Louis Joseph Xavier, Duke of Burgundy (13 September 1751 – 22 March 1761), was born a French prince of the House of Bourbon, and as such was second-in-line to the throne of France, ranking behind his father, the Dauphin Louis, himself the son of

Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...

. Although Louis was his parents' first son to be born alive, he died of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis at the young age of nine. As a result of his untimely death, all three of his three younger brothers - Louis Auguste, Louis Stanislas, and Charles Philippe - became kings of France.

Early life

Louis Joseph Xavier was born at the Palace of Versailles. He was the second surviving child and eldest son of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony, and was thus the oldest brother to the future kings

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 ...

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 ...

and

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 ...

. It is a known fact that he was the favorite child of his parents,Zhand Shakibi, ''Revolutions and the Collapse of the Monarchy'', (I.B. Tauris, 2007), 58. and was said to be handsome and bright. He was put in the care of Marie Isabelle de Rohan and given the title of

Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy (french: duc de Bourgogne) was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by France in 1477, and later by Holy Roman Emperors and Kings of Spain from the House of Habsburg ...

by his grandfather, King

. He was much loved by those who were close to him, especially his older sister Marie Zéphyrine, who died at the age of five in 1755. It is unknown if the Duke, who was not even four years old yet, was affected by this. It is known, however, that the absence of his older sister was felt by the Duke.

Death

The young Duke was pushed off a wooden horse by one of his playmates in 1759. As he was recognized for his kindness, he did not tell anyone about this, in order to prevent his friend from getting into any trouble. After this incident, the Duke of Burgundy's health started to deteriorate quickly. The family's physician, Dr. Barbier, decided to operate on him in 1760. The Duke was operated on while he was conscious. Knowing that he would die, the Dauphin had him baptised on 29 November 1760, with Louis XV and

Marie Leszczyńska Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska (; ; 23 June 1703 – 24 June 1768), also known as Marie Leczinska, was Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XV from their marriage on 4 September 1725 until her death in 1768. The daughter of Stanis ...

, his grandparents, as his godparents. Until that moment, he had been known just as "Burgundy". By 1761, the Duke was bound to his bed, unable to move his legs, with what was diagnosed as extra pulmonary tuberculosis of the bone.Jean-Dominique Bourzat, ''Les après-midi de Louis XVI'', (La Compagnie Litteraire, 2008), 9. He later died from this disease, on 22 March 1761.

Ancestors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Louis De France 1751 births 1761 deaths 18th-century deaths from tuberculosis 18th-century French people Burials at the Basilica of Saint-Denis House of Bourbon People from Versailles Princes of France (Bourbon) Courtesy dukes Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Tuberculosis deaths in France Royalty and nobility who died as children