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Louis Henri Joseph de Bourbon (13 April 1756 – 30 August 1830) was the
Prince of Condé A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
from 1818 to his death. He was the brother-in-law of Philippe Égalité and nephew of
Victoire de Rohan Victoire Armande Josèphe de Rohan, ''Princess of Guéméné'' (28 December 1743 – 20 September 1807) was a French noblewoman and court official. She was the governess of the children of Louis XVI of France. She is known better as ''Madame de G ...
.


Life

Louis Henri was the only son of
Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé Louis Joseph de Bourbon (9 August 1736 – 13 May 1818) 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''. Youth Born on 9 August 1736 at Chantilly, Louis J ...
by his first wife, Charlotte de Rohan, daughter of Charles de Rohan, Prince of Soubise. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, he was a '' prince du sang'' and was entitled to the style of ''
Serene Highness His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH, second person address: Your Serene Highness) is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein, Monaco and Thailand. Over the past 400 years, it has also used as a style for senior members ...
'', prior to his accession to the Condé title, while he was known as the duke of Enghien and later as ''Duke of Bourbon''. On succeeding his father he was entitled to the style of ''
Royal Highness Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''. When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it t ...
''.


Marriage

On 24 April 1770, he married
Bathilde d'Orléans Bathilde d'Orléans (Louise Marie Thérèse Bathilde; 9 July 1750 – 10 January 1822) was a French princess of the blood of the House of Orléans. She was sister of ''Philippe Égalité'', the mother of the Duke of Enghien and aunt of Lou ...
, the only surviving daughter of Louis Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans and
Louise Henriette de Bourbon Louise Henriette de Bourbon (20 June 1726 – 9 February 1759), ''Mademoiselle de Conti'' at birth, was a French princess, who, by marriage, became Duchess of Chartres (1743–1752), then Duchess of Orléans (1752–1759) upon the death of her fat ...
. The couple were married in the chapel at the Palace of Versailles and were descended from
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
to the same degree, their paternal great grandmothers were sisters, daughters of
Madame de Montespan Madame may refer to: * Madam, civility title or form of address for women, derived from the French * Madam (prostitution), a term for a woman who is engaged in the business of procuring prostitutes, usually the manager of a brothel * ''Madame'' ( ...
. In 1772 their only son,
Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien Louis Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Enghien (''duc d'Enghien'' pronounced ) (Louis Antoine Henri; 2 August 1772 – 21 March 1804) was a member of the House of Bourbon of France. More famous for his death than for his life, he was executed on char ...
, was born. The marriage was not a happy one, and in 1780 the couple separated. Louis never remarried. Shortly afterwards, Louis Henri began a public affair with an opera singer Marguerite “Mimi” Michelot, which resulted in two illegitimate daughters, one of whom, Adèle, went on to marry the Comte de Reuilly. During the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
, Louis Henri accompanied his father into exile in England and survived the
purge In history, religion and political science, a purge is a position removal or execution of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, another organization, their team leaders, or society as a whole. A group undertak ...
of the House of Bourbon in France, which cost the life of King
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
and his wife Queen Marie Antoinette amongst others. In 1804, his son, the
Duke of Enghien Duke of Enghien (french: Duc d'Enghien, pronounced with a silent ''i'') was a noble title pertaining to the House of Condé. It was only associated with the town of Enghien for a short time. Dukes of Enghien – first creation (1566–1569) The ...
, was abducted in Germany by order of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
and executed in the moat of the Château de Vincennes on trumped up charges of treason. The Duke of Enghien had been married to Charlotte Louise de Rohan for less than two months and had no issue. Louis Henri returned with his father to France after the defeat of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
in 1814, and both recovered their fortunes and public status. On his father's death in 1818, he assumed the title of
Prince de Condé A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
.


Restoration

During the 1814 restoration, the Prince, as Duke of Bourbon, became the namesake for the 8th Bourbon Light Horse Regiment (''8ème Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval de Bourbon''). However, following Napoleon's return in March 1815, the regiment joined Napoleon and he emigrated to Belgium. Within the Infantry Corps, the Prince was made Colonel General of the Light Infantry and consequently became the namesake for the Bourbon Line Infantry Regiment which was formed by the merger of the 9th Line Infantry Regiment (''9ème Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne'') and the 2nd & 7th Battalions of the 37th Light Infantry Regiment (''37ème Régiment d'Infanterie Légère''). This regiment also joined Napoleon after his return from Elba in March 1815.


