Prince du Sang
Encyclopedia
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
. A prince du sang or a princesse du sang had to be a legitimate member of the reigning dynasty
(after 1589, the House of Bourbon
). In some European monarchies, but especially in the kingdom of France, this appellation was a specific rank in its own right, of a more restricted use than other titles.
descendants. Those who held this rank were usually styled by their main ducal peerage
, but sometimes other titles were used, indicating a more precise status than prince du sang.
) male member of the royal dynasty who was not a brother, son, or male-line grandson of a king of France or of a dauphin (these dynasts were members of the "royal family" (famille du roi) and enjoyed higher rank and styles than the princes du sang). Although the eldest son of a younger son of a king or dauphin (i.e., a petit-fils de France) could inherit the title and its benefits by right, the title was only actually borne by a dynast who was not also a royal petit-fils. Use of the style premier prince was not governed by the dynast's relationship to the reigning monarch, but by whether he belonged to the famille du roi, even if he was only a distant cousin of the sovereign (as the regent Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
was to Louis XV
). Minor inconsistencies in use arose in 1785, when the rank ceased belonging for life to an incumbent (instead passing by right to any prince the moment he became the nearest dynast to the throne without belonging to the famille du roi), and one petit-fils de France (the duc d'Angoulême
) who was, by right, premier prince may not have received the annuity which had previously gone with it.
The rank carried with it various privileges, including the right to a household
paid out of state revenues. The rank was held for life: the birth of a new, more senior prince who qualified for the position did not deprive the current holder of his use of the style. The Princes of Condé used the style of Monsieur le Prince for over a century (1589–1709). The right to use of the style passed to the House of Orléans
in 1709; they, however, seldom if ever used it.
First Princes of the Blood, 1465-1830
House of Valois
House of Bourbon-La Marche
House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon-Condé
House of Orléans
, but that changed in 1709 when the Condés lost the rank of premier prince. After that, the eldest son was given the title of Duke of Bourbon
, and his eldest son (the eldest grandson of the Prince of Condé in the male line) was given the title of duc d'Enghien.
was:
Others included:
, the second son of Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé
, the first Prince of Condé.
The first Prince had three sons:
The Soissons title was acquired by the first Prince of Condé in 1557 and was held by his descendants for two more generations:
The 2nd Count of Soissons died without an heir, so the Soissons title passed to his younger sister, Marie de Bourbon
, the wife of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano
, a member of the House of Savoy
. She became known as Madame la comtesse de Soissons. On her death, the title passed first to her second son, Joseph-Emmanuel, Prince of Savoy (1631–1656), and then to her third son, Eugène-François, Prince of Savoy.
He married Olympia Mancini, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. She was known as Madame la Comtesse de Soissons like her mother-in-law. On his death, the title went to his eldest son, Louis-Thomas, Prince of Savoy, who was the older brother of the famous Austrian general, Prince Eugene of Savoy
. The Soissons title became extinct upon the death of Eugène-Jean-François of Savoy-Carignano in 1734.
and a number corresponding to when they lost their husband. After being widowed their full style would be Madame la Princesse de Conti 'number' Douairière. Between 1727 and 1732, there were three widowed Princesses de Conti. They were:
children of the King of France, and of other males of his dynasty, took surnames according to the branch of the House of Capet
to which their father belonged, e.g. Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
, was the elder son of Louis XIV
by his mistress, Mme de Montespan
.
After the legitimisation occurred, the child was given a title. Males were given titles from their father's lands and estates and females were given the style of Mademoiselle de X. Examples of this are (children of Louis XIV and Mme de Montespan
):
Also the child would be referred to as Légitimé de Bourbon; such as Marie Anne légitimée de Bourbon, mademoiselle de Blois
daughter of Louis XIV and Louise de La Vallière
. Her full brother was Louis de Bourbon
, later given the title of comte de Vermandois.
, the natural son of a Valois prince who held the appanage
of Orléans before the Bourbons did. Non-legitimised natural children of royalty took whatever surname the king permitted, which might or might not be that of the dynasty
.
