêmeCharles, Count of AngoulêmeCharles d'Orléans, Count of Angoulême was a member of the French Orléans family descended from Louis I de Valois, Duke of Orléans, who was the son of Charles V of France. He was the son of John, Count of Angoulême and Marguerite de Rohan, and was Count of Angoulême from 1467-1496...
(b. 1459), Louis XI's second cousin - John of Burgundy, Count of NeversJohn II, Count of NeversJohn II, Count of Nevers He was the son of Philip II, Count of Nevers by his wife Bonne of Artois, daughter of Philip of Artois, Count of Eu. From 1442 to 1465 he was Count of Etampes. John's elder brother was also his predecessor in his titles, Charles I, Count of Nevers...
(b. 1415), Louis XI's third cousin - René of Alençon, Duke of Alençon (b. 1454), Louis XI's fourth cousin once removed
- John II of Bourbon, Duke of BourbonJohn II, Duke of BourbonJohn de Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon , sometimes referred to as John the Good and The Scourge of the English, was a son of Charles I of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy...
(b. 1427), Louis XI's seventh cousin - Charles of Bourbon, CardinalCharles II, Duke of BourbonCharles II, Duke of Bourbon , the son of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy, was a member of the House of Bourbon...
(b. 1433), Jean II, Duke of Bourbon's younger brother - Pierre of BourbonPeter II, Duke of BourbonPeter II, Duke of Bourbon was the son of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy, and a member of the House of Bourbon...
(b. 1438), Jean II, Duke of Bourbon's younger brother - Charles of Bourbon, Count of Clermont (b. 1476), Pierre of Bourbon's son
- Louis I of Bourbon, Count of MontpensierLouis, Count of MontpensierLouis, Count of Montpensier may refer to:* Louis I, Count of Montpensier * Louis II, Count of Montpensier...
(b. 1403) Louis XI's fifth cousin twice removed
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles VIII
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
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Charles VIIICharles VIII of FranceCharles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
All of Charles' children predeceased him, including his only son Charles Orland, Dauphin of FranceCharles Orlando, Dauphin of France
Charles Orlando, Dauphin of France was the eldest son and heir of Charles VIII of France and Anne of Brittany....
, who died in 1495 aged 3. At the date of Charles VIII's death, April 7, 1498, the line of succession was as follows:
- Louis of OrléansLouis XII of FranceLouis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
, Duke of Orléans and Valois (b. 1462), Charles VIII's second cousin once removed - François of Orléans, Count of AngoulêmeFrancis I of FranceFrancis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
(b. 1492), Charles VIII's third cousin - Charles IV of Alençon, Duke of Alençon (b. 1489), Charles VIII's fifth cousin once removed
- Pierre II of Bourbon, Duke of BourbonPeter II, Duke of BourbonPeter II, Duke of Bourbon was the son of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy, and a member of the House of Bourbon...
(b. 1438), Charles VIII's sixth cousin twice removed - Charles of Bourbon, Count of Clermont (b. 1476), Pierre II's son
- Louis II of Bourbon, Count of MontpensierLouis II, Count of MontpensierLouis de Bourbon, Count of Montpensier was the son of Gilbert, Count of Montpensier and Claire Gonzaga. He was Count of Montpensier and Clermont-en-Auvergne and Dauphin d'Auvergne from 1496 to his death....
(b. 1483), Charles VIII's seventh cousin once removed - Charles III of Bourbon, Duke of BourbonCharles III, Duke of BourbonCharles III, Duke of Bourbon was a French military leader, the Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne. He commanded the Imperial troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in what became known as the Sack of Rome in 1527, where he was killed.-Biography:Charles was born at Montpensier...
(b. 1489), Louis II of Bourbon's younger brother - François of Bourbon, Duke of Châtellerault (b. 1492), Louis II of Bourbon's youngest brother
- Charles of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme (b. 1489), Charles VIII's seventh cousin once removed
- François I of Bourbon, Count of St.PolFrancis de Bourbon, Count of St. PolFrancis I de Bourbon-Saint-Pol, Count of St. Pol and of Chaumont , was a French nobleman, Count of Saint-Pol, Duke of Estouteville and important military commander during the Italian Wars.Francis was the second son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme.He was...