End of the Condé

While in exile in 1811, the duc de Bourbon had made the acquaintance at a bordello in Piccadilly of Sophia Dawes or Daw, a maid in a brothel from the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...
. He set the woman and her mother up in London in a house on Gloucester Street. There, she went through an extensive educational program. After the Bourbon Restoration in 1815, Louis Henri brought her to Paris and arranged a marriage for her to Baron Adrien Victor de Feucheres, an officer in the royal guard. This was done to allow Sophia’s entry into French society. However, in the course of setting up her marriage license, Sophia lied on several particulars. Feucheres, who became an aide to the duke, believed for several years that Sophia was a natural daughter of Louis Henri II. When he discovered the truth, he separated from his wife, and informed King
Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...
of the real relationship between Louis Henri and Sophia. The king banned Sophia from court. In revenge, Sophia approached the head of the
House of Orléans The 4th House of Orléans (french: Maison d'Orléans), sometimes called the House of Bourbon-Orléans (french: link=no, Maison de Bourbon-Orléans) to distinguish it, is the fourth holder of a surname previously used by several branches of the Ro ...
, the Duke of Orleans, and through him made a new entry into society. In return, she agreed to use her influence on the aging Louis Henri II to have him set up a will making the son of Louis Philippe,
Prince Henri, Duke of Aumale A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
, the old prince's main heir. Sophia was given two million francs for her services in the matter. The new Bourbon king,
Charles X Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Lou ...
, eventually accepted her back at court. She was again considered acceptable by polite French society. She was even able to arrange the marriage of a niece to a nephew of Talleyrand. By now, Louis Henri was trying to get away from the mistress who had taken over his life. In the summer of 1830, he returned to his home at
St. Leu ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
. There, he heard of the
July Revolution The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (french: révolution de Juillet), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after the first in 1789. It led to the overthrow of King ...
. Sophia immediately set about to get him to recognize the new Orléans monarchy. When on 27 August 1830 he was found dead with a rope around his neck but his feet on the ground, the baroness was suspected, but an inquiry was held which formally declared the death to be a suicide. There were rumours that the new King of the French,
Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary Wa ...
, had collaborated with Sophia in the crime as they feared that she and Louis Phillippe's son Aumale – the testamentary heirs of Condé – might be disinherited by the Prince after a possible flight abroad. Later, rumours circulated amongst the nobility that Condé had died pleasuring himself, engaged in what would later be known as
autoerotic asphyxiation Erotic asphyxiation (variously called asphyxiophilia, hypoxyphilia or breath control play) is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for the purposes of sexual arousal. The term autoerotic asphyxiation is used when the act is done ...
. With the evidence of death being the result of any crime appearing insufficient, the baroness was not prosecuted, although she was involved in litigation regarding the inheritance for years to come.see for instance Diekstra, René, ''De macht van een maîtresse'', Karakter Uitgevers BV, Uithoorn, 2011, 431 p There are some aspects of the relationship between Sophia and the Prince that
William Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray (; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was a British novelist, author and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel ''Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and th ...
may have had in mind in the novel '' Vanity Fair'' regarding
Becky Sharp Rebecca "Becky" Sharp, later describing herself as Rebecca, Lady Crawley, is the main protagonist of William Makepeace Thackeray's 1847–48 novel ''Vanity Fair''. She is presented as a cynical social climber who uses her charms to fascinate an ...
, possibly killing Joseph Sedley. With Louis Henri's death the line of Bourbon-Condé came to an end; his lands and wealth passed to his godson, the Duke of Aumale. His father, Louis Philippe, was the feudal-law heir to Conti and Condé, being the grandson of
Louise Henriette de Bourbon Louise Henriette de Bourbon (20 June 1726 – 9 February 1759), ''Mademoiselle de Conti'' at birth, was a French princess, who, by marriage, became Duchess of Chartres (1743–1752), then Duchess of Orléans (1752–1759) upon the death of her fat ...
, a daughter of Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, who was sister of Louis Henri II's grandfather.


Issue

# Louis Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Enghien (2 August 1772 – 21 March 1804); died without issue. #Adélaïde “Adele” de Bourbon (10 November 1780 – 26 May 1874); styled ''Mademoiselle de Bourbon'': illegitimate with Marguerite Michelot. She married firstly in 1803 to Patrice Gabriel Bernard de Montessus, comte de Reuilly, and secondly on 24 June 1833 to Guy Eugène Victor, marquis de Chaumont-Quitry. No issue. #Louise Charlotte Aglaé de Bourbon (10 September 1782 – 1831); illegitimate with Marguerite Michelot. Unmarried. #Daughter* (born December 1817, lived a few days); illegitimate with certain Sophie Harris. #Son* (stillborn May 1819); illegitimate with certain Sophie Harris.


Ancestry


Footnotes


References

* *Smith-Hughes, Jack, ''Eight Studies in Justice'' (London: Cassell & Co., 1953), p. 124-153, Ch. VI: "Royal Justice: The Conscience of a Citizen-King". *


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conde, Louis Henri Ii, Prince Of Louis Henri Princes of France (Bourbon) Princes of Condé Louis Henri 206 Dukes of Enghien 1756 births 1830 deaths Nobility from Paris Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Burials at the Basilica of Saint-Denis 18th-century peers of France Members of the Chamber of Peers of the Bourbon Restoration Suicides by hanging in France