Gaston, Count Of Eu
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Prince Gaston of Orleans, Count of Eu (; 28 April 1842 – 28 August 1922) was a French
prince 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 ...
and military commander who fought in the Hispano-Moroccan War and the
Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War (, , ), also known as the War of the Triple Alliance (, , ), was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It wa ...
. He was the first son of Louis, Duke of Nemours and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and was married to Princess Isabel, daughter of
Pedro II of Brazil ''Don (honorific), Dom'' PedroII (Pedro de Alcântara João Carlos Leopoldo Salvador Bibiano Francisco Xavier de Paula Leocádio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga; 2 December 1825 – 5 December 1891), nicknamed the Magnanimous (), was the List o ...
and heiress to the Brazilian throne.


Early years

Gaston was born Louis Philippe Marie Ferdinand Gaston of Orléans (Portuguese: Luís Filipe Maria Fernando Gastão de Orleães) on 28 April 1842 in
Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...
, a suburb of Paris, at the Château de Neuilly. He was the eldest son of Louis, the Duke of Nemours and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His paternal grandparents were King
Louis Philippe I Louis Philippe I (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850), nicknamed the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, the penultimate monarch of France, and the last French monarch to bear the title "King". He abdicated from his throne ...
, King of the French, and
Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily (Maria Amalia Teresa; 26 April 1782 – 24 March 1866) was Queen of the French by marriage to Louis Philippe I, King of the French. She was the last Queen of France. Among her grandchildren were the mon ...
, and his maternal grandparents were
Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Prince Ferdinand Georg August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (28 March 1785 – 27 August 1851) was a German prince of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and a general of cavalry in the Austrian Imperial and Royal Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Initia ...
and Princess Maria Antonia von Koháry. A member of the
French royal family France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...
, Gaston belonged to the
House of Orléans The 4th House of Orléans (), sometimes called the House of Bourbon-Orléans () to distinguish it, is the fourth holder of a surname previously used by several branches of the House of France, Royal House of France, all descended in the legitimat ...
, a cadet branch of the
House of Bourbon The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a dynasty that originated in the Kingdom of France as a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Kingdom of Navarre, Navarre in the 16th century. A br ...
, that in turn belonged to the Capetian dynasty. A Prince of Orléans, he was titled
Count of Eu This is a list of the counts of Eu, Seine-Maritime, Eu, a French county in the Middle Ages (Eu, Seine-Maritime, Eu is in the department of Seine-Maritime, in the extreme north of Normandy), disputed between Kingdom of France, France and Kingdom ...
(''comte d'Eu'') at birth by his grandfather, King Louis Philippe. He was a first cousin once removed of both the British Monarch
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
and of her husband
Albert, Prince Consort Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel; 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the husband of Queen Victoria. As such, he was consort of the British monarch from their marriage on 10 February 1840 until his ...
, through his mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The prince received a refined education under Julio Gauthier and the historian Auguste Trognon. He learned several foreign languages, which included Latin, English, German and Portuguese. His grandfather abdicated during the Revolution of 1848. Only five years old at the time, Gaston followed the king and his family who went into exile in Great Britain, establishing themselves in an old mansion at Claremont, in the southern region of England. In 1855, at the age of 13, Gaston began his military career in an artillery course, concluding in the Military School of
Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...
, Spain, where he became a captain. He had moved to Spain, after following his uncle, Antoine, the Duke of Montpensier's orientation. The Duke had lived there since his marriage to Infanta Luisa Fernanda, sister of Queen Isabel II of Spain.


Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil

After years with problems on the border with
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
caused by constant attacks on Spanish cities by Moroccan pirates, Spain declared war on Morocco. The young Gaston was sent as a subordinate officer to participate in the conflict on the side of the Spanish forces. The Spanish military consisted of more than 40,000 soldiers, while the Moroccan troops numbered about 140,000 men. The Count participated in all of the battles, and after the end of the conflict he returned to Spain with a reputation for his military prowess. A few years later, his uncle, King
Ferdinand II of Portugal ''Dom (title), Dom'' Ferdinand II (; 29 October 1816 – 15 December 1885), also known as Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and as "the King-artist" (), was King of Portugal from 16 September 1837 to 15 November 1853 as the husband and co-ruler ...
proposed that he should marry one of the two daughters of the Emperor Pedro II of Brazil. He agreed to accept the proposal, but only after meeting the princesses. The Emperor's sister, Princess Francisca, who was married to the Count's uncle, the
Prince of Joinville The first known lord of Joinville (French ''sire'' or ''seigneur de Joinville'') in the county of Champagne appears in the middle of the eleventh century. The former lordship was raised into the Principality of Joinville under the House of Guise ...
, wrote a letter to her brother describing the Count. "If you could grab this one for one of your daughters it would be excellent. He is robust, high, handsome, good natured, very amiable, much instructed, studious, and in addition, he possesses now a small military fame." Gaston arrived in
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
on 2 September 1864 in the company of his
double first cousin A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle. More generally, in the kinship system used in the English-speaking world, c ...
, Prince Ludwig August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and went directly to the Palace of São Cristóvão to meet the Brazilian imperial family. However, Gaston was less than enthusiastic about the two princesses, whom he considered unattractive. Initially, the young Count was promised to Princess Leopoldina and his cousin to Princess Isabel. However, after getting to know them better, the Emperor decided to invert the pairs. Gaston became attached to Isabel. They were married on 15 October 1864. Earlier, Gaston was awarded the Grand Cross of the Imperial
Order of the Southern Cross The National Order of the Southern Cross () is a Brazilian Orders, decorations, and medals of Brazil, order of chivalry founded by List of monarchs of Brazil, Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, Pedro I on 1 December 1822. The order aimed to commemorate ...
and a few days later accepted the honorary presidency of the Brazilian Geographic and Historical Institute. In 1892, Alfredo d'Escragnolle, Vicomte de Taunay, gave his opinion regarding the two cousins when they first arrived in Brazil. He said that the duke of Saxe "had only interest in spending his life in a lazy and amusing way, he liked a lot of hunting and appreciated a lot the many joys that existed in Europe, while the comte d'Eu with all the defects that I can point at him, cared sincerely and a lot for Brazil and, believe it or not, he still loves it today with intensity and no second intention."


Paraguayan War

Gaston and Isabel were travelling in Europe on their honeymoon when Paraguayan forces invaded the Brazilian provinces of
Mato Grosso Mato Grosso ( – ) is one of the states of Brazil, the List of Brazilian states by area, third largest by area, located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible ...
and
Rio Grande Do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
. From the city of Uruguaiana in the southern region of Brazil, Pedro II sent a letter to the couple requesting Gaston's presence in Brazil, directing the Count to join him and the Brazilian army, together with the Duke of Saxe. Uruguaiana had been conquered by the Paraguayan army. The Conde d'Eu, and the Emperor, Pedro II of Brazil, joined President
Bartolomé Mitre Bartolomé Mitre (26 June 1821 – 19 January 1906) was an Argentine statesman, soldier and author. He was President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868 and the first president of Argentine Civil Wars#National unification, unified Argentina. Mitre i ...
of
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
in the Siege of Uruguaiana, which ended 18 September 1865.Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, In his memoirs, the Viscount of Taunay wrote of his experience in the
Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War (, , ), also known as the War of the Triple Alliance (, , ), was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It wa ...
, along with observances of his fellow soldiers. "While Gaston showed in all occasions a great interest for the things of Brazil, observing, asking, visiting all the places and going after correct and accurate information, while the other August Luis, duke of Saxe">Prince Ludwig August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha">August Luis, duke of Saxedid not show anything except for indifference and lack of ambition." He was later nominated general commander of the artillery and president of the Commission of Improvements of the Army on 19 November 1865. On two occasions throughout the conflict, Gaston sent requests to the Emperor asking him to authorize his participation in the war against Paraguay. The Council of State declined his request. The rationale was a strategic act, believing that the presence of a prince in the conflict would escalate the desire to conquer their country's territories. Additionally, it was unacceptable for the husband of the heiress of the throne to subordinate to a Brazilian military officer, who, at this time, was Luis Alves de Lima and Silva, the Marquis of Caxias, the just-nominated allied commander-in-chief. On 22 March 1869, Gaston was assigned to lead as commander-in-chief of the allied armies, after the Marquis of Caxias renounced that position. This delegation of authority was based on the prestige as an officer of high rank, as well as his reputation and well-known capacity in military action. The choice of Gaston as the new commander-in-chief, at the age of 27, brought joy to the Brazilian public. During this time a great number of Brazilian believed that the conflict and continued hunt for
Francisco Solano López Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870) was a Paraguay, Paraguayan statesman, Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he serve ...
, the Paraguayan dictator, was futile and unnecessary. Gaston shared this belief. When he arrived at Paraguay, he reorganized the Brazilian army and fired the officers accused of pillage in enemy territory. He used diversified tactics to deceive the Paraguayan army about how and where the allied army would carry its attacks. In the opinion of the Viscount of Taunay, Gaston showed "great strategical ability, cool temper, patience of an experienced leader and unquestionable courage." He also participated actively in the battles that occurred, in the Battle of Acosta Ñu, where he suffered great risk of life. It was the Count's idea to definitively extinguish the slavery of approximately 25,000 individuals in
Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
, many of whom were obliged to fight in the war against the Triple Alliance. Gaston suffered heavy criticism after he discovered that the brigadier João Manuel Mena Barreto had died in the battle that resulted in the conquest of the village of
Piribebuy Piribebuy (in Guarani language, Guaraní, ''Pirĩvevúi'') is a List of cities and towns in Paraguay, town and districts of Paraguay, district in the Cordillera Department of Paraguay. It is of spontaneous origin, though some attribute its found ...
( Battle of Piribebuy) which at that time was named "the third capital of Paraguay" after the occupation of
Asunción Asunción (, ) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of Asunción in the north ...
and
Luque Luque () is a city in Central Department of Paraguay, part of the Gran Asunción metropolitan area. Both 1635 and 1750 have been recorded as dates of its founding. It was temporarily the capital of Paraguay in 1868 during the Paraguayan War ...
earlier in
1868 Events January * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsu ...
. He was also criticized for ordering the decapitation of commander Pedro Pablo Caballero and Patricio Marecos, head politician of the village. In September, the Count became greatly depressed, due to the high number of deaths caused by the conflict. Until the end of the war on 1 March 1870, he participated nominally in the action of the allied army. When he returned to Brazil on 29 April 1870, he was received as a war hero. He was also nominated as a member of the Council of State on 6 July of the same year.