Children born out of wedlock
to a French king or prince were never recognised as fils de France. However, if legitimised, the king might raise them to a rank just below or even equivalent to that of a prince du sang
.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of a country. In France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the rank of prince du sang was the highest held at court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
after the immediate family of the king during the ancien régime and the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
. A prince du sang or a princesse du sang had to be a legitimate member of the reigning dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
(after 1589, the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
). In some European monarchies, but especially in the kingdom of France, this appellation was a specific rank in its own right, of a more restricted use than other titles.
Styles
The rank of prince du sang was restricted to legitimate agnaticPatrilineality
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....
descendants. Those who held this rank were usually styled by their main ducal peerage
Peerage of France
The Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...
, but sometimes other titles were used, indicating a more precise status than prince du sang.
Monsieur le Prince
This was the style of the First Prince of the Blood , which normally belonged to the most senior (by primogeniturePrimogeniture
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...
) male member of the royal dynasty who was not a brother, son, or male-line grandson of a king of France or of a dauphin (these dynasts were members of the "royal family" (famille du roi) and enjoyed higher rank and styles than the princes du sang). Although the eldest son of a younger son of a king or dauphin (i.e., a petit-fils de France) could inherit the title and its benefits by right, the title was only actually borne by a dynast who was not also a royal petit-fils. Use of the style premier prince was not governed by the dynast's relationship to the reigning monarch, but by whether he belonged to the famille du roi, even if he was only a distant cousin of the sovereign (as the regent 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...
was to 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...
). Minor inconsistencies in use arose in 1785, when the rank ceased belonging for life to an incumbent (instead passing by right to any prince the moment he became the nearest dynast to the throne without belonging to the famille du roi), and one petit-fils de France (the duc d'Angoulême
Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angouleme
Louis Antoine of France, Duke of Angoulême was the eldest son of Charles X of France and, from 1824 to 1836, the last Dauphin of France...
) who was, by right, premier prince may not have received the annuity which had previously gone with it.
The rank carried with it various privileges, including the right to a household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
paid out of state revenues. The rank was held for life: the birth of a new, more senior prince who qualified for the position did not deprive the current holder of his use of the style. The Princes of Condé used the style of Monsieur le Prince for over a century (1589–1709). The right to use of the style passed to the House of Orléans
House of Orleans
Orléans is the name used by several branches of the Royal House of France, all descended in the legitimate male line from the dynasty's founder, Hugh Capet. It became a tradition during France's ancien régime for the duchy of Orléans to be granted as an appanage to a younger son of the king...
in 1709; they, however, seldom if ever used it.
First Princes of the Blood, 1465-1830
House of Valois
- 1. 1465–1498 : Louis II, 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...
(1462–1515); - 2. 1498–1515 : François, 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...
(1494–1547)
House of Bourbon-La Marche
- 3. 1515–1525 : Charles IV, Duke of Alençon (1489–1525);
- 4. 1525–1527 : Charles III, 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...
should have been the first prince but he was banned from position for treason (1490–1527); - 5. 1527–1537 : Charles IV de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme (1489–1537);
- 6. 1537–1562 : Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of VendômeAntoine of NavarreAntoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme was head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562, and jure uxoris King of Navarre from 1555 to 1562.-Family:...
, later King of Navarre (1518–1562).
House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
- 7. 1562–1589 : Henri III, King 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....
(1553–1610);
House of Bourbon-Condé
- 8. 1589–1646 : Henri II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (1588–1646);
- 9. 1646–1686 : Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (1621–1686);
- 10. 1686–1709 : Henri III de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (1643–1709).
House of Orléans
House of Orleans
Orléans is the name used by several branches of the Royal House of France, all descended in the legitimate male line from the dynasty's founder, Hugh Capet. It became a tradition during France's ancien régime for the duchy of Orléans to be granted as an appanage to a younger son of the king...
- 11. 1709–1723 : Philippe Charles d'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...
(1674–1723), was entitled to the style, but did not use it; - 12. 1723–1752 : Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans (1703–1752);
- 13. 1752–1785 : Louis Philippe d'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...
(1725–1785); - 14. 1785–1793 : Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe II, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans commonly known as Philippe, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe Égalité, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror...
(1747–1793); - 15. 1814–1830 : Louis Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans (1773–1850), who later ruled as Louis-Philippe I, King of the French.
