Category Archives: French Royals

Napoléon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Napoléon Bonaparte, Credit – Wikipedia

Napoleone di Buonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in his family’s ancestral home Casa Buonaparte in the town of Ajaccio on the island of Corsica.  He was the fourth of the twelve children and the third of the six sons of Carlo Maria di Buonaparte and Maria Letizia Ramolino.

Napoleon’s siblings:

When he was in his twenties, he adopted the more French-sounding Napoléon Bonaparte.  At the time of his birth, Corsica was part of France, and a year later ownership was transferred to the Republic of Genoa.  Today, Corsica belongs to France.

Napoléon joined the French army and quickly advanced.  During the latter part of the French Revolution, he rose to prominence and by the age of 30 was the First Consul of France.  Napoléon was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815.

Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress Joséphine; Credit – Wikipedia

Napoléon married Joséphine de Beauharnais (born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean) in 1796.  Through her first marriage to  Alexandre de Beauharnais (who was guillotined during the French Revolution), Joséphine is the ancestor of the royal families of Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, and Luxembourg. Joséphine was crowned Empress of the French during Napoléon’s coronation at Notre Dame in Paris in 1804.

Napoleon crowns his wife Josephine; Credit – Wikipedia

Joséphine and Napoléon’s marriage was childless and in 1809, Napoléon decided to divorce his wife so he could marry again and his new wife produce an heir.  Desperately upset upon first hearing the news about the divorce, Joséphine ultimately agreed.  After their divorce, Napoléon insisted that Joséphine retain the title of Empress.  Napoléon married Marie Louise of Austria, the eldest child of Emperor Franz I of Austria and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily.  Marie Louise gave birth to a son Napoléon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte in 1811.  Young Napoléon died of tuberculosis at the age of 21. Regarding Marie Louise, Napoléon said that he had married a womb.

Empress Marie Louise with her son: Credit – Wikipedia

In the early part of the 19th century, Napoléon’s quest for power led to wars throughout a large part of Europe.  In 1814, Paris was captured by the coalition fighting against Napoléon and his marshals decided to mutiny.  He had no choice but to abdicate.  The Treaty of Fontainebleau exiled Napoléon to the Mediterranean island of Elba, 12 miles/20 km off the coast of Tuscany, Italy.

Napoléon escaped from Elba on February 26, 1815, and arrived in France two days later.  He attempted to regain power, but he was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, by a coalition of forces from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Hanover, Nassau, Brunswick, and Prussia.

Napoléon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, a British possession, in the Atlantic Ocean, 1162 miles/1,870 km from the west coast of Africa.  His health declined due to the harsh conditions and by 1821, his health was all but failing.  He died on May 5, 1821, at the age of 51 and his last words were, “France, army, head of the army, Joséphine.”  Napoléon was buried in a nameless tomb in the Valley of the Willows on St. Helena.

Death of Napoléon painted by Charles de Steuben, Credit – Wikipedia

In 1840, Louis Philippe I, King of the French, received permission from the British to return Napoléon’s remains to France.  The French called this retour des cendres (return of the ashes).   On December 15, 1840, a state funeral was held.  The funeral procession traveled from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Élysées, across the Place de la Concorde to the Esplanade des Invalides, and finally to St. Jerome’s Chapel, where Napoléon’s remains stayed until the tomb designed by Louis Visconti was completed.

Napoléon’s funeral cortege along the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Credit – Wikipedia

Today, Napoléon’s remains rest in a huge tomb made of red quartzite on a green granite base under the dome of Les Invalides.  On April 2, 1861, Naploéon’s coffin was transferred from St. Jerome’s Chapel to the new tomb during a ceremony attended by  Emperor Napoléon III (Napoleon’s nephew and Joséphine’s grandson), his wife Empress Eugénie, and their only child Prince Imperial Louis Napoléon along with other related princes and government officials.

Tomb of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French at Les Invalides in Paris; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

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Maria Antonia of Austria, Queen of France (Marie Antoinette)

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Marie Antoinette, painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, c1783. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette, painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, c1783. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie Antoinette of France was born Archduchess Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, on November 2, 1755, at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Her parents were Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia in her own right and Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Holy Roman Emperor Maria Antonia was the fifteenth of her parents’ sixteen children.

Maria Antonia’s siblings:

Educated privately at home, Maria Antonia was not a very good student, especially compared to her siblings. However, she did become an accomplished musician, playing the flute, harp, and harpsichord. She was particularly close to her sister Maria Carolina who was just three years older.

The marriage of Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste, 17xx. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste, 1770. source: Wikipedia

After establishing peace with France, Empress Maria Theresa agreed to a marriage between Maria Antonia and Louis-Auguste, Dauphin of France (the future King Louis XVI). Maria Antonia was just 13 when the engagement was announced on June 13, 1769. The couple married by proxy on April 19, 1770, at the Augustinian Church in Vienna, Austria. She took the French version of her name, becoming Marie Antoinette, Dauphine of France. The following month, she arrived in her new country and met her husband for the first time. Two days later, on May 16, 1770, she and Louis-Auguste were married in a grand ceremony held in the Chapel Royal of the Palace of Versailles. They went on to have four children:

As the new Dauphine of France, Marie Antoinette received a mixed reception.  Well-liked by the common people, particularly due to her beauty and warm personality, she was distrusted by those who still held resentment over the country’s contentious relationship with Austria.  Upon becoming Queen when King Louis XV in May 1774, she found that she had little influence on her husband, often finding her requests being blocked by two of his ministers. To appease her, King Louis XVI gave her the Petit Trianon on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, built by King Louis XV as a home for his mistress Madame de Pompadour.  However, she died before its completion, and it became the home of her successor Madame du Barry who had a tense relationship with Marie Antoinette.  The chateau became Marie Antoinette’s retreat, where she could escape the immense pressure and judgment she faced in the French court.

Marie Antoinette also had a small hamlet built within the grounds of the Petit Trianon, known as the Queen’s Hamlet (Hameau de la reine).  The hamlet contained numerous buildings, including the Queen’s House, a mill, a dairy, and a farm.  It was here that the Queen truly found her privacy, allowing only her closest friends and family to visit her there.

Two years later, King Louis XVI purchased the Château de Saint-Cloud from Louis Phillipe I, Duke of Orleans for his wife.  Marie Antoinette felt the clear air outside the city would be better for her children.  As she had done with the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette transformed her new home, expanding the building and decorating it with lavish furniture commissioned specifically for the chateau.

Marie Antoinette in court dress, c1788. Painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette in court dress, c1788. Painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. source: Wikipedia

As Queen, Marie Antoinette was often criticized for her spending, indulging in lavish gowns and other luxuries while the country was in a financial crisis.  This would contribute to a growing animosity from the French people and the “old guard” within the French court.  She introduced new styles in clothing and hairstyles and indulged herself in music and theater.  Over time, she began to exert more political influence, encouraging her husband to replace several of his older ministers, and prodding him to become involved in the American Revolution.  Along with gaining the support of Russia and Austria in efforts to block Great Britain’s attack, she also pushed strongly for the appointment of several ministers who helped in the American defeat of the British.

By the mid-1780s, Marie Antoinette was the subject of endless gossip and character attacks from the French people.  Rumors abounded that her second son was not fathered by her husband, that she was treating the French treasury as her own bank account, and that she held Austrian interests ahead of French interests.  In 1785, she was falsely accused in the Diamond Necklace Affair, further damaging her reputation.  Attempting to improve her image, she began to focus more publicly on the upbringing and education of her children, and spending more time in her public role and duties as Queen.  However, the tides of revolution were soon to come to the shores of France.  By 1789, the King had lost much of his absolute power to the National Assembly, and the majority of French people saw no benefit in retaining the monarchy.

Marie Antoinette facing the mob at the Tuileries Palace, June 1792. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette facing the mob at the Tuileries Palace, June 1792. source: Wikipedia

After a failed attempt to escape Paris in 1791 ended what little support was left for the monarchy, the royal family was held under house arrest at the Tuileries Palace.  On June 20, 1792, a mob broke into the Palace, threatening the Queen’s life.  Spared this time, her luck would not be so good several months later when another mob stormed the palace on August 10, 1792.  This time, the family sought refuge at the Legislative Assembly but were arrested several days later, and imprisoned at the Temple.  On September 21, 1792, France officially abolished the monarchy and became a Republic.  Marie Antoinette, her husband, and their family were stripped of their titles and honors, becoming known simply as Monsieur and Madame Capet.

King Louis XVI was soon separated from his family and charged with undermining the French Republic.  He was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death.  The former King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793.

Marie Antoinette while a prisoner at The Temple, painted by Alexandre Kucharski c1792. source: Wikipedia

Marie Antoinette while a prisoner at The Temple, painted by Alexandre Kucharski c1792. source: Wikipedia

While held as a prisoner in the Temple, Marie Antoinette and her children were the cause of much debate, as the National Convention tried to determine what should be done with the former Queen.  While some argued she should be put to death, others suggested holding her for ransom from the Holy Roman Empire, exchanging her for French prisoners of war, or exiling her to America.  In July 1793, her son was taken from her, with the intent of turning him against his mother.  Weeks later, on August 1, she was taken from the Temple and placed in a small cell in the Conciergerie. The once Queen of the French was now known as ‘Prisoner No. 280’.

On October 14, 1793, Marie Antoinette was tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal.  Among other things, she was charged with organizing orgies at Versailles, sending millions in French treasury money to Austria, and planning the massacre of the National Guards. There were also charges of incest with her son.  Two days later, she was found guilty of the main charges and sentenced to death.

Execution of Marie Antoinette, source: Wikipedia

Execution of Marie Antoinette, source: Wikipedia

Just after noon on October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine in the Place de la Révolution (now the Place de la Concorde). She was buried in an unmarked grave in the Madeleine Cemetery. In 1815, her remains, along with those of her husband, were re-interred at the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

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King Louis XVI of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

painting by Antoine-François Callet. source: Wikipedia

King Louis XVI of France-source: Wikipedia

 

King Louis XVI of France reigned from 1774 until 1792, losing his throne and his life as a result of the French Revolution. He was born Louis-Auguste, Duc de Berry, on August 23, 1754, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France,  the third son of Louis, Dauphin of France (son of King Louis XV) and Maria Josepha of Saxony. He had seven siblings:

As a younger son, Louis-Auguste was not given the same attention his older brother received. But he excelled in his studies – Latin, history, geography, and astronomy, and became fluent in several languages. As his older brother had died, Louis-Auguste became the Dauphin – heir to the French throne – upon his father’s death in 1765 from tuberculosis. His mother died two years later. His education continued under the direction of the Duc de La Vauguyon, studying religion, humanities, and morality. He would later find that he was unprepared to assume the throne.

In 1770, his grandfather, King Louis XV, allied with Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, and soon a marriage was arranged between the two dynasties. Louis-Auguste became engaged to Empress Maria Theresa’s youngest daughter Maria Antonia. The two were second cousins, once removed, through their mutual descent from Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.

The marriage of Louis-Auguste and Maria Antoinette, May 16, 1770. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Louis-Auguste and Maria Antoinette, May 16, 1770. source: Wikipedia

After a marriage by proxy at the Augustinian Church in Vienna, Austria, the young bride took on the French version of her name – Marie Antoinette – and soon made her way to France. The couple first met on May 14, 1770, in Compiègne, France, and were married two days later in the chapel at the Palace of Versailles. Because of the recent Seven Years’ War, and the general animosity toward Austria, there was much public hostility against the marriage. Eventually, despite not having consummated their marriage until 1777, the couple had four children:

Queen Marie Antoinette with the couple's three eldest children, painted by Marie Louise Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, c1786. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie Antoinette with the couple’s three eldest children, painted by Marie Louise Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, c1786. source: Wikipedia

Upon his grandfather’s death, Louis-Auguste became King Louis XVI of France on May 10, 1774. Just 19 years old, and notably unprepared for his role, he faced growing distrust of the monarchy and a country deeply in debt. However, he initially gained support from the French people, often considering public opinion when making decisions. His coronation was held on June 11, 1775, at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims.  In 1787, he issued the Edict of Versailles, to counteract the religious persecution that had been in place since the Edict of Fontainebleau 102 years earlier. Non-Catholics in France were given the right to openly practice their religion, and received legal and civil status.

Loius XVI’s attempts at financial reforms angered the French people and contributed to the fall of the monarchy. As he saw his power diminishing, he was forced to convoke the Estates-General for the first time since 1614, to come up with solutions to the dire financial problems of the French government. Divided into three groups – the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the common people (Third Estate), they quickly came to an impasse over how votes would be taken. Eventually, in June 1789, the Third Estate declared itself as the National Assembly and asked the other two to join them, bringing about the outbreak of the French Revolution. Just weeks later, the revolutionaries stormed the Bastille. Within months, King Louis XVI saw the majority of his power handed over to the elected representatives of the French people.

With growing distrust in the monarchy and a quickly spreading hatred of the Austrian Queen Marie Antoinette, compounded once again by the King’s inability or unwillingness to make, and stick to, strong decisions, he soon found that he was losing the support of the more moderate politicians in the French government.  On October 5, 1789, an angry mob of women marched to Versailles, gaining entry to the palace with plans to kill Queen Marie Antoinette. After the intervention of the Marquis de Lafayette who calmed the crowd, the King and his family were brought to the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

The King and his family being brought back to Paris, June 25, 1791. From a drawing by Jean-Louis Prieur. source: Wikipedia

The King and his family being brought back to Paris, June 25, 1791. From a drawing by Jean-Louis Prieur. source: Wikipedia

With the monarchy’s future looking very bleak, Louis XVI planned to escape Paris and travel to the northeastern border where he could be protected by Austria. Know as the Flight to Varennes, the plan failed miserably. On June 21, 1791, the King and his family secretly fled the palace but were captured and arrested the following day. Once again, the King’s indecisiveness and his misguided belief that the majority of his people supported him, led to the plan falling apart. Brought back to the Tuileries Palace, the family was placed under heavy security to prevent another chance of escape. Weeks later, on July 6, Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, and brother of Queen Marie Antoinette, issued the Padua Circular, calling on the other sovereigns of Europe to join together in demanding that King Louis XVI be given his freedom.

On August 27, 1791, Leopold II and King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia issued the Declaration of Pillnitz, stating their support for King Louis XVI against the French Revolution. Interpreting this as the Emperor’s intention to go to war, the National Assembly instead declared war on Austria on April 20, 1792. However, the insufficient number of troops and the military’s disorganization caused their efforts to fail miserably. Soon, the Duke of Brunswick led a joint Prussian and Austrian army into France. On July 25, 1792, he issued the Brunswick Manifesto, stating that the Prussians and Austrians intended to restore King Louis XVI to his full power and would support this effort by any force necessary. The manifesto proved to be more harmful than helpful. To many, this reinforced their belief that the King was conspiring against his own country. Within weeks, the people revolted, storming the Tuileries Palace and forcing the royal family to take refuge in the Legislative Assembly on August 10, 1792.

The following day, King Louis XVI was arrested and imprisoned in the Temple in Paris. Five weeks later, on September 21, the National Assembly declared a Republic, abolishing the monarchy, and stripping the King and his family of all their titles and honors. The former King of France was now known as Citizen Louis Capet. The King was brought to trial in December 1792, with 33 charges against him. Despite bringing together some of the most esteemed legal experts to mount his defense, the King was found guilty on January 15, 1793. The following day, the National Convention, by a narrow margin, voted in favor of execution.

The Execution of King Louis XVI. source: Wikipedia

The Execution of King Louis XVI. source: Wikipedia

On the morning of January 21, 1793, Louis made his final confession and attended Mass. He then traveled by carriage from the Tower, through the streets of Paris, to the Place de la Révolution (now the Place de la Concorde) where he was beheaded by guillotine. His body was taken to the Madeleine Cemetery, where a brief memorial service was held. His remains were dumped from their coffin into a grave, with his severed head placed at his feet. Years later, in 1815, on the anniversary of the King’s execution, the remains of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette,  also executed, were reinterred at the Basilica of Saint-Denis. On the site of his original burial, in the churchyard of La Madeleine, now stands the Chapelle expiatoire, built by King Louis XVIII in honor of his elder brother.

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Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Maria Leszczyńska, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska was the wife of King Louis XV of France. She was born on June 23, 1703, in Trzebnica, Silesia (now Poland) to Stanisław I Leszczyński and his wife Catherine Opalińska. She had one older sister, Anna (born 1699), who died at the age of 18.

The year after her birth, her father was made King of Poland by King Carl XII of Sweden, who had invaded the country that year. He reigned as King Stanisław I until 1709 when the Swedish forces were defeated. The family took up residence in Kristianstad, Sweden, and became prominent members of Swedish society. They later moved to Zweibrücken, then personal union with Sweden, now in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. After the death of King Carl XII,  the family moved to Wissembourg in France, where they were largely supported by Philippe I, Duke of Orléans who was serving as Regent for the young King Louis XV.  Maria’s father became King of Poland again in 1733, reigning until being forced to abdicate in 1736. He was then created Duke of Lorraine by his son-in-law King Louis XV.

King Louis XV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

After being suggested as a bride for several marriages, Maria was soon proposed as a potential wife for King Louis XV of France. King Louis XV had fallen ill, and being unmarried with no heir, plans were made to arrange a marriage for him as quickly as possible. Although engaged to Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, she was still a child and would be unable to provide an heir for quite some time. The engagement was ended, and the young Infanta was sent back to Spain. Meanwhile, Maria was just one of many potential brides and not near the top of the list. Initially removed from the list because of her lack of wealth, she was soon the preferred choice by all parties involved in the marriage discussions.

The marriage of King Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska, source: Wikipedia

The couple was married by proxy on August 15, 1725, at the Cathedral of Strasbourg, at which point she took the French version of her name, Marie. Marie and Louis, who met the night before their wedding, were married in person in the chapel at the Château de Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725.

Marie and Louise had ten children:

Queen Marie with her son, the Dauphin, painted by Alexis Simon Belle, c1730. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Marie and Louis XV was a success, and the two were very happy and in love. However, after nearly dying during the birth of her last child in 1737, Marie refused her husband’s romantic advances and their relationship quickly fell apart. By that time, King Louis had taken several mistresses, including the famed Madame de Pompadour. These women were often given positions in Queen Marie’s court against her wishes, causing Marie great distress. Only one, Madame de Pompadour, showed Marie the slightest bit of respect, and Marie was able to maintain a friendly relationship with her.

As Queen, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. She only once made a foray into politics, and that proved disastrous. Shortly after her marriage, Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon enlisted the new Queen to participate in a plot to banish Cardinal de Fleury from the King’s court. When it failed, it caused a temporary rift with her husband. From that point forward, she resolved to avoid all politics.

A great lover of the arts, she supported several prominent artists and musicians and arranged for weekly Polish choral concerts to be held at the Palace of Versailles. She was also an avid gambler and often found herself in debt.

The tomb of Queen Marie in the Basilica of St. Denis. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie died at the Palace of Versailles on June 24, 1768. She was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, while her heart was entombed at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Nancy. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.

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King Louis XV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Louis XV of France by Hyacinthe Rigaud. source: Wikipedia

Louis XV reigned as King of France from 1715 until 1774, succeeding his great-grandfather, King Louis XIV. He was born on February 15, 1710, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France, the third son of Prince Louis, Duke of Burgundy, and Princess Marie Adélaïde of Savoy. At birth, he was created Duke of Anjou. Louis had two older brothers, both also named Louis:

Louis had two older brothers, both also named Louis:

  • Louis, Duke of Brittany (1704 – 1705), died from convulsions
  • Louis, Duke of Brittany (1707 – 1712), died from measles

Shortly after his birth, his grandfather died suddenly, and his father became the direct heir to the throne. The following year, in February 1712, Louis’s mother died of measles. Within days Louis’s father also succumbed to the illness, and both Louis and his surviving brother were also infected. On February 8, 1712, his elder brother died, and Louis became the Dauphin – heir to the throne.

Three years later, on September 1, 1715, King Louis XIV died, and the young Louis took the throne as King Louis XV. His great-grandfather had stipulated in his will that a Regency Council be established until Louis reached his majority. The Regency Council was led by King Louis XIV’s nephew, Philippe, Duke of Orléans, and included several of the late King’s legitimized sons.

Louis was raised by a governess, Madame de Ventadour, splitting his time between the Château of Vincennes, and the Tuileries Palace. His education was overseen by the Duke of Maine, one of his great-grandfather’s legitimized sons. Louis was placed in the care of François de Villeroy, an old friend of King Louis XIV, and was tutored by André-Hercule de Fleury (later Cardinal de Fleury). An avid student, the young King developed a wide variety of interests, particularly in science.

King Louis XV and Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, painted by Alexis Simon Belle. source: Wikipedia

In 1721, Louis was betrothed to his first cousin, Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, who was just 3-years-old at the time. She was the daughter of Louis’s uncle, King Felipe V of Spain, and Elisabeth Farnese of Parma. However, Louis showed little interest in his young cousin or the prospect of marrying her. The marriage was later called off, and the young Spanish Infanta returned to Spain. She would later become Queen of Portugal as the wife of King José I.

King Louis XV in his coronation robes, by Hyacinthe Rigaud. source: Wikipedia

In 1722, Louis returned the court to the Palace of Versailles where it would remain through his reign. In October of that year, he was crowned at Reims Cathedral. Following his majority in February 1723, Louis retained the Duke of Orléans as his first minister, and upon his death, appointed his cousin Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon. Bourbon, concerned that the King was not in the best health, and fearing that the House of Orléans would try and take the throne should the King die, began searching for an appropriate bride for the King – preferably one who was old enough to bear children.

Maria Leszczyńska as Queen of France, painted by Carle van Loo. source: Wikipedia

Before long, the search was narrowed and a bride was selected. Maria Leszczyńska was the daughter of the deposed King Stanisław I of Poland. Although poor and considered rather plain-looking, Maria was determined to be the best choice, primarily because of her lack of alliance with any of the people involved in finding the King a wife. And the fact that she was Catholic and old enough to bear children immediately made the decision final. The couple was engaged on April 2, 1725, and married by proxy at the Cathedral of Strasbourg on August 15. Several weeks later, the couple’s wedding took place at the Château de Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725, having only met in person for the first time the night before. Initially a love match, the couple enjoyed a happy marriage for several years, and had ten children:

Madame de Pompadour, painted by Maurice de La Tour. source: Wikipedia

Louis soon began to take mistresses – beginning with Diane Adélaïde de Mailly, the first of four de Mailly sisters who would enjoy the King’s affections. Then, in February 1745, the King met Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson at a ball given in honor of the marriage of the Dauphin. Poisson, who would later become Marquise de Pompadour, was perhaps the King’s most famous mistress. Within weeks of meeting, she became the King’s chief mistress and was given apartments at the Palace of Versailles.  The King created her Marquise de Pompadour, as she could not be presented at court without holding a title.  Until her death, she remained one of the King’s closest friends and confidantes and had significant power within the court.  Of all of the King’s mistresses, Madame de Pompadour was the only one who maintained a respectful relationship with the Queen, to whom she later served as a lady-in-waiting.  Despite ending their romantic relationship in the early 1750s, she and the King remained devotedly close until she died in 1764.

Madame du Barry, painted by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. source: Wikipedia

The King’s last chief mistress was Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry, who first met the King in 1768.  After being formally presented at court in 1769, Madame du Barry remained with the King until his death.  Her extravagance would later help contribute to the downfall of the French monarchy.  King Louis was infatuated with his much younger lover, and lavished her with gifts, including many priceless jewels.  In 1772, he commissioned a jeweler to create a diamond necklace that would be grander than any other.  Although the King died before the necklace was finished, it would later become the focus of a huge scandal in which Queen Marie Antoinette would be falsely accused.  See Wikipedia: The Affair of the Diamond Necklace.

King Louis XV, painted by Louis-Michel van Loo. source: Wikipedia

Just a few years after taking the throne, with economic and social discord in France caused by the Duke of Bourbon’s policies, the King dismissed him in 1726 and replaced him with Cardinal Fleury. Fleury’s leadership brought about perhaps the most prosperous years of the King’s reign. With the support of the King, Fleury stabilized and greatly expanded the French economy. Highways were built connecting the most remote parts of the country, and trade was greatly increased throughout the world. Peace was sought with England and Spain, aided greatly by the birth of a male heir in 1729 eliminating any succession crisis.

However, the King often deviated from Fleury’s policies. He intervened in the War of the Polish Succession, hoping to help restore his father-in-law to the Polish throne and to try and gain control of the Duchy of Lorraine. While he was unsuccessful in helping his father-in-law, he was able to take Lorraine. Under the terms of the Treaty of Vienna in 1738, the duchy was granted to the former King Stanisław, with the condition that it would eventually pass to King Louis.

King Louis XV’s reign saw France’s entry into The War of the Austrian Succession in 1740, with France gaining significant territory.  However, at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, Louis returned the lands to their rightful owners.  For this, he was greatly praised throughout Europe but became very unpopular within his own country.  A few years later, the King would find France at war with Great Britain in the French and Indian War and soon pulled into the Seven Years’ War.

The King was a victim of an assassination attempt in 1757.  While walking to his carriage in the Marble Courtyard at the Palace of Versailles, Robert-François Damiens stabbed the king with a small knife.  Fortunately, it was a relatively minor wound and the King survived.

King Louis XV died of smallpox at the Palace of Versailles on May 10, 1774, and was buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris. He was succeeded by his grandson, King Louis XVI.

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Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, 2nd wife of King Louis XIV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, by Pierre Mignard, c1694.  source: Wikipedia

Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, was the second – and morganatic – wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was born in Niort, France, to Constant d’Aubigné and Jeanne de Cardilhac on November 27, 1635. At the time she was born, her father was imprisoned for having conspired against Cardinal Richelieu. Françoise was baptized in the Catholic Church, with Suzanne de Baudéan (daughter of the Comtesse de Neuillant) and the Duc de la Rochefoucauld serving as her godparents.

When her father was released from prison in 1639, the family traveled to Martinique, where they spent the next several years. After the deaths of both of her parents, Françoise was raised by her father’s sister Louise, Madame de Villette, who continued her Protestant education. When her godmother (by then in the service of Queen Anne) found out about this, she quickly ordered that Françoise be moved to a convent to receive a Catholic education. Although she hated the convent, she became close to one of the nuns, who persuaded her to take her first communion.

Paul Scarron, Françoise’s first husband. source: Wikipedia

On a trip to Paris, she met Paul Scarron, who would become her first husband. Scarron, a noted poet and novelist, was significantly older than Françoise and suffered from severe paralysis and deformity, probably a result of polio. The two began to correspond and soon Scarron offered to marry her or to pay her dowry to enter a convent. Françoise accepted his proposal and after marrying in 1652, she quickly found herself at the highest levels of Parisian society.

After her husband died in 1660, Françoise continued to receive the pension he had been granted from Queen Anne. The Queen had even increased it so that Françoise would be able to maintain her position in society. However, after Queen Anne’s death in 1666, her son, King Louis XIV discontinued the pension. With no source of income, she prepared to leave France to serve as a lady-in-waiting for the new Queen of Portugal, Marie-Françoise de Nemours, who was married to King Afonso VI (and later to his brother, King Pedro II). However, before leaving, she met Madame de Montespan, the clandestine lover of King Louis XIV. The two became close friends, and Madame de Montespan persuaded the King to reinstate Françoise’s pension, thus allowing her to remain in Paris.

In March 1669, Madame Montespan had her first child with King Louis XIV. Because of the secrecy of their relationship – and the fact that he was very much married to Queen Marie-Thérèse – Montespan placed the baby in the care of Françoise and endowed her with a substantial income and a full staff of servants. It was Françoise’s care of the couple’s second child that got her noticed by the King. In 1673, she was appointed as Royal Governess. In 1674, King Louis XIV provided her with the funds to purchase an estate – Château de Maintenon – and the following year created her Marquise de Maintenon. Within a few years, she and the King had become very close, and she soon replaced Madame de Montespan in his affections. Even the Queen was pleased, having been treated quite rudely by Montespan, but receiving great respect and admiration from Françoise.

King Louis XIV, painted by Pierre Mignard. source: Wikipedia

Several months after Queen Marie-Thérèse died, Françoise and King Louis were married in a private ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Paris. As the marriage was morganatic, she was never formally acknowledged as his wife, or as Queen. Still known as Madame de Maintenon, Françoise held considerable political influence, and the King often consulted with her when making decisions. She also held great influence over the King in more personal matters. Despite his earlier penchant for numerous mistresses, he remained faithful to Françoise for the remainder of his life and supported many of her religious views. Devoutly religious, she was granted the right of visitation over all the convents in France in 1692 by Pope Innocent XII.

In 1684, she founded the Maison royale de Saint-Louis in Saint-Cyr, just west of Versailles, France. At her request, the King endowed the school, and Françoise herself oversaw every detail of its establishment. The Maison Royale was designed to be a school for girls from poorer noble families, much as Françoise had been in her childhood.

Françoise, painted by Louis Elle (the elder). source: Wikipedia

Following King Louis’s death in 1715, Françoise retired to Saint-Cyr and was granted a large pension for the rest of her life. Such was her influence within the monarchy, that she often received visitors from all around Europe. One of these visitors was Peter I, Emperor of All Russia, who made a notable visit shortly before her death. Françoise died at Saint-Cyr on April 15, 1719, and was buried in the school’s chapel.

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Maria Theresia of Austria, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

,Maria Theresia of Austria, Queen of France –  source: Wikipedia

Maria Theresia was the first wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was born on September 10, 1638, at the Royal Monastery of El Escorial in Madrid, Spain to King Felipe IV of Spain and his first wife Elisabeth of France, daughter of King Henri IV of France. As the Spanish monarchs at the time were part of the House of Habsburg, she was styled as Archduchess of Austria, as well as Infanta of Spain and Portugal.

The youngest of eight children, Maria Theresia was the only one of her siblings to reach adulthood:

  • Maria Margaret of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1621)
  • Margaret Maria Catherine of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1623)
  • Maria Eugenia of Austria, Infanta of Spain (1625 – 1627)
  • Isabella Maria Theresa of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1627)
  • Balthasar Charles of Austria, Infante of Spain, Prince of Asturias (1629 – 1646)
  • Francis Ferdinand of Austria, Infante of Spain (born and died 1634)
  • Infanta Maria Anna  Antonia of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1636)

She also had five younger half-siblings from her father’s second marriage to Mariana of Austria:

As Spain allowed for females to ascend the throne, Maria Theresia was heiress-presumptive to the Spanish throne from 1646 until 1657, between the death of her elder brother Balthasar Charles in 1646 and the birth of her younger half-brother Felipe Próspero in 1657. For five days in 1661, she was again heiress-presumptive following Felipe Próspero’s death and the birth of King Carlos II.

Maria Theresia of Austria, painted c1684 by Juan Bautista Martínez del Mazo. source: Wikipedia

Maria Theresia was brought up in a very strict Catholic household. Her mother died when she was six, and two years later, her only surviving sibling Balthasar Charles also died. The following year, her father married Mariana of Austria who had been her brother’s fiancée, as well as his first cousin. Mariana was just four years older than Maria Theresia, and the two were very close.

As part of the Treaty of the Pyrenees of 1659, which ended the Franco-Spanish War, Maria Theresia was betrothed to King Louis XIV of France, son of King Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria. Maria Theresia and Louis were first cousins twice over – his father and her mother were siblings, and his mother and her father were siblings. She was forced to renounce any rights to the Spanish throne and was to receive a large financial settlement in exchange. This money was never paid, and became a major factor that led to the War of Devolution in 1668.

The marriage of Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresia of Austria. source: Wikipedia

The couple was married on June 9, 1660, at the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. Taking the French version of her name, Marie-Thérèse, the new Queen and her husband made their Joyous Entry into Paris on August 26, 1660. They had six children, only one of whom lived to adulthood:

Louis and Marie-Thérèse had six children:

Queen Marie-Thérèse with her mother-in-law (and aunt) Queen Anne, painted by Simon Renard de Saint André. source: Wikipedia

As Queen, Marie-Thérèse was groomed by her mother-in-law, and aunt, Queen Anne. However, she had little interest in taking on the role, preferring to spend time with her court of Spanish ladies, playing cards, and gambling. She remained very devout, often inviting members of the King’s court to pray with her. Intensely private, she was humiliated by her husband’s numerous, and very public affairs and his countless illegitimate children. She took a great interest in caring for the sick and disadvantaged in France. She often visited hospitals and provided dowries for girls from the poorer noble families. She also served as Regent several times when the King was away.

By 1680, King Louis XIV had taken Madame de Maintenon as his mistress, and this brought about a change in the King’s relationship with Marie-Thérèse. He became more attentive and caring of his wife, much to her delight. She was also treated with great respect and reverence by Madame de Maintenon – something she had not seen with any of his prior mistresses and returned that respect. Sadly, those happier times would be relatively short-lived.

At the end of July 1683, Queen Marie-Thérèse fell ill, the result of an abscess in her left arm which was not treated correctly. Septicemia quickly set in, and the Queen died at the Palace of Versailles on July 30, 1683. She is buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris.

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King Louis XIV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Louis XIV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

King Louis XIV of France, often known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was the longest-reigning French monarch, reigning from 1643 until he died in 1715. He was born on September 5, 1638, at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, the elder son of King Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria.

Louis had one younger brother:

Louis as Dauphin, painted by Claude Deruet in 1643. source: Wikipedia

At just four years old, he became King following his father’s death on May 14, 1643. His father had decreed that a Regency Council should be established, led by the Queen. However, Queen Anne had that overturned and served as the sole Regent for her young son. Despite coming of age in 1654, King Louis XIV didn’t fully assume his role as King until 1661, following the death of his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin. An ardent believer in the divine right of kings, King Louis XIV quickly assumed full control of the monarchy. He was one of France’s most powerful sovereigns and established France as one of the leading powers of Europe.

When Louis assumed his role as King, France was nearly bankrupt, having endured several foreign wars and years of civil unrest. The King brought in a new finance minister who worked to reduce the country’s debt and increase its coffers, through more efficient taxation. Within several years, the country’s finances were restored. The King also boosted commerce and trade in France and invited many foreign businesses and artisans to France. He worked to improve and modernize the military and focused on the physical and mental well-being of the soldiers. His reign saw France become the primary power in Europe, and three major wars took place – the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession.

Queen Marie-Thérèse with their only surviving child, Louis, le Grand Dauphin, c1665. source: Wikipedia

Louis XIV married for the first time on June 9, 1660, at the Church of Saint-Jean the Baptist in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. His bride, Maria Theresia of Austria, was the daughter of King Felipe IV of Spain and Elisabeth of France. The couple was double first cousins.

Louis and Marie-Thérèse had six children:

Louise de La Baume Le Blanc, Duchess de La Vallière et de Vaujours. source: Wikipedia

In addition, the King had several mistresses and illegitimate children. With Louise de La Baume Le Blanc, Duchess de La Vallière et de Vaujours, he had five children:

Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan; Credit – Wikipedia

And with Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan, he had seven children:

His children with Madame de Montespan were raised by Françoise d’Aubigné, Madame Scarron (later created Marquise de Maintenon). Soon, she replaced Madame Montespan in the King’s affection. After the death of Queen Marie-Thérèse in 1683, King Louis XIV married Madame de Maintenon in a private ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Paris. Because the marriage was morganatic, she was never publicly acknowledged as his wife or as Queen.

Louis XIV’s reign saw the monarchy assume authority over the aristocracy and the church, becoming a true absolute monarchy. While the Pope remained in control of ecclesiastical law, the King invalidated all papal regulations and made himself the authority within France under the Declaration of the Clergy of France in 1681.

King Louis XIV receiving Louis de Bourbon, Grand Condé at Versailles following his victory in the Battle of Seneffe. Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme, source: Wikipedia

The King took complete control of the aristocracy, providing residences at Versailles for those who paid court to him. Having them close allowed the king to determine who was loyal to him and who was not. His constant entertaining of the aristocracy helped to determine public opinion while keeping them under a very watchful eye. He also banned the private armies, often established by the nobility to plot against the monarchy.

In 1685, King Louis XIV issued the Edict of Fontainebleau. This formally revoked the Edict of Nantes of 1598, which had granted religious and political freedom to the Huguenots. Many believe this was at the urging of Madame de Maintenon, a very staunch Catholic. The Edict of Fontainebleau ordered the destruction of Huguenot churches and the closing of all Protestant schools. Many Huguenots converted to avoid persecution for which they were financially rewarded, while many others fled the country.

King Louis XIV was a huge supporter of the arts. He supported and protected numerous writers and artists, and commissioned over 300 formal portraits and over 20 statues of himself during his lifetime. A lover of dance, particularly ballet, he founded the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661, and the Académie d’Opéra in 1669. He also assumed the patronage of the Académie Française.

Hôtel des Invalides. source: Wikipedia

King Louis XIV built the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris and made many renovations to some of the royal palaces, including the Palais du Louvre, also in Paris. Perhaps his best-known building project was the Palace of Versailles. Having inherited the hunting lodge built there by his father, Louis oversaw several building campaigns resulting in the magnificent palace that still stands today. In 1682, he officially made Versailles the home of the Royal Court.

After reigning for 72 years and 100 days, King Louis XIV died on September 1, 1715, at the Palace of Versailles, and was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis in Paris. Louis XIV outlived most of his immediate legitimate family. His last surviving legitimate son Louis, Le Grand Dauphin died in 1711. Barely a year later, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin, the eldest of the Dauphin’s three sons and then heir to Louis XIV, followed his father in death. Burgundy’s elder surviving son Louis, Duke of Brittany joined them a few weeks later. Thus, on his deathbed, Louis XIV’s heir was his five-year-old great-grandson, Louis, Duke of Anjou, Burgundy’s younger son, who succeeded his great-grandfather as King Louis XV.

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Anne of Austria, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Anne of Austria, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

Anne of Austria was the wife of King Louis XIII of France and served as Regent from 1643-1651. She was born Ana María Mauricia, Infanta of Spain and Portugal, on September 22, 1601, at Benavente Palace in Valladolid, Spain. Although a Spanish Infanta, she was known as Ana of Austria, as the Spanish monarchs at the time were members of the House of Habsburg. The eldest daughter of King Felipe III of Spain and Margaret of Austria, Ana had seven younger siblings:

Ana was raised at the Royal Alcazar of Madrid in Spain in a very close and loving family. She was given a very strong religious upbringing, and often visited convents and churches. After her mother’s death in childbirth in 1611, Ana became a surrogate mother to her younger siblings and maintained a very close relationship with her father.

Anne of Austria, circa 1607. source: Wikipedia

At just ten years old, Ana was betrothed to King Louis XIII of France, the son of King Henri IV of France and Marie de’ Medici, and given a large dowry and an extensive collection of jewels. The marriage contract required her to give up her rights to the Spanish throne but provided them to be restored if she were to become a childless widow. It also stipulated that if that happened, she would return to Spain with her entire dowry, as well as her jewels and wardrobe.

The couple was married by proxy on October 18, 1615, in Burgos, Spain. The same day, her brother and Louis’s sister were married by proxy in Bordeaux, France. This followed the tradition of marriages between the French and Austrian royal families. Upon her arrival in France, Ana and Louis were married on November 24, 1615, at the Bordeaux Cathedral. Just 14 at the time, it was allegedly several years before the marriage was consummated.

The marriage was strained from the onset. Taking up her apartments in the Louvre Palace in Paris, France, Ana was more or less ignored by her new husband. Her mother-in-law, Marie de’ Medici, refused to give any deference to Ana, who was the new Queen of France. Ana herself didn’t do much to ingratiate herself with her new family and country. She surrounded herself with nearly 100 Spanish ladies, and continued to abide by Spanish etiquette, and made little effort to learn the French language. It would several years before the relationship between Ana and Louis would begin to thaw.

In 1617, King Louis took full control of the monarchy from his mother (who had been serving as Regent) and sent her into exile. His advisor, Charles d’Albert, Duke of Luynes, made it his mission to bring Louis and Ana closer together. He replaced her Spanish entourage with French ladies-in-waiting and arranged for various court functions that would have both of them in attendance. Through his influence, as well as Anne’s new French ladies, she started to dress and carry herself in more of a French style. Reportedly, it was Luynes who then encouraged Louis to consummate their marriage, resulting in the birth of a stillborn child, the first of four stillborn births over the next 12 years.

Anne with her two sons; Credit – Wikipedia

Finally, after nearly 23 years of marriage, Queen gave birth to the first of two healthy sons:

In 1625, when Louis’s sister Henriette married King Charles I of England, Anne and her mother-in-law accompanied Henriette to the French border where they were met by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, who was to accompany Henriette back to England. Supposedly, Buckingham made advances to Queen Anne, causing quite a scandal throughout the courts of Europe. He was subsequently forbidden from setting foot on French soil. The truth of this story is questionable.

Continuing to visit convents and churches in her new country just as she had done in Spain, Queen Anne found a friend in Marguerite de Veny d’Arbouse, a prioress at the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce de-la-Ville-d’Evêque. Anne arranged for the establishment of an abbey with Marguerite as Abbess, and in 1621, the Queen herself purchased land in Paris and had the convent moved there. She had a small church built, as well as an apartment for herself. This would become her refuge several times during her marriage, as well as in her later years. Years later, after her husband’s death, Queen Anne commissioned the building of the Church of the Val-de-Grâce.

More strain came to Anne’s relationship with her husband when France declared war on Spain in 1635. Very close with her brother, King Felipe IV of Spain, Anne kept up a secret correspondence that put her under great suspicion. Two years later, Cardinal Richelieu, her husband’s senior minister, forced Anne to allow her correspondence to be inspected, and she was kept under close watch.

King Louis XIII died in 1643, leaving his five-year-old son as the new King Louis XIV. In his will, the late King sought to limit any power that Queen Anne might have had, including becoming Regent. He instructed that a regency council be established instead. However, just days after his death, Queen Anne was able to convene the Parliament of Paris and had that part of his will overturned. Anne was named sole Regent for her young son. She then took her two sons and moved from the Louvre Palace to the Palais-Royal in Paris, formerly the Palais-Cardinal, home of Cardinal Richelieu.

Queen Anne in her later years – source: Wikipedia

Queen Anne appointed Cardinal Jules Mazarin as her chief minister and relied on him to maintain the government. The two were rumored to be lovers, or perhaps even secretly married, although nothing has ever been proven. Anne retained much of her power even after her son came of age in 1651. She oversaw his marriage to her own niece, Maria Teresa of Spain in 1660, and the following year, after Mazarin’s death, Queen Anne stepped aside and retired to the Covent of Val-de-Grâce in Paris, France. Five years later, on January 20, 1666, she died there of breast cancer. She is buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris.

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King Louis XIII of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Louis XIII of France; Credit – Wikipedia

King Louis XIII of France was born September 27, 1601, at the Château de Fontainebleau in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France. He was the eldest son of King Henri IV of France and Marie de’ Medici, and had five younger siblings:

At just two months old, Louis was brought to the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where he was raised with his father’s illegitimate children, and later his own siblings. He was nearly five years old when his christening occurred at Fontainebleau in September 1606. His godparents were Pope Paul V, and his maternal aunt, Eleonora de’ Medici, Duchess of Mantua.

From a young age, Louis showed a great interest in music and learned to play the lute at just three years old. This love of music continued for his entire life, and in 1635 he wrote The Ballet de la Merlaison which was first performed that year at the Château de Chantilly. Louis is credited with writing the story, composing the music and lyrics, and choreographing the dancing. He also danced in several performances of the show.

King Louis XIII, c1613. source: Wikipedia

Louis also developed an early love of horses and the military. Once his education began, he did not show much interest in languages, math, or science, but excelled in history and the arts. Growing up, he was much closer to his father King Henri IV than his mother, even though his father would often mistreat him. Sadly, Louis was only eight years old when his father King Henri IV was assassinated on May 14, 1610, and he became King Louis XIII of France. Due to his youth, his mother Marie de’ Medici was appointed Regent, to serve until he came of age. Despite reaching his majority in 1614, his mother continued to exert her influence as Regent, deeming her son “too weak in body and spirit” to assume his rightful position.

It would be several years before Louis asserted his authority. In April 1617, he organized a coup d’état, ousting his mother’s primary minister Concino Concini, and sending his mother into exile. He replaced Concini with his favorite advisor, Charles d’Albert, Duke of Luynes. One of the first challenges in his reign was the Thirty Years’ War which began in 1618, in which there was much disagreement on which side the French should support. There was also growing disagreement with Luynes and his actions. These all led to a rebellion against the King, led by his mother who had escaped from exile. Through the influence of the Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu, better known as Cardinal Richelieu, Louis and his mother were reconciled, and within a few years, Louis permitted her to return to the French court. By 1624, Louis was now ruled by council and Cardinal Richelieu took a more prominent role in the King’s reign.

“The Marriage of Louis XIII, King of France and of Navarre, and Anna of Austria” by Jean Chalette. source: Wikipedia

In 1612, at just eleven years old, Louis became betrothed to Anna of Austria, keeping with the tradition of inter-marriages between the French and Spanish monarchies. She was the daughter of King Felipe III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. The couple was married by proxy on October 18, 1615, in Burgos, Spain. The same day, Louis’s sister Elisabeth married Anna’s brother, the future King Felipe IV of Spain. Following Anna’s arrival in France, the couple was married in a religious ceremony at the Bordeaux Cathedral in France on November 24, 1615.  After four stillborn children, and 23 years after their marriage, the couple had two sons:

The hunting lodge at Versailles, c1630-1640. source: Wikipedia

Although best associated with later generations of French monarchs, the Palace of Versailles has its origins with Louis XIII. Having gone on several hunting trips in the area, King Louis XIII ordered the construction of a hunting lodge in 1624. Several years later, he acquired the surrounding land and began to enlarge the building. Under his son’s reign, the small hunting lodge was transformed into a grand palace and became the seat of the French monarchy.

King Louis XIII and Queen Anne with their eldest son, the future King Louis XIV. Cardinal Richelieu is pictured behind the King. source: Wikipedia

After several weeks of intense illness, King Louis XIII died in Paris on May 14, 1643. Ironically, it was 33 years earlier on the same day that his own father had died.  Just like his father, Louis left behind a very young son – not yet five years old – to succeed him on the French throne. He was interred at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, France with very little pomp or ceremony, per his wishes that the French people not be subjected to any excessive or unnecessary expense due to his death. Knowing his death was near, the King had revised his will, limiting the powers of his wife who would go on to serve as Regent for their young son.

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France Resources at Unofficial Royalty