Modern critics of Gaston d'Orléans in the war

After the 1960s, revisionist historians appeared, portraying the Gaston d'Orléans as a bloodthirsty mass murderer. Some historians, like Júlio Jose Chiavenato, accuse him of having committed war crimes and being most interested in engaging in war, if only to pursue López. Revisionist historians also accuse Gaston of having ordered a grass fire, in order to asphyxiate wounded Paraguayan soldiers who were still in the field after the battle of Acosta Ñu. Chiavenato uses as a source, the memoirs of the Viscount of Taunay. Recently, it has been found that the memoirs say something completely different. "There were bullets that still blew up in the field because of the fire in the grass that was started in the beginning of the battle by the Paraguayans to occult their tactical movement." There is a mention of an episode, where Gaston ordered the troops to set fire in a hospital full of wounded Paraguayan soldiers that resulted in the death of more than a hundred victims. However, the hospital may have been collateral damage caused by allied bombardment at the beginning of the battle, directed on the Paraguayan military defense and not as the result of a deliberate desire of killing defenseless people.


Family life

Although initially disillusioned with the seeming lack of beauty of his wife, Gaston came to love her until the last days of his life, a feeling returned by Isabel. The birth of their son, Pedro, on 15 October 1875, brought much happiness for the couple, who for almost ten years had been unable to conceive. The arrival of their son also served to lighten the pain of the loss of their first child, Luisa Victoria, who died due to complications of childbirth on 28 July 1874. Although crippled by a defect in the left arm caused by problems in childbirth, Pedro was a very healthy child and would be affectionately called "Baby" by his parents, even as a young adult. The Count always treated his wife with patience, pleasantness and determination to help her pass through the depression she suffered from, presuming that she somehow could have avoided Pedro's birth defect. His happiness became visible in the letter that he wrote to his father soon after the birth of his third child, in which he stated, "We are really happy, grateful and glad. Having two healthy children after so many misfortunes that made me lose any hope of becoming a father, exceeds what I dared myself to expect." Their third child was a son, Luiz de Orléans e Bragança, born 26 January 1878 and named after Gaston's father. Some years later, this child became Isabel's heir, after his elder brother renounced his succession to the throne.
Antonio Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top ...
was the fourth and last son, born on 9 August 1881 in Paris, where the couple had lived for three years. Antonio was nicknamed "Totó" by his family. The Count was a very simple person and tried to pass this characteristic on to his children. He had a complete aversion to the lifestyle of European nobility and royalty, which he called "futile" and "stupid". In 1882, Gaston chose Benjamin Franklin Ramiz Galvão, a professor at the School of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro and headmaster of the National Library, to educate his children. The prince recognized the professor's merit and did not care that Benjamin was a republican. Gaston and his wife provided their children with a simple education, allowing them to study at the father Moreira's school in Petropolis, and later at the school Pedro II.