Madame la Princesse
This style was held by the wife of Monsieur le Prince. The duchesses/princesses that were entitled to use it were:- 1646–1686 : Claire-Clémence de Maillé-BrézéClaire-Clémence de Maillé-BrézéClaire-Clémence de Maillé-Brézé, Princess of Condé , Princess of Condé and Duchess of Fronsac, was a French noblewoman from the Brézé family and a niece of Cardinal Richelieu...
(1628–1694). Niece of Cardinal Richelieu and wife of the Grand Condé, she was also the Duchess of Fronsac in her own right from 1646–1674. - 1684–1709 : Anna Henrietta Julia of BavariaAnne Henriette of BavariaAnne Henriette of Palatinate-Simmern, in France known as Anne Henriette of Bavaria was a Princess of Palatinate-Simmern by birth and by her marriage in 1663, the Duchess of Enghien and then the Princess of Condé...
(1648–1723). She was the daughter of Anna GonzagaAnna GonzagaAnne Gonzaga was a French noblewoman and political hostess of Italian descent. She was by marriage Countess Palatine of Simmern, called "Princess Palatine", as the wife of Edward of the Palatinate, a grandson of King James I of England and an uncle of King George I of Great Britain. She bore...
and her husband Charles I, Duke of MantuaCharles I, Duke of MantuaCharles Gonzaga was Duke of Mantua and Duke of Montferrat from 1627 until his death. He was also Duke of Rethel and Nevers, as well as Prince of Arches.-Biography:...
. In 1663 she married Henry Jules, Duke of BourbonHenry III Jules de Bourbon, prince de CondéHenri Jules de Bourbon, Prince of Condé was prince de Condé, from 1686 to his death. At the end of his life he suffered from clinical lycanthropy and was considered insane.-Biography:...
the son and heir of the Grand Condé. Anne Henriette was the mother of Louis III, Prince of CondéLouis III, Prince of CondéLouis de Bourbon, , was Prince of Condé for less than a year, following the death of his father Henry III, Prince of Condé in 1709...
and Madame la Princesse de Conti Seconde Douairière - 1709–1723 : Françoise-Marie de BourbonFrançoise-Marie de BourbonFrançoise 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...
(1677–1749) - wife of Philippe II, 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... - 1724–1726 : Margravine Auguste Marie Johanna of Baden-BadenMargravine Auguste Marie Johanna of Baden-BadenJohanna of Baden-Baden was born a Margravine of Baden-Baden, she was the Duchess of Orléans by marriage to Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans. Her husband was a grandson of her father's former enemy Louis XIV of France. Known in France as Jeanne de Bade, she died in childbirth...
(1704–1726) - wife of Louis of Orléans - 1743–1759 : Louise Henriette de Bourbon – daughter of Madame la Princesse de Conti Dernière Douairière and wife of Louis Philippe d'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...
- 1785–1793 : Louise Marie Adélaïde de BourbonLouise Marie Adélaïde de BourbonLouise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon, Duchess of Orléans, , was the daughter of Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre and of Princess Maria Theresa Felicitas of Modena. At the death of her brother, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, prince de Lamballe, she became the wealthiest heiress in France...
(1753–1821); wife of Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe II, Duke of OrléansLouis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans commonly known as Philippe, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe Égalité, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror...
. She was the last holder of the style before the outbreak of the French RevolutionFrench RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Monsieur le Duc
This style was used for the eldest son of the Prince de Condé. Originally, the eldest son was given the title of duc d'EnghienDuke of Enghien
The title of Duke of Enghien may, like many noble titles, refer to any of several historical figures.-Dukes of Enghien - first creation :...
, but that changed in 1709 when the Condés lost the rank of premier prince. After that, the eldest son was given the title of Duke of Bourbon
Duke of Bourbon
Duke of Bourbon is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of Bourbon...
, and his eldest son (the eldest grandson of the Prince of Condé in the male line) was given the title of duc d'Enghien.
- 1. 1689–1709 : Henri I, Duke of Enghien (1643–1709);
- 2. 1709–1710 : Louis I, Duke of EnghienLouis III, Prince of CondéLouis de Bourbon, , was Prince of Condé for less than a year, following the death of his father Henry III, Prince of Condé in 1709...
(1668–1710); - 3. 1710–1740 : Louis II Henri, Duke of Enghien (1692–1740);
- 4. 1740–1818 : Louis III Joseph, Duke of Enghien (1736–1818);
- 5. 1818–1830 : Louis IV Henri, Duke of EnghienLouis Henry II, Prince of CondéLouis Henri de Bourbon was the Prince of Condé from 1818 to his death.-Life:He was the only son of Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé and his wife, Charlotte de Rohan....
(1756–1830).
Madame la Duchesse
This style was used for the wife of Monsieur le Duc. The most famous holder of this honorificHonorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
was:
- 1685–1709 : Louise-Françoise de BourbonLouise-Françoise de BourbonLouise 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...
(1673–1743) - The illegitimate daughter of 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...
and his mistress, Madame de MontespanFrançoise-Athénaïs, marquise de MontespanFrançoise 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....
, she was married in May 1685, to Louis III, Prince of CondéLouis III, Prince of CondéLouis de Bourbon, , was Prince of Condé for less than a year, following the death of his father Henry III, Prince of Condé in 1709...
, then known by the courtesy titleCourtesy titleA courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of duc de BourbonDuke of BourbonDuke of Bourbon is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of Bourbon...
. Since his style at court was Monsieur le Duc, she became known as Madame la Duchesse. She later held onto the style even in her widowhood when she was the Princess of Condé. She was later known as Madame la Duchesse Douairière.
Others included:
- 1713–1720 : Marie Anne de Bourbon (1689–1720) - first wife of Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon;
- 1728–1741 : Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-RotenburgLandgravine Caroline of Hesse-RotenburgPrincess Caroline of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg was the consort of Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon.-Biography:Born at Rotenburg an der Fulda in Hesse, Germany, she was the daughter of Ernest Leopold, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg, head of the Roman Catholic branch of the House of Hesse, by his wife...
(1714–1741) second wife of the Duke of Bourbon; - 1753–1760 : Charlotte Élisabeth Godefride de RohanCharlotte Élisabeth Godefride de RohanCharlotte de Rohan was a French aristocrat who married into the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the ruling House of Bourbon, during the Ancien Régime. She was Princess of Condé by her marriage...
(1737–1760) - wife of Louis Joseph, 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:... - 1770–1818 : Louise Marie Thérèse Bathilde d'OrléansBathilde d'OrléansLouise Marie Thérèse Bathilde d'Orléans, Princess of Condé , was a French princess. She was sister of Philippe Égalité, the mother of the executed duc d'Enghien and aunt of Louis-Philippe King of the French...
(1750–1820) - wife of the last Prince of Condé.
Monsieur le Comte
This address was used by the head of the most junior branch of the House of Bourbon, the comte de Soissons. The comtes de Soissons, like the Princes of Conti, descended from the Princes of Condé. The line started in 1566 when the Soissons title was given to Charles de BourbonCharles de Bourbon, comte de Soissons
Charles 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...
, the second son of Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
, the first Prince of Condé.
The first Prince had three sons:
- Henri de BourbonHenri 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....
, second Prince of Condé; - Charles de BourbonCharles 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...
, first Count of Soissons and the founder of the House of Bourbon-Soissons - François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti, first Prince of Conti but the Conti title lapsed upon his death in 1614 without legitimate heirs. It was later revived in 1629 for Armand, Prince of ContiArmand de Bourbon, prince de ContiArmand de Bourbon, Prince de Conti was a French nobleman, the second son of Henry II, Prince of Condé and brother of Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé and Anne Genevieve, Duchess of Longueville. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, he was a Prince du Sang.The title of Prince de Conti...
, the second son of Henry II, Prince of Condé.
The Soissons title was acquired by the first Prince of Condé in 1557 and was held by his descendants for two more generations:
- Charles, Count of Soissons
- Louis, Count of Soissons
The 2nd Count of Soissons died without an heir, so the Soissons title passed to his younger sister, Marie de Bourbon
Marie de Bourbon, Countess of Soissons
Marie de Bourbon, Countess of Soissons was the wife of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano.-Biography:Marie Marguerite de Bourbon was born at the Hôtel de Soissons in Paris, was the second daughter and youngest child of Charles de Bourbon, comte de Soissons and his wife Anne de Montafié...
, the wife of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano
Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano
Thomas Francis of Savoy was an Italian military commander, the founder of the Savoy-Carignano branch of the House of Savoy which reigned as kings of Sardinia from 1831 to 1861, and as kings of Italy from 1861 until the...
, a member of the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
. She became known as Madame la comtesse de Soissons. On her death, the title passed first to her second son, Joseph-Emmanuel, Prince of Savoy (1631–1656), and then to her third son, Eugène-François, Prince of Savoy.
He married Olympia Mancini, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. She was known as Madame la Comtesse de Soissons like her mother-in-law. On his death, the title went to his eldest son, Louis-Thomas, Prince of Savoy, who was the older brother of the famous Austrian general, 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...
. The Soissons title became extinct upon the death of Eugène-Jean-François of Savoy-Carignano in 1734.
Madame la Comtesse
This style was used by the wife of Monsieur le Comte. The best example of this is Olympia Mancini.Madame la Princesse Douairière
In order to tell the wives of the various Princes of Conti apart after their deaths, the widows were given the name of Douairière or dowagerDowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
and a number corresponding to when they lost their husband. After being widowed their full style would be Madame la Princesse de Conti 'number' Douairière. Between 1727 and 1732, there were three widowed Princesses de Conti. They were:
- Marie Anne de BourbonMarie Anne de BourbonMarie Anne de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was the eldest legitimised daughter of King Louis XIV of France and Louise de La Vallière. At the age of thirteen, she was married to Louis Armand de Bourbon, Prince of Conti and as such was the Princess of Conti by marriage...
(1666–1739), the legitimised daughter of Louis XIV and Louise de La VallièreLouise de La VallièreLouise de La Vallière was a mistress of Louis XIV of France from 1661 to 1667. She later became the Duchess of La Vallière and Duchess of Vaujours in her own right...
; she was the wife of Louis Armand I, Prince of ContiLouis Armand I, Prince of ContiLouis Armand I de Bourbon was Prince of Conti from 1666 to his death, succeeding his father, Armand de Bourbon. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, he was a Prince du Sang....
. She was known as Madame la Princesse de Conti Première Douairière as she was the first to be widowed, in 1685. The title went to husband's younger brother, François Louis, Prince of ContiFrançois Louis, Prince of ContiFrançois Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was Prince de Conti, succeeding his brother Louis Armand I, Prince of Conti in 1685. Until this date he used the title of Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon. He was son of Armand de Bourbon and Anne Marie Martinozzi, niece of Cardinal Jules Mazarin...
. - Marie Thérèse de Bourbon (1666–1732), the wife of François Louis, Prince of ContiFrançois Louis, Prince of ContiFrançois Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was Prince de Conti, succeeding his brother Louis Armand I, Prince of Conti in 1685. Until this date he used the title of Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon. He was son of Armand de Bourbon and Anne Marie Martinozzi, niece of Cardinal Jules Mazarin...
; she was known as 'Madame la Princesse de Conti Seconde Douairière after losing her husband in 1709. - Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon (1693–1775), the wife of Louis Armand II, Prince of Conti, the son and successor of François Louis, Prince of ContiFrançois Louis, Prince of ContiFrançois Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was Prince de Conti, succeeding his brother Louis Armand I, Prince of Conti in 1685. Until this date he used the title of Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon. He was son of Armand de Bourbon and Anne Marie Martinozzi, niece of Cardinal Jules Mazarin...
. She was the daughter of Monsieur le DucLouis III, Prince of CondéLouis de Bourbon, , was Prince of Condé for less than a year, following the death of his father Henry III, Prince of Condé in 1709...
and Madame la DuchesseLouise-Françoise de BourbonLouise 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...
. After her husband died in 1727, she was known as Madame la Princesse de Conti Troisième/Dernière Douairière. This was not a traditional style by right but was simply a means the court used to distinguish between the three widows who held the title of Princesse de Conti at the same time.
Legitimised royal offspring
LegitimisedLegitimation
Legitimation or legitimization is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology becomes legitimate by its attachment to norms and values within in given society...
children of the King of France, and of other males of his dynasty, took surnames according to the branch of the 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...
to which their father belonged, e.g. Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
Louis-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...
, was the elder son of 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...
by his mistress, Mme 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....
.
After the legitimisation occurred, the child was given a title. Males were given titles from their father's lands and estates and females were given the style of Mademoiselle de X. Examples of this are (children of Louis XIV and Mme 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....
):
- Louise Françoise de Bourbon (1669–1672);
- Louis-Auguste de Bourbon (1670–1736), titled duc du MaineLouis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du MaineLouis 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...
– later married to Anne-Louise-Bénédicte de Bourbon-Condé. - Louis César de Bourbon (1672–1683), titled comte de VexinCounts of the VexinThe county of the Vexin was a medieval French county which comprised the Vexin Français and the Vexin Normand until the loss of the latter in 911 to Duke Rollo of Normandy...
; - Louise-Françoise de Bourbon (1673–1743), titled Mademoiselle de NantesLouise-Françoise de BourbonLouise 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...
– later wife of Louis III de Bourbon-Condé, prince de CondéLouis III, Prince of CondéLouis de Bourbon, , was Prince of Condé for less than a year, following the death of his father Henry III, Prince of Condé in 1709... - Louise Marie Anne de Bourbon (1674–1681), titled Mademoiselle de ToursLouise Marie Anne de BourbonLouise Marie Anne de Bourbon, Légitimée de France, Mademoiselle de Tours was the illegitimate daughter of Louis XIV of France and his most famous Maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan...
; - Françoise-Marie de Bourbon (1677–1749), titled Mademoiselle de BloisFrançoise-Marie de BourbonFrançoise 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...
– wife of Philippe II d'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...
, duc d'Orléans. - Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon (1678–1737), titled comte de ToulouseLouis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de ToulouseLouis Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse , duc de Penthièvre , d'Arc, de Châteauvillain and de Rambouillet , , was the son of Louis XIV and of his mistress Madame de Montespan...
– later married to Marie Victoire de NoaillesMarie Victoire de NoaillesMarie Victoire Sophie de Noailles, Countess of Toulouse , was the daughter of Anne Jules de Noailles, the 2nd Duke of Noailles, and his wife, Marie-Françoise de Bournonville...
.
Also the child would be referred to as Légitimé de Bourbon; such as Marie Anne légitimée de Bourbon, mademoiselle de Blois
Marie Anne de Bourbon
Marie Anne de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was the eldest legitimised daughter of King Louis XIV of France and Louise de La Vallière. At the age of thirteen, she was married to Louis Armand de Bourbon, Prince of Conti and as such was the Princess of Conti by marriage...
daughter of Louis XIV and Louise de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière was a mistress of Louis XIV of France from 1661 to 1667. She later became the Duchess of La Vallière and Duchess of Vaujours in her own right...
. Her full brother was Louis de Bourbon
Louis de Bourbon, comte de Vermandois
Louis de Bourbon, Légitimé de France, Count of Vermandois was the eldest surviving son of Louis XIV of France and his mistress Louise de La Vallière....
, later given the title of comte de Vermandois.
Orléans-Longueville
The branch of the ducs de Longueville, extinct in 1672, bore the surname d'Orléans, as legitimised descendants of Jean, bâtard d'OrléansJean de Dunois
John of Orléans, Count of Dunois was the illegitimate son of Louis d'Orléans by Mariette d'Enghien.The term "Bastard of Orléans" John of Orléans, Count of Dunois (French born "Jean Levieux Valois des Orléans" better known as Jean d'Orléans, comte de Dunois, also known as John of Orléans and...
, the natural son of a Valois prince who held the appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
of Orléans before the Bourbons did. Non-legitimised natural children of royalty took whatever surname the king permitted, which might or might not be that of the dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
.
Children born out of wedlock
Wedlock
Wedlock may refer to:* Marriage* Wedlock , an album by Sunburned Hand of the Man* Wedlock , directed by Lewis Teague* Billy Wedlock, an English footballer* Fred Wedlock, an English folk singer...
to a French king or prince were never recognised as fils de France. However, if legitimised, the king might raise them to a rank just below or even equivalent to that of a prince du sang
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...
.