Monsieur
( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of respe ...
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown.
...
and
Anne of Austria
Anne of Austria (; ; born Ana MarÃa Mauricia; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was Queen of France from 1615 to 1643 by marriage to King Louis XIII. She was also Queen of Navarre until the kingdom's annexation into the French crown ...
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 ...
upon the death of his uncle Gaston in 1660. He was also granted the dukedoms of Valois,
Chartres
Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
and
Nemours
Nemours () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the ÃŽle-de-France Regions of France, region in north-central France.
Geography
Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c. south of M ...
. Known as ''le Petit Monsieur'' or simply ''Monsieur'', Philippe was a distinguished military commander and took part in the
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, 1672 to 1678, was primarily fought by Kingdom of France, France and the Dutch Republic, with both sides backed at different times by a variety of allies. Related conflicts include the 1672 to 1674 Third Anglo-Dutch War and ...
Marie Louise
Marie Louise or Marie-Louise is a French feminine given name, compound given name. In other languages, it may take one of several alternate forms:
* Maria Luiza (Bulgarian, Portuguese)
* Maria Luisa (Italian, Spanish)
* Maria Luise (German)
* Mari ...
queens consort of Spain
This is a list of the women who were queen consort, queens as wives of List of Spanish monarchs, Spanish monarchs from the 16th century, when Spain was unified, until present. Francisco de AsÃs, Duke of Cádiz is the only ''King Consort'', as th ...
and
Sardinia
Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...
, respectively, while his son Philippe II served as
regent of France
A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. The following is a list of regents throughout history.
Regents in extant monarchies
Those who held a regency b ...
from 1715 to 1723.
Early years
Birth
Philippe de Bourbon was born on 21 September 1640 at the
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the ÃŽle-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, the day before his mother
Anne
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...
's 39th birthday. As the son of a ruling king, the infant Philippe held the rank of a ''
Fils de France
''Fils de France'' (, ''Son of France'') was the style (manner of address), style and Ranks of nobility and peerage, rank held by the sons of the French monarchy, kings and Dauphin of France, dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille d ...
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. An hour after his birth, he was
baptised
Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
Count of Artois
The count of Artois (, ) was the ruler over the County of Artois from the 9th century until the abolition of the countship by the French Revolution, French revolutionaries in 1790.
House of Artois
*Odalric ()
*Altmar ()
*Adelelm (?–932)
*''C ...
Arras
Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...
At the death of their father Louis XIII in May 1643, Philippe's older brother ascended to the throne of France as Louis XIV. Their mother Queen Anne revoked the late king's will to arrange for a power-sharing agreement with
Cardinal Mazarin
Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...
, who had been serving as Louis XIII's
chief minister
A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...
dubbed him the "prettiest child in the world", while his mother's friend and confidant, Madame de Motteville, later said of Philippe that he displayed a "lively intelligence" early on. From 1646 on Philippe spent some of his childhood at the Hôtel de Villeroy ("Cremerie de Paris"), house of Nicolas de Villeroy, tutor of his brother Louis XIV. The children played there with Catherine de Villeroy and François de Villeroy.
In the autumn of 1647, at age seven, Philippe caught
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
Cardinal Mazarin
Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...
, who was created the superintendent of the prince's education by his mother. His education emphasized languages, history, literature, mathematics and dancing. Despite having a household of his own, his behavior was closely watched by his mother and Mazarin, who made sure that Philippe had no meaningful financial freedom from the crown.
When Philippe was eight, the civil war known as the
Fronde
The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in the Kingdom of France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The government of the young King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition ...
began in France. It lasted until 1653 in its two main phases: the ''Fronde Parlementaire'' (1648–1649) and the ''Fronde des nobles'' (1650–1653). During the conflict, the royal family was obliged to flee Paris on the night of 9 February 1651 for the safety of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in order to avoid a revolt by the nobility against Mazarin. When peace returned, the decision was made for Philippe to move his household to the
Palais des Tuileries
The Tuileries Palace (, ) was a palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the Seine, directly in the west-front of the Louvre Palace. It was the Parisian residence of most French monarchs, from Henri IV to Napoleon III, until it was ...