Life as Prince Imperial of Brazil

Following his marriage to Isabel, Gaston participated actively in the Brazilian government, making commentaries and offering advice about the development of the country. The idea of living as a mere shadow to his wife deeply dissatisfied him. However, Pedro II never allowed either Gaston nor Isabel to participate in the decisions of the government, and refused to discuss state matters with the couple in any form. This
line of demarcation The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in Tordesillas, Spain, on 7 June 1494, and ratified in Setúbal, Portugal, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile, along a meridian west of ...
created serious discord between Gaston and his father-in-law, almost to the point of disruption had not Isabel interceded. She attempted to mediate the misunderstandings between the emperor and her husband. As time passed, Gaston became used to the idea of not having any power. It was 1889, before he was able to constructively discuss politics with his father-in-law for the first time. Gaston's exclusion from the Brazilian political arena necessitated the pursuit of alternate activities. He and his wife turned their attention toward philanthropic endeavors, choosing to support several charities and social institutions. José Avelino, who participated in the first Brazilian republican constituent, years after the end of the monarchy made several remarks about the Count of Eu. :Whatever was possible to make him earn the title of Brazilian he made it: regulations, projects of law for better organization of the Army and perfecting of its material of war; schools, libraries, orphanages for the abandoned children; everything that could help the unprotected or the diverse groups of the society, he planned or executed for the most part. Gaston visited almost all of the provinces of the country, more than any other member of the imperial family. He travelled to the southern region, as well as the northeast and the far north of Brazil. By the end of the Empire, he made a great trip to the north of Brazil being very well received by all, showing that the monarchy was still popular. After he returned from the Paraguayan War as Marshal-of-the-Army, he became a member of several foreign and Brazilian associations. He was decorated with the medal of the Surrender of Uruguaiana; the Military Merit; the Campaign of Africa and the grand-crosses of Ernest Pious of Saxony; the Orders of the Tower and Sword of the Value, Loyalty and Merit of Christ and of Saint Bento of Avis of Portugal; the order of Leopold of Belgium; the Order of the Red Eagle of Mexico; and was made a knight of the Order of Saint Fernando of Spain.


Later years


End of the Brazilian monarchy

Gaston was one of the few eyewitnesses of the military coup d'etát that overthrew the Empire who left written memoirs of it. His three letters – written while he was still in Rio and later aboard the ship that was taking the Imperial family to exile – gives a detailed account of the coup and are one of the main primary sources used by historians. At the night of 14 November 1889 Gaston was in Rio de Janeiro in his home making the preparations to a reception in honor of Chilean Navy officers visiting the city. A Brazilian major came to warn him of something important, but being too busy and not told of how grave the matter was, Gaston did not meet him. At 8 am of the next day, 15 November, he went to ride with his sons in
Botafogo Botafogo (local/standard alternative Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: ) is a beachfront neighborhood (''bairro'') in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly upper middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of M ...
(a neighborhood in Rio) "with no preoccupation at all", in his own words. Upon his return, he read all Rio's newspapers and only one mentioned that apparently a mutiny had occurred in the Military Academy and the Cabinet had met to deal with the matter. Little did Gaston know that a rebellion among the Army corps – led by Field Marshal (nowadays Divisional General) Deodoro da Fonseca – had removed the Cabinet from power by force the night before. Between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Gaston was told by two officers of what had happened. Soon others, including military officers, arrived "with confusing news". Upon hearing this, Gaston commented: "In this case, the monarchy has ended." Nonetheless, he dressed himself in his uniform of Marshal of the Army, hoping that it could make the rebels change theirs minds upon seeing their former commander-in-chief in Paraguay, but soon changed back to his civilian clothes when others around him suggested that it would be useless. Senator Manuel Pinto de Sousa Dantas, a former prime minister, later appeared and told him not to worry and gave his support to the monarchy. Lieutenant André Rebouças, embraced him and told him of a plan he had envisioned with Major Alfredo d'Escragnolle Taunay, Viscount of Taunay, to leave to the nearby city of
Petrópolis Petrópolis (), also known as the Imperial City, is a municipality in the Southeast Region of Brazil. It is located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, northeast of the city of Rio de Janeiro. According to the 2022 Brazilian census, Petrópolis mun ...
where they could resist the coup. Gaston agreed and tried to reach the telegraph central by telephone to request it to tell Emperor Pedro II to stay in Petrópolis. At that point, however, the republicans had taken control of the telegraph central. Nonetheless, a telegraph message informed them that the Emperor was arriving in Rio. Gaston sent his children to Petrópolis where he believed they would be safe. Gaston, his wife Isabel, and many others met Pedro II in the City Palace, located in Rio downtown. It was already afternoon, and Deodoro da Fonseca and the other rebels had returned to their homes. Unbeknownst to Gaston, Deodoro had not overthrown the Emperor, but only the Cabinet and the rebellion seemed to be all over. Pedro II told the prince that he was going to dissolve the rebel battalions. Gaston, far more realistic, complained that the rebels would not simply put their arms down by themselves. He also urged the monarch to form a new cabinet, since the country was effectively without a government. Pedro II did not bother, and told him that he would wait for the prime minister, Viscount of Ouro Preto. "But the ministers are prisoners of the rebels: how does Your Majesty wants them to able to continue to govern?", asked the Prince. No matter what Gaston or the politicians and army officers told him, Pedro II did nothing nor allowed anyone to do anything during those precious hours. Tired of waiting, Gaston requested the presence of all Counselors of State to discuss the present and serious situation. As the Emperor refused to meet them, some of the counselors simply gave up and departed. The ones who stood agreed to send an envoy to Deodoro to make peace with him. A major was sent and met with the rebel leader in his home at 3 am of 16 November, lying down in his bed, very sick. Deodoro told him that now was too late and he had made his mind and that the monarchy was over. He also accused Gaston of being the one responsible for what the rebels regarded as harassment from the government against the Army. That revealed how successful had been the republican propaganda against the prince, who held absolutely no influence or power in the government. The Imperial family was banished and departed to Europe on 17 November. Despite the lack of any will to resist from Pedro II, there was significant monarchist reaction after the fall of the empire, which was thoroughly repressed.


Exile

On 15 November 1889 the Republic was proclaimed in Brazil. The Imperial family was forced into exile, first going in Portugal and later to
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
, where they settled at the Château d'Eu. In 1891, Emperor Pedro II died in Paris and his daughter became Empress " Isabel I of Brazil" to the Brazilian Monarchists while, at the same time, the Count of Eu then became Emperor consort. But these titles had little weight and both spouses remained banished from their country.


Return to Brazil and death

It was only in 1921 already as a widower that the Count of Eu could finally set foot back in Brazil. At this occasion he retrieved the bodies of his parents-in-law to bury in the Imperial Mausoleum of the
Cathedral of Petrópolis A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
. The following year, the Count of Eu died of natural causes at sea off the coast of Brazil, on 28 August 1922, during a journey that would take him back to Brazil to celebrate the first centenary of independence. His body and that of Princess Isabel returned to Brazil together on 7 July 1953, to be buried in the Imperial Mausoleum of the Cathedral of Petrópolis on 12 May 1971.


Honors

Prince Gaston was Grand Cross of the following Brazilian Orders: * Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ * Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz * Order of Saint James of the Sword *
Order of the Southern Cross The National Order of the Southern Cross () is a Brazilian Orders, decorations, and medals of Brazil, order of chivalry founded by List of monarchs of Brazil, Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, Pedro I on 1 December 1822. The order aimed to commemorate ...
* Order of Pedro I *
Order of the Rose The Imperial Order of the Rose () was a Brazilian order of chivalry, instituted by Pedro I of Brazil, Emperor Pedro I of Brazil on 17 October 1829 to commemorate his marriage to Amélie of Leuchtenberg. On 22 March 1890, the order was cancelled as ...
He was a recipient of the following foreign honors: * Grand Cross of the Order of Ernest the Pious * Grand Cross of the Austro-Hungarian
Order of Saint Stephen The Order of Saint Stephen (officially ''Sacro Militare Ordine di Santo Stefano Papa e Martire'', 'Holy Military Order of St. Stephen Pope and Martyr') is a Roman Catholic Tuscan dynastic military order founded in 1561. The order was created ...
* Grand Cross of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword * Grand Cross of the Portuguese Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ * Grand Cross of the Portuguese Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz * Knight of the Spanish
Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...
* Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III * Grand Cordon of the Belgian Order of Leopold * Grand Cross of the French
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
* Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Mexican Eagle * Grand Cross of the Military Order of Saint Fernando * Knight of the Bavarian Order of Saint Hubert


Ancestry


References

Explanatory notes Citations Bibliography * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


The Count d'Eu and Other Brazilian Officers who Took Part in the Paraguayan War
* Gaston d'Orléans (1842–1922) , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaston, Count Of Eu 1842 births 1922 deaths People from Neuilly-sur-Seine House of Orléans-Braganza Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Brazilian nobility Brazilian Roman Catholics French Roman Catholics Princes of France (Orléans) Grand Crosses of the Order of Aviz Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal) Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint James of the Sword Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand Burials at the Imperial Mausoleum at the Cathedral of Petrópolis Brazilian military personnel of the Paraguayan War People who died at sea