(b. 1491), Charles of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme's brother
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
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Louis XIILouis XII of FranceLouis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
At the date of Louis XII's death, January 1, 1515, the line of succession was as follows:- François of OrléansFrancis I of FranceFrancis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, Count of Angoulême, Duke of Brittany (b. 1494), Louis XII's first cousin once removed - Charles IV of AlençonCharles IV of AlençonCharles IV of Alençon was the son of René of Alençon and the Blessed Margaret of Vaudémont.He succeeded his father in 1492 as Duke of Alençon and Count of Perche, and was also Count of Armagnac, Fézensac, Viscount of Rodez, Count of Fezensaguet, l'Isle-Jourdain, and Perdiac.In 1509 he married...
, Duke of Alençon, (b. 1489), Louis XII's fifth cousin - Charles III of Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon, Count of MontpensierCharles III, Duke of BourbonCharles III, Duke of Bourbon was a French military leader, the Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne. He commanded the Imperial troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in what became known as the Sack of Rome in 1527, where he was killed.-Biography:Charles was born at Montpensier...
(b. 1489), Louis XII's seventh cousin - François of Bourbon, Duke of Châtellerault (b. 1492), Charles III of Bourbon's younger brother
- Charles of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme (b. 1489), Louis XII's seventh cousin
- Louis of Bourbon, Count of Marle (b. 1514), Charles of Bourbon's son
- François I of Bourbon, Duke of Estouteville, Count of St.PolFrancis de Bourbon, Count of St. PolFrancis I de Bourbon-Saint-Pol, Count of St. Pol and of Chaumont , was a French nobleman, Count of Saint-Pol, Duke of Estouteville and important military commander during the Italian Wars.Francis was the second son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme.He was...
(b. 1491), Louis XII's seventh cousin - Louis of BourbonLouis de Bourbon de VendômeLouis de Bourbon de Vendôme, , son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg.At the age of 17, Louis became Bishop of Laon. Later he was elevated to Cardinal Priest of San Silvestro in Capite. He also served as Cardinal Priest of Saint Sabine, Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina and lastly...
, Cardinal, Archbishop of Sens (b. 1493), François I of Bourbon's brother - Louis of Bourbon, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon (b. 1473), Louis XII's sixth cousin once removed
- Louis of Bourbon (b. 1513), Louis of Bourbon, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon's son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
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Francis IFrancis I of FranceFrancis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
At the date of Francis I's death, March 31, 1547, the line of succession was as follows:- Henry of FranceHenry II of FranceHenry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1519), Francis I's eldest son - Francis of FranceFrancis II of FranceFrancis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
, (b. 1544), Henry's son - Antoine of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, King of Navarre (b. 1518), eighth cousins
- Charles of Bourbon, Cardinal, Archbishop of RouenCharles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles de Bourbon was a French cardinal. The Catholic League considered him the rightful King of France after the death of Henry III of France in 1589.-Biography:...
(b. 1523), Antoine of Bourbon's younger brother - John of Bourbon, Duke of Enghien (b. 1528), Antoine of Bourbon's younger brother
- Louis I of Bourbon, Prince of Condé (b. 1530), Antoine of Bourbon's youngest brother
- Louis of BourbonLouis de Bourbon de VendômeLouis de Bourbon de Vendôme, , son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and Marie of Luxembourg.At the age of 17, Louis became Bishop of Laon. Later he was elevated to Cardinal Priest of San Silvestro in Capite. He also served as Cardinal Priest of Saint Sabine, Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina and lastly...
, Cardinal, Archbishop of Sens (b. 1493), François I's seventh cousin once removed - Louis III of Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier (b. 1513), Francis I's seventh cousin once removed
- François of BourbonFrançois, Duke of MontpensierFrançois de Bourbon was the Duke of Montpensier and member of the House of Bourbon. He was the brother of Charlotte de Bourbon, Princess of Orange and wife of William the Silent, Prince of Orange...
(b. 1542), Louis III's son - Charles of Bourbon, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon (b. 1515), Louis III of Bourbon's younger brother
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
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Henry IIHenry II of FranceHenry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
At the date of Henry II's death, July 10, 1559, the line of succession was as follows:- Francis, King consort of ScotlandFrancis II of FranceFrancis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
, Dauphin of France, (b. 1544), Henry II's eldest son - Charles-Maximillien of FranceCharles IX of FranceCharles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
, Duke of Orléans (b. 1550), Henri II's second son - Alexandre-Édouard of FranceHenry III of FranceHenry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
, Duke of Angoulême (b. 1551), Henry II's third son - Hercule-François of FranceFrançois, Duke of AnjouFrancis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon was the youngest son of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.-Early years:...
, Duke of Alençon (b. 1555), Henry II's fourth son - Antoine of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, King of Navarre (b. 1518), Henry II's eighth cousin once removed
- Henri of Bourbon, Prince of NavarreHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
(b. 1553), Antoine of Bourbon's son - Charles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles de Bourbon was a French cardinal. The Catholic League considered him the rightful King of France after the death of Henry III of France in 1589.-Biography:...
, Archbishop of Rouen (b. 1523), Antoine of Bourbon's younger brother - Louis I of Bourbon, Prince of Condé (b. 1530), Antoine of Bourbon's youngest brother
- Henri of Bourbon, Duke of EnghienHenri I de Bourbon, prince de CondéHenri de Bourbon-Condé was a French Prince du Sang and Huguenot general like his more prominent father, Louis I, Prince of Condé....
(b. 1552), Louis I of Bourbon's son - François of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1558), Henri of Bourbon's younger brother
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Francis II
Francis II of France
Francis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
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Francis IIFrancis II of FranceFrancis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
At the date of Francis II's death, December 5, 1560, the line of succession was as follows:- Charles-Maximillien of FranceCharles IX of FranceCharles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
, Duke of Orléans (b. 1550), younger brother of Francis II - Alexandre-Édouard of FranceHenry III of FranceHenry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
, Duke of Angoulême (b. 1551), younger brother of Francis II - Hercule-François of France, Duke of Alençon (b. 1555), youngest brother of Francis II
- Antoine of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, King of Navarre (b. 1518), Francis II's eighth cousin twice removed
- Henry of Bourbon, Prince of NavarreHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
(b. 1553), Antoine of Bourbon's son - Charles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles de Bourbon was a French cardinal. The Catholic League considered him the rightful King of France after the death of Henry III of France in 1589.-Biography:...
, Archbishop of Rouen (b. 1523), Antoine of Bourbon's younger brother - Louis I of Bourbon, Prince of Condé (b. 1530), Antoine of Bourbon's youngest brother
- Henri of Bourbon, Duke of EnghienHenri I de Bourbon, prince de CondéHenri de Bourbon-Condé was a French Prince du Sang and Huguenot general like his more prominent father, Louis I, Prince of Condé....
(b. 1552), Louis I of Bourbon's son - François of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1558), Henri of Bourbon's younger brother
- Louis III of Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier (b. 1513), seventh cousin thrice removed
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles IX
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
.
Charles IXCharles IX of FranceCharles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
At the date of Charles IX's death, May 30, 1574, the line of succession was as follows:- Henri of FranceHenry III of FranceHenry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
, Duke of Angoulême, Duke of Orléans, Duke of Anjou, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (b. 1551), Charles IX's younger brother - Hercule-François of France, Duke of Alençon (b. 1555), Charles IX's youngest brother
- Henry III of BourbonHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, King of Navarre, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1553), ninth cousin once removed - Charles of BourbonCharles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles de Bourbon was a French cardinal. The Catholic League considered him the rightful King of France after the death of Henry III of France in 1589.-Biography:...
, Cardinal, Archbishop of Rouen (b. 1523), eighth cousin twice removed - Henri I of Bourbon, Prince of CondéHenri I de Bourbon, prince de CondéHenri de Bourbon-Condé was a French Prince du Sang and Huguenot general like his more prominent father, Louis I, Prince of Condé....
(b. 1552), ninth cousin once removed - François of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1558), Henri I of Bourbon's younger brother
- Charles of Bourbon (b. 1562), Henri I of Bourbon's younger brother
- Charles of Bourbon, Count of SoissonsCharles de Bourbon, comte de SoissonsCharles de Bourbon was a French prince du sang and military commander during the struggles over religion and the throne in late 16th century France. A first cousin of King Henry IV of France, he was the son of the Huguenot leader Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé and his second wife, Françoise...
(b. 1566), Henri I of Bourbon's youngest brother - Louis III of Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier (b. 1513), seventh cousin thrice removed
- François of BourbonFrançois, Duke of MontpensierFrançois de Bourbon was the Duke of Montpensier and member of the House of Bourbon. He was the brother of Charlotte de Bourbon, Princess of Orange and wife of William the Silent, Prince of Orange...
(b. 1542), Louis III of Bourbon's son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Henry III
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
.
Henry IIIHenry III of FranceHenry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
At the date of Henry III's death, August 2, 1589, the line of succession was as follows:- Henry III of BourbonHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, King of Navarre, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1553), ninth cousin once removed - Charles of BourbonCharles, Cardinal de BourbonCharles de Bourbon was a French cardinal. The Catholic League considered him the rightful King of France after the death of Henry III of France in 1589.-Biography:...
, Cardinal, Archbishop of Rouen (b. 1523), eighth cousin twice removed - Henri II of Bourbon, Prince of Condé (b. 1588), tenth cousins
- François of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1558), ninth cousin once removed
- Charles of Bourbon, Cardinal (b. 1562), François of Bourbon's younger brother
- Charles of Bourbon, Count of SoissonsCharles de Bourbon, comte de SoissonsCharles de Bourbon was a French prince du sang and military commander during the struggles over religion and the throne in late 16th century France. A first cousin of King Henry IV of France, he was the son of the Huguenot leader Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé and his second wife, Françoise...
(b. 1566), François of Bourbon's youngest brother - François of Bourbon, Duke of MontpensierFrançois, Duke of MontpensierFrançois de Bourbon was the Duke of Montpensier and member of the House of Bourbon. He was the brother of Charlotte de Bourbon, Princess of Orange and wife of William the Silent, Prince of Orange...
(b. 1542), eighth cousin twice removed - Henri of Bourbon (b. 1573), François of Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier's son
There was intense opposition to the succession of Henry of Navarre due to his Protestant religion. As part of the ongoing French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
, the Catholic League
Catholic League (French)
The Catholic League of France, sometimes referred to by contemporary Roman Catholics as the Holy League, a major player in the French Wars of Religion, was formed by Duke Henry of Guise in 1576...
argued that Henry's religion disqualified him from the throne and championed Charles of Bourbon (who himself refused to oppose his nephew's claim). After the Cardinal's death in 1590, several claimants appeared until Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
converted to Catholicism and consolidated his power by 1594.
Henry IVHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
At the date of Henry IV's death, May 14, 1610, the line of succession was as follows:- Louis of FranceLouis XIII of FranceLouis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1601), Henry IV's eldest son - Nicholas Henri of FranceNicholas Henri, Duke of OrléansNicolas Henri de France, Duke of Orléans, was the second son and fourth child of Henry IV of France and his Italian queen Marie de' Medici.-Biography:...
, Duke of Orléans (b. 1607), Henry IV's middle son - Gaston of FranceGaston, Duke of OrléansGaston of France, , also known as Gaston d'Orléans, was the third son of King Henry IV of France and his wife Marie de Medici. As a son of the king, he was born a Fils de France. He later acquired the title Duke of Orléans, by which he was generally known during his adulthood...
, Duke of Anjou, future Duke of Orléans (b. 1608), Henry IV's youngest son - Henri II of BourbonHenry II de Bourbon, prince de CondéHenri de Bourbon became Prince of Condé shortly after his birth, following the death of his father Henri I...
, Prince of Condé (b. 1588), Henry IV's first cousin once removed - François of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1558), Henry IV's first cousin
- Charles of Bourbon, Count of SoissonsCharles de Bourbon, comte de SoissonsCharles de Bourbon was a French prince du sang and military commander during the struggles over religion and the throne in late 16th century France. A first cousin of King Henry IV of France, he was the son of the Huguenot leader Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé and his second wife, Françoise...
(b. 1566), François of Bourbon's younger brother - Louis of BourbonLouis de Bourbon, comte de SoissonsLouis de Bourbon, Count of Soissons , was a French nobleman, the son of Charles de Bourbon, Count of Soissons and Anne de Montafié...
(b. 1604), Charles of Bourbon's son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XIII
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
.
The House of Courtenay
House of Courtenay
The House of Courtenay was an important dynasty in medieval France originating from the castle of Courtenay in the Gâtinais , going back to the 10th century. The dynasty descended from Athon, the first lord of Courtenay, apparently himself a descendant of the Counts of Sens and from Pharamond,...
claimed a place in the line of succession after those named above, as they were descended in legitimate male-line from Louis VI
Louis VI of France
Louis VI , called the Fat , was King of France from 1108 until his death . Chronicles called him "roi de Saint-Denis".-Reign:...
. However, the Bourbons consistently denied the Courtenays' petitions to be recognized as princes of the blood
Prince du Sang
A prince of the blood was a person who was legitimately descended in the male line from the monarch of a country. In France, the rank of prince du sang was the highest held at court after the immediate family of the king during the ancien régime and the Bourbon Restoration...
, recognizing only the male-line descendants of Louis IX
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
as royal. The last Courtenay died in 1727.
Louis XIIILouis XIII of FranceLouis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
At the date of Louis XIII's death, May 14, 1643, the line of succession was as follows:
- Louis of FranceLouis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1638), Louis XIII's elder son - Philippe of FrancePhilippe I, Duke of OrléansPhilippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
, Duke of Anjou (b. 1640), Louis XIII's younger son - Gaston of FranceGaston, Duke of OrléansGaston of France, , also known as Gaston d'Orléans, was the third son of King Henry IV of France and his wife Marie de Medici. As a son of the king, he was born a Fils de France. He later acquired the title Duke of Orléans, by which he was generally known during his adulthood...
, Duke of Orléans (b. 1608), Louis XIII's youngest brother - Henri II of Bourbon, Prince of Condé (b. 1588), Louis XIII's second cousin
- Louis of Bourbon, Duke of Enghien (b. 1621), the Prince of Condé's elder son
- Armand of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1629), the Prince of Condé's younger son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
.
Treaty of UtrechtTreaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
When the Spanish king Charles IICharles II of Spain
Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain and the ruler of large parts of Italy, the Spanish territories in the Southern Low Countries, and Spain's overseas Empire, stretching from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies...
died, his closest heir was Louis, the Grand Dauphin, son of Louis XIV, King of France. Charles knew that the other European powers would oppose the union of France and Spain. Thus, in his will, Charles named Philip, Duke of Anjou, second son of the Grand Dauphin (and thus, the first person not in the direct line of succession to the French throne) as his heir.
France and Spain fought the other major European powers in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. The war ended with the Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
which required that Philip, in order to retain the throne of Spain in his lineage and for Louis XIV to obtain peace for France, to renounce for himself and his descendants any right of succession to the French throne, thereby preventing the crowns of France and Spain from being united on the head of a Bourbon. Despite doubts in France as to whether the Treaty was binding, Louis XIV and the other European powers ratified it and the Parlement of Paris registered it. This would be the source of future conflicting claims between Legitimists (descendants of Philip V, who consider the Treaty of Utrecht invalid) and Orléanists (descendants of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who claim their right of succession based on the Treaty of Utrecht and the residence abroad of Philip and his heirs as kings of Spain).
Louis XIVLouis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
The succession to Louis XIV changed upon the deaths of his eldest son Louis, le Grand Dauphin, the Grand Dauphin's eldest son Louis, Duke of Burgundy, and Burgundy's eldest son Louis, Duke of Brittany, all in 1711–1712.At the date of Louis XIV's death, September 1, 1715, the line of succession was as follows:
- Louis of FranceLouis XV of FranceLouis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, Dauphin of France (b. 1710), Louis XIV's great-grandson, younger son of Louis, Duke of Burgundy
(Philip V of SpainPhilip V of SpainPhilip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
(b.1683) and his descendants would rank here, if the Treaty of UtrechtTreaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
were to be considered invalid.) - Philippe II of Orléans, Duke of OrléansPhilippe II, Duke of OrléansPhilippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
(b. 1674), Louis XIV's nephew - Louis of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (b. 1703), Philippe II's son
- Louis IV Henri of Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1692) Louis XIV's third cousin thrice removed
- Charles of Bourbon, Count of Charolais (b. 1700), the Duke of Bourbon's younger brother
- Louis of Bourbon, Count of Clermont (b. 1709), the Duke of Bourbon's youngest brother
- Louis-Armand II of Bourbon, Prince of ContiLouis Armand II, Prince of ContiLouis Armand de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was Prince of Conti, from 1709 to his death, succeeding his father François Louis, Prince of Conti. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, he was a Prince du Sang. His mother was the pious Marie Thérèse de Bourbon, a grand daughter of Louis de...
(b. 1695), Louis XIV's third cousin twice removed - Louis of Bourbon, Count of La Marche (b. 1715), the Prince of Conti's son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
.
In his will, Louis XIV attempted to insert two of his illegitimate sons, Louis Auguste, Duke of Maine (b.1670) and Louis Alexandre, Count of Toulouse (b.1678), into the line of succession immediately following the Dauphin. However, this action was nullified after his death by the Parlement of Paris.
Louis XVLouis XV of FranceLouis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
The succession to Louis XV changed upon the death of his son Louis, Dauphin of France in 1765. At the date of Louis XV's death, May 10, 1774, the line of succession was as follows:- Louis-Auguste of France, Dauphin of FranceLouis XVI of FranceLouis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
(b. 1754), Louis XV's eldest grandson - Louis-Stanislaus of France, Count of ProvenceLouis XVIII of FranceLouis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
(b. 1755), Louis XV's younger grandson - Charles-Philippe of France, Count of ArtoisCharles X of FranceCharles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
(b. 1757), Louis XV's youngest grandson
(Charles III of SpainCharles III of SpainCharles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
(b.1716) and other descendants of Philip V of SpainPhilip V of SpainPhilip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
would rank here, if the Treaty of UtrechtTreaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
were to be considered invalid.) - Louis Philippe I of Orléans, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe I, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe d'Orléans known as le Gros , was a French nobleman, a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the dynasty then ruling France. The First Prince of the Blood after 1752, he was the most senior male at the French court after the immediate royal family. He was the father of...
(b. 1725), Louis XV's third cousin - Louis Philippe Joseph of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (b. 1747), the Duke of Orléans's son
- Louis Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Valois (b. 1773), the Duke of Chartres's son
- Louis V Joseph of Bourbon, Prince of CondéLouis Joseph de Bourbon, prince de CondéLouis Joseph de Bourbon was Prince of Condé from 1740 to his death. A member of the House of Bourbon, he held the prestigious rank of Prince du Sang.-Biography:...
(b. 1736), Louis XVI's sixth cousin once removed - Louis Henri of Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1756), the Prince of Condé's son
- Louis Antoine of Bourbon, Duke of Enghien (b. 1772), the Duke of Bourbon's son
- Louis François of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1717), Louis XV's sixth cousin
- Louis François Joseph of Bourbon, Count of La Marche (b. 1734), the Prince of Conti's son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
.
Louis XVILouis XVI of FranceLouis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
At the date of Louis XVI's deposition and the proclamation of the First RepublicFrench First Republic
The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
, September 21, 1792, the line of succession was as follows:
- Louis-Charles of France, Prince Royal of FranceLouis XVII of FranceLouis XVII , from birth to 1789 known as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy; then from 1789 to 1791 as Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France; and from 1791 to 1793 as Louis-Charles, Prince Royal of France, was the son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette...
(b. 1785), Louis XVI's son - Louis-Stanislaus of France, Count of ProvenceLouis XVIII of FranceLouis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
(b. 1755), Louis XVI's third brother - Charles-Philippe of France, Count of ArtoisCharles X of FranceCharles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
(b. 1757), Louis XVI's brother - Louis Antoine of Artois, Duke of Angoulême (b. 1775), the Count of Artois's elder son
- Charles Ferdinand of Artois, Duke of Berry (b. 1778), the Count of Artois's younger son
(Charles IV of SpainCharles IV of SpainCharles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
(b.1748) and other descendants of Philip V of SpainPhilip V of SpainPhilip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
would rank here, if the Treaty of UtrechtTreaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
were to be considered invalid.) - Louis Philippe Joseph of Orléans, Duke of Orléans (b. 1747), Louis XVI's fourth cousin once removed
- Louis-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (b. 1773), the Duke of Orléans's eldest son
- Antoine Philippe of Orléans, Duke of MontpensierAntoine Philippe, Duke of MontpensierLouis Antoine Philippe d'Orléans, duc de Montpensier was a son of Louis Philippe d'Orléans and his duchess Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon...
(b. 1775), the Duke of Orléans's second son - Louis-Charles of Orléans, Count of Beaujolais (b. 1779), the Duke of Orléans' youngest son
- Louis V Joseph of Bourbon, Prince of Condé (b. 1736), Louis XVI's seventh cousin once removed
- Louis Henri Joseph of Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1756), the Prince of Condé's son
- Louis Antoine of Bourbon, Duke of Enghien (b. 1772), the Duke of Bourbon's son
- Louis François II of Bourbon, Prince of Conti (b. 1734), Louis XVI's seventh cousin once removed
Louis XVI remained the claimant to the throne until his execution on January 21, 1793, after which his imprisoned son and then his brother were recognized by monarchists as the rightful king.
Napoléon INapoleon I of FranceNapoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
On the dates of Napoléon I's first abdication, April 6, 1814, and his second abdication, June 22, 1815, the line of succession was as follows:- Napoléon, King of Rome (b. 1811), Napoléon I's son
- Joseph, Prince FrançaisJoseph BonaparteJoseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
(b. 1768), Napoléon I's eldest brother - Louis, Prince FrançaisLouis BonaparteLouis Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince Français, Comte de Saint-Leu , King of Holland , was the fifth surviving child and the fourth surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino...
(b. 1778), Napoléon I's third brother - Napoléon Louis, Prince FrançaisNapoleon Louis BonaparteNapoléon Louis Bonaparte , or Louis II of Holland, was the middle son of Louis Napoléon, King of Holland, and Hortense de Beauharnais. His father was the younger brother of Emperor Napoléon I and king of Holland, while his mother was the daughter of Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoléon's first wife...
(b. 1804), Louis's second son - Charles Louis-Napoléon, Prince Français (b. 1808), Louis's youngest son
At the date of Napoléon II's abdication, July 7, 1815, the line of succession was as follows:
- Joseph, Prince FrançaisJoseph BonaparteJoseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
(b. 1768), Napoléon II's eldest uncle - Louis, Prince FrançaisLouis BonaparteLouis Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince Français, Comte de Saint-Leu , King of Holland , was the fifth surviving child and the fourth surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino...
(b. 1778) (b. 1778), Napoléon II's third uncle - Napoléon Louis, Prince FrançaisNapoleon Louis BonaparteNapoléon Louis Bonaparte , or Louis II of Holland, was the middle son of Louis Napoléon, King of Holland, and Hortense de Beauharnais. His father was the younger brother of Emperor Napoléon I and king of Holland, while his mother was the daughter of Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoléon's first wife...
(b. 1804), Louis's second son - Charles Louis-Napoléon, Prince Français (b. 1808), Louis's youngest son
In both events, the senior living representative of the Bourbon line was Louis-Stanislaus, Count of Provence
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
(b. 1755), Louis XVI's third brother, who became Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
, while Napoléon I continued to claim the Bonaparte legacy.
Louis XVIIILouis XVIII of FranceLouis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
At the date of Louis XVIII's death, September 16, 1824, the line of succession was as follows:- Charles-Philippe of France, Count of ArtoisCharles X of FranceCharles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
(b. 1757), Louis XVIII's brother - Louis Antoine of Artois, Duke of Angouléme (b. 1775), Charles-Philippe's eldest son
- Henri of Artois, Duke of Bordeaux (b. 1820), Louis-Antoine's nephew
(Ferdinand VII of Spain (b.1784) and other descendants of Philip V of SpainPhilip V of SpainPhilip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
would rank here, if the Treaty of UtrechtTreaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
were to be considered invalid.) - Louis-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Orléans (b. 1773), King Louis XVIII's fifth cousin
- Ferdinand-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (b. 1810), Louis-Philippe's eldest son
- Louis of Orléans, Duke of Nemours (b. 1814), Louis-Philippe's second son
- François of Orléans, Prince of JoinvillePrince François, Prince of JoinvilleFrançois-Ferdinand-Philippe-Louis-Marie d'Orléans, prince de Joinville was the third son of Louis Philippe, duc d'Orléans, afterwards king of the French and his wife Marie Amalie of Bourbon-Sicilies. He was notable as an admiral of the French Navy.-Life:He was born at the Château de Neuilly, in...
(b. 1818), Louis-Philippe's third son - Charles of Orléans, Duke of PenthiévrePrince Charles, Duke of PenthièvreCharles d'Orléans was the eighth child of the Duke and Duchess of Orléans, future Louis Philippe I and la Reine Marie Amélie...
(b. 1820), Louis-Philippe's fourth son - Henri of Orléans, Duke of Aumale (b. 1822), Louis-Philippe's fifth son
- Antoine of Orléans, Duke of MontpensierAntoine, Duke of Montpensier- Titles and styles:/*13 July 182421 September 1824: His Serene Highness Prince Antoine d'Orléans*21 September 18249 August 1830: His Royal Highness Prince Antoine d'Orléans...
(b. 1824), Louis-Philippe's youngest son
The throne passed smoothly to the first person in line, who became Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
.
The senior living representative of the Bonaparte line was Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
(b. 1768), Napoléon I's eldest brother.
Charles XCharles X of FranceCharles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
At the date of Charles X's abdication, August 2, 1830, the line of succession was as follows:- Louis Antoine of France, Prince Royal, Dauphin of France and Duke of Angoulême (b. 1775), Charles X's eldest son
- Henri of Artois, Duke of Bordeaux (b. 1820), Louis-Antoine's nephew
(Ferdinand VII of Spain (b.1784) and other descendants of Philip V of SpainPhilip V of SpainPhilip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
would rank here, if the Treaty of UtrechtTreaty of UtrechtThe Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
were to be considered invalid.) - Louis-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Orléans (b. 1773), Charles X's fifth cousin
- Ferdinand-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Chartres (b. 1810), the Duke of Orléans's eldest son
- Louis of Orléans, Duke of NemoursLouis, Duke of NemoursPrince Louis of Orléans was the second son of the future King Louis-Philippe I of France, and his wife Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily. Under the reign of his father from 1830–1848, he was styled as Prince Louis, Duke of Nemours.-Childhood:He was born at the Palais Royal, in Paris...
(b. 1814), the Duke of Orléans's second son - François of Orléans, Prince of Joinville (b. 1818), the Duke of Orléans's third son
- Henri of Orléans, Duke of Aumale (b. 1822), the Duke of Orléans's fifth son
- Antoine of Orléans, Duke of MontpensierAntoine, Duke of Montpensier- Titles and styles:/*13 July 182421 September 1824: His Serene Highness Prince Antoine d'Orléans*21 September 18249 August 1830: His Royal Highness Prince Antoine d'Orléans...
(b. 1824), the Duke of Orléans's youngest son - Louis VI Henri of Bourbon, Prince of Condé, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1756), Charles X's eighth cousin
Charles X continued to claim his right to the throne, which passed de facto to the Duke of Orléans as Louis-Philippe I.
The senior living representative of the Bonaparte line was Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
(b. 1768), Napoléon I's eldest brother.
Louis-Philippe I
At the date of Louis-Philippe I's abdication and the proclamation of the Second RepublicFrench Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
, February 24, 1848, the line of succession was as follows:
- Louis-Philippe of Orléans, Count of Paris, Prince Royal (b. 1838) Louis-Philippe I's grandson
- Robert of Orléans, Duke of ChartresRobert, Duke of ChartresPrince Robert Philippe Louis Eugène Ferdinand of Orléans, Duke of Chartres was the son of Prince Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans and thus grandson of King Louis-Philippe of France. He fought for the Union in the American Civil War, and then for France in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War...
(b. 1840), the Count of Paris's younger brother - Louis of Orléans, Duke of NemoursLouis, Duke of NemoursPrince Louis of Orléans was the second son of the future King Louis-Philippe I of France, and his wife Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily. Under the reign of his father from 1830–1848, he was styled as Prince Louis, Duke of Nemours.-Childhood:He was born at the Palais Royal, in Paris...
(b. 1814), Louis-Philippe I's second son - Gaston of Orléans, Count of Eu (b. 1842), the Duke of Nemours's first son
- Ferdinand of Orléans, Duke of Alençon (b. 1844), the Duke of Nemours's second son
- François of Orléans, Prince of Joinville (b. 1818), Louis-Philippe I's third son
- Pierre of Orléans, Duke of Penthiévre (b. 1845), the Prince of Joinville's son
- Henri of Orléans, Duke of Aumale (b. 1822), Louis-Philippe I's fifth son
- Louis-Philippe of Orléans, Prince of Condé (b. 1845), Prince Henri of Orléans's son
The senior living representative of the Bourbon line was Henri, Count of Chambord (b. 1820), grandson of Charles X.
The senior living representative of the Bonaparte line was Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (b. 1808), nephew of Napoléon I.
Napoléon IIINapoleon III of FranceLouis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
At the date of Napoléon III's abdication and the proclamation of the Third RepublicFrench Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
, September 4, 1870, the line of succession was as follows:
- Napoléon, Prince Imperial (b. 1856), Napoléon III's son
- Napoléon Joseph, Prince FrançaisNapoléon Joseph Charles Paul BonaparteNapoléon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte, Prince Français, Count of Meudon, Count of Moncalieri ad personam, titular 3rd Prince of Montfort was the second son of Jérôme Bonaparte, king of Westphalia, by his wife Catherine, princess of Württemberg...
(b. 1822), Napoleon III's first cousin - Napoléon Victor Jérôme Frédéric, Prince Français (b. 1862), Napoléon Joseph's son
- Napoléon Louis Joseph Jérôme, Prince Français (b. 1864), Napoléon Joseph's second son
The senior living representative of the Bourbon line was Henri, Count of Chambord (b. 1820), grandson of Charles X.
The senior living representative of the Orléans line was Philippe, Count of Paris (b. 1838), grandson of Louis-Philippe I.