, previously the residence of the duchess of Montpensier opposite the Palais-Royal. At the coronation of Louis XIV on 7 June 1654, Philippe acted as dean, placing the Crown of Charlemagne on his brother's head. All his life, Philippe would be a noted lover of etiquette and panoply, ensuring that all ceremonial details were adhered to.
In late June 1658, Louis became gravely ill. Presumed to have
typhoid
Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...
, Louis was almost pronounced dead when, in mid-July, he began to recover. The illness made Philippe,
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
villa
A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...
appanage
An appanage, or apanage (; ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a monarch, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture (where only the eldest inherits). It was ...
Parlement of Paris
The ''Parlement'' of Paris () was the oldest ''parlement'' in the Kingdom of France, formed in the 14th century. Parlements were judicial, rather than legislative, bodies and were composed of magistrates. Though not representative bodies in the p ...
. He was also granted the lordship of Montargis.
In order to discourage the type of tempestuous relationship that had developed between
Louis XIII
Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown.
...
and his younger brother Gaston, Anne of Austria and
Cardinal Mazarin
Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...
made it a private policy to prevent Philippe from pursuing ambitions which might prompt rivalry with or defiance of the king. Aside from his appanage, he was given no meaningful financial freedom from the Crown. Later, to his already rich holdings Philippe wanted to add the countship of Blois, with its Château de Chambord, and the governorship of
Languedoc
The Province of Languedoc (, , ; ) is a former province of France.
Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately .
History
...
, but both would be refused to him by his brother.
Marriages and love life
Sexuality
During his childhood, Queen Anne was observed to address Philippe by such nicknames as "my little girl" and encouraged him to dress in feminine clothing even as a young man—a habit he would retain all his life. A contemporary would later call him the "silliest woman who ever lived", a reference to his effeminacy. As a young man, Philippe would dress up and attend balls and parties in female attire, for example, dressed as a shepherdess. Mindful that Gaston's treasonous habits had not only been evoked by the
Fronde
The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in the Kingdom of France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The government of the young King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition ...
, but by his secret
elopement
Elopement is a marriage which is conducted in a sudden and secretive fashion, sometimes involving a hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of getting married without parental approval. A ...
with a foreign princess which had left the royal brothers estranged for years, his
homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...
activity was not unwelcome, because it was seen to reduce any potential threat he may have posed to his older brother. It appears that 1658 was the key year in which Philippe's sexuality became well defined. Court gossip said that
Cardinal Mazarin
Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...
ave
is a Latin word, used by the Roman Empire, Romans as a salutation (greeting), salutation and greeting, meaning 'wikt:hail, hail'. It is the singular imperative mood, imperative form of the verb , which meant 'Well-being, to be well'; thus on ...
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
, then in the Mediterranean island-fortress of Château d'If. Finally, he was banished to
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
Maria Theresa of Spain
Maria Theresa of Spain (; ; 10 September 1638 – 30 July 1683) was Queen consort of France, Queen of France from 1660 to 1683 as the wife of King Louis XIV. She was born an Infante, Infanta of Spain and Portugal as the daughter of King Philip IV ...
on 9 June 1660, Queen Anne turned her attention to the marriage of Philippe. He had previously been encouraged to court his older cousin,
, eldest daughter of Gaston and his first wife Marie de Bourbon. Known as ''Mademoiselle'' at this time, she had an immense private fortune and had previously rejected suitors such as
Charles II of England
Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685.
Charles II was the eldest su ...
. Born in 1627, she was the sole heiress of her mother, who died in childbirth. Mademoiselle declined the union, complaining that Philippe always stayed near his mother as if he was "like a child". Mademoiselle instead remained unmarried. Philippe would marry instead another first cousin, Princess Henrietta of England, youngest child of King
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649.
Charles was born ...
and his wife
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ( French: ''Henriette Marie''; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from her marriage to King Charles I on 13 June 1625 until his execution on 30 January 1649. She was ...
, who was Philippe's paternal aunt and had taken refuge at the court of France after the birth of Princess Henrietta in 1644. They lived at the Palais-Royal and at the
Palais du Louvre
The Louvre Palace (, ), often referred to simply as the Louvre, is an iconic French palace located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, occupying a vast expanse of land between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Ger ...
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart, originally spelled Stewart, also known as the Stuart dynasty, was a dynasty, royal house of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland and later Kingdom of Great Britain, Great ...
to the throne of
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
under her brother Charles II, Princess Henrietta returned to England to visit her sister, the
Princess of Orange
Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by the stadtholders of, and then the heirs apparent of, ...
, who later caught
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
and died. The French court officially asked for Henrietta's hand on behalf of Philippe on 22 November 1660 while she was in England. The couple signed their marriage contract at the Palais-Royal on 30 March 1661. The ceremony took place the next day in the same building in front of select members of the court. The dowry promised was a hefty 840,000 livres. Known as ''Henriette d'Angleterre'' in France, and ''Minette'' to her intimates, she was known officially as ''Madame'' and was ever popular with the court. Court gossip later said that the king was the father of Henrietta's first child. Henrietta's very open flirting is said to have caused a jealous Philippe to retaliate by beginning to flaunt his sexuality openly in a less-than-accepting era. Henrietta's flirting with the king started early in the summer of 1661 while the newlyweds were staying at the
Palace of Fontainebleau
Palace of Fontainebleau ( , ; ), located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. It served as a hunting lodge and summer residence for many of the List of French monarchs ...
for the summer. Philippe complained to his mother about the intimacy that Louis and Henrietta displayed, which led Queen Anne to reprimand both son and daughter-in-law. Relations were further strained when Henrietta allegedly seduced Philippe's old lover, the Comte de Guiche.
The couple moved from the Tuileries in early 1662 to the Palais-Royal. Later in March of the same year, Philippe became a father when Henrietta gave birth to their daughter
Marie Louise
Marie Louise or Marie-Louise is a French feminine given name, compound given name. In other languages, it may take one of several alternate forms:
* Maria Luiza (Bulgarian, Portuguese)
* Maria Luisa (Italian, Spanish)
* Maria Luise (German)
* Mari ...
, the future wife of
Charles II of Spain
Charles II (6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700) was King of Spain from 1665 to 1700. The last monarch from the House of Habsburg, which had ruled Spain since 1516, he died without an heir, leading to a European Great Power conflict over the succ ...
. Henrietta's disappointment at the birth of a daughter was great, and she even remarked that she should "throw her into the river!" This greatly offended Queen Anne, who adored her first granddaughter. For his part, Philippe would always consider Marie Louise his favourite child. The girl was baptized on 21 May 1662. On the same day Philippe took part in the famous ''Carrousel du Louvre'', where he dressed extravagantly as the
King of Persia
The monarchs of Iran ruled for over two and a half millennia, beginning as early as the 7th century BC and enduring until the 20th century AD. The earliest Iranian king is generally considered to have been either Deioces of the Median dynasty () ...
with the king as the King of the Romans and all ladies of the court in attendance.
In 1664, Henrietta gave birth at Fontainebleau to a son who was given the title Duke of Valois. Philippe wrote to his brother-in-law
Charles II of England
Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685.
Charles II was the eldest su ...
"that your sister was this morning safely delivered of a fine boy. The child seems to be in excellent health." The child nonetheless died of
convulsion
A convulsion is a medical condition where the body muscles contract and relax rapidly and repeatedly, resulting in uncontrolled shaking. Because epileptic seizures typically include convulsions, the term ''convulsion'' is often used as a synony ...
mourning
Mourning is the emotional expression in response to a major life event causing grief, especially loss. It typically occurs as a result of someone's death, especially a loved one.
The word is used to describe a complex of behaviors in which t ...
for the death of Queen Anne in January. The previous year, the Comte de Guiche has been exiled from court with Philippe reporting to his mother that Henrietta had had private interviews with the dashing nobleman.
Philippe took part in the
in 1667 while Henrietta remained at Saint-Cloud due to her pregnancy. On the field, Philippe took an active part in the trenches at
Tournai
Tournai ( , ; ; ; , sometimes Anglicisation (linguistics), anglicised in older sources as "Tournay") is a city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies by ...
and distinguished himself through his valor and coolness under fire. But Philippe later became bored with battle and interested himself more in the decoration of his tent. Hearing that Henrietta was ill due to a miscarriage, he returned to Saint-Cloud, where she was recovering from an ordeal which almost cost her her life. Upon her recovery, Philippe returned to the battlefield and distinguished himself at the Siege of Lille.
In January 1670, Henrietta prevailed upon the King to imprison the Chevalier de Lorraine, first near
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
, then in the Mediterranean island-fortress of the Château d'If. He was finally banished to Rome after offending the King and Henrietta by boasting that he could get Philippe to divorce her. In retaliation for the Chevalier's treatment, Philippe withdrew to his estate at Villers-Cotterêts, dragging Henrietta with him. By February, Philippe's protests and pleas persuaded the King to restore the Chevalier to his brother's entourage. The couple had their last child in August 1669, a daughter who was baptized Anne Marie at the private chapel of the Palais-Royal on 8 April 1670 by Philippe's first chaplain, the bishop of Vabres.
Henrietta is best known to political historians in France for her part in negotiating the Secret Treaty of Dover, an offensive and defensive treaty between England and France signed at Dover on 1 June 1670. It required France to assist England in her aim to rejoin the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and England to assist France in her war of conquest against the
Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...
. The
Third Anglo-Dutch War
The Third Anglo-Dutch War, began on 27 March 1672, and concluded on 19 February 1674. A naval conflict between the Dutch Republic and England, in alliance with France, it is considered a related conflict of the wider 1672 to 1678 Franco-Dutch W ...
was a direct consequence of this treaty. Having returned to France at the end of June 1670, Henrietta had to endure Philippe's blatant spite for her part in the Chevalier's exile and her secret mission to Dover. Despite tense relations, she traveled to Saint-Cloud on 24 June, when she started to complain of pains in her side. Relaxing at Saint-Cloud on 29 June, she collapsed on the terrace at the palace. Taken inside, she was undressed and started to exclaim that she had been poisoned. She subsequently died between the hours of two and three in the morning of 30 June 1670 at the age of 26. An
autopsy
An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of deat ...
was performed which found that Henrietta died of
peritonitis
Peritonitis is inflammation of the localized or generalized peritoneum, the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and covering of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One pa ...
caused by a perforated
ulcer
An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughin ...
; however, public rumor claimed she had been poisoned by her husband, and, according to Saint-Simon in his memoirs, even the king suspected it at first, but the inquiry he conducted revealed that it was the Chevalier de Lorraine and the Marquis d'Effiat who had poisoned her.
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
Sophia of Hanover
Sophia (born Princess Sophia of the Palatinate; – ) was Electress of Hanover from 19 December 1692 until 23 January 1698 as the consort of Prince-Elector Ernest Augustus. She was later the heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and ...
due to her parents' bad relationship. Throughout her life she would remain in contact with the Electress Sophia, writing some 50,000 letters that detailed life at the court of France. The Princess Palatine was Henrietta's first cousin once removed, since the latter's father,
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649.
Charles was born ...
, was the brother of Elisabeth Charlotte's paternal grandmother, Elizabeