Louis-Auguste, Prince of Dombes
Encyclopedia
Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Prince of Dombes (Palace of Versailles
, 4 March 1700 - Palace of Fontainebleau, 1 October 1755) was a grandson of Louis XIV of France
and of his maîtresse-en-titre
Françoise-Athénaïs de Montespan
. He was a member of the legitimised House of Bourbon-Maine.
and of his wife, Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon.
Given the title of prince de Dombes at his birth, he was the second child of his parents to hold the title.
Unlike his father, the prince de Dombes was of high military skill. Louis-Auguste served under the renowned military commander Prince Eugene of Savoy
in the Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718). He also fought in the War of the Polish Succession
(1733–1738) and in the War of the Austrian Succession
(1740–1748).
Upon the death of his father (to whom he was very close), on 14 May 1736 at the Château de Sceaux
, he inherited the bulk of his wealth and his titles.
He became Colonel General of the Cent-Suisses et Grisons (1710), Governor of Languedoc
(1737), Grand veneur de France
and Count of Eu (1736).
In 1750, he gained the titles of prince d'Anet and comte de Dreux, when his mother gave him both estates three years before she died. Little seen at the court of his cousin Louis XV of France
, he preferred living at the Château d'Anet
, which he continued to embellish. In order to supply water for his gardens, he created a hydraulic system which he installed in the park of the domain near the Eure River
. He also enjoyed hunting on his large estate of Eu.
Louis-Auguste remained unmarried and died childless. A possible wife had been his cousin, Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans, daughter of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
and Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
, and another cousin, Louise Anne de Bourbon, daughter of Louise-Françoise de Bourbon
, the duc du Maine's younger sister.
Louis-Auguste died on 1 October 1755, at the age of fifty-five, in a duel at Fontainebleau. His younger brother, Louis Charles, was his only heir.
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
, 4 March 1700 - Palace of Fontainebleau, 1 October 1755) was a grandson of Louis XIV of France
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...
and of his maîtresse-en-titre
Maîtresse-en-titre
The maîtresse-en-titre was the chief mistress of the king of France. It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments. The title really came into use during the reign of Henry IV and continued until the reign of Louis XV....
Françoise-Athénaïs de Montespan
Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children....
. He was a member of the legitimised House of Bourbon-Maine.
Biography
Born at the Palace of Versailles on 4 March 1700, Louis-Auguste was the fourth child of Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du MaineLouis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Legitimé de France was the eldest legitimised son of the Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan...
and of his wife, Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon.
Given the title of prince de Dombes at his birth, he was the second child of his parents to hold the title.
Unlike his father, the prince de Dombes was of high military skill. Louis-Auguste served under the renowned military commander Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
in the Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718). He also fought in the War of the Polish Succession
War of the Polish Succession
The War of the Polish Succession was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests...
(1733–1738) and in the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
(1740–1748).
Upon the death of his father (to whom he was very close), on 14 May 1736 at the Château de Sceaux
Château de Sceaux
The Château de Sceaux is a grand country house in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, not far from Paris, France. Located in a park laid out by André Le Nôtre, it houses the Musée de l’Île-de-France, a museum of local history. The former château was built for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's minister of...
, he inherited the bulk of his wealth and his titles.
He became Colonel General of the Cent-Suisses et Grisons (1710), Governor of Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
(1737), Grand veneur de France
Grand Huntsman of France
The Grand Veneur de France or Grand Huntsman of France was a position in the King's Household in France during the Ancien Régime. The word French "veneur" , derives from the Middle French word "vener" , from which also was derived the archaic English words "venerer" and "venery"...
and Count of Eu (1736).
In 1750, he gained the titles of prince d'Anet and comte de Dreux, when his mother gave him both estates three years before she died. Little seen at the court of his cousin Louis XV of France
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...
, he preferred living at the Château d'Anet
Château d'Anet
The Château d'Anet is a château near Dreux, France, built by Philibert de l'Orme from 1547 to 1552 for Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II of France...
, which he continued to embellish. In order to supply water for his gardens, he created a hydraulic system which he installed in the park of the domain near the Eure River
Eure River
The Eure is a river in northern France, left tributary of the Seine. It rises at Marchainville in the Orne département and joins the Seine near Pont-de-l'Arche...
. He also enjoyed hunting on his large estate of Eu.
Louis-Auguste remained unmarried and died childless. A possible wife had been his cousin, Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans, daughter of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe 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...
and Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
Françoise Marie de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was the youngest legitimised daughter of Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan. Originally known as the second Mademoiselle de Blois, that style eventually gave way to the name Françoise Marie de...
, and another cousin, Louise Anne de Bourbon, daughter of Louise-Françoise de Bourbon
Louise-Françoise de Bourbon
Louise Françoise de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was the eldest surviving legitimised daughter of Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan. She was said to have been named after her godmother, Louise de La Vallière, the woman that her mother had replaced as the king's...
, the duc du Maine's younger sister.
Louis-Auguste died on 1 October 1755, at the age of fifty-five, in a duel at Fontainebleau. His younger brother, Louis Charles, was his only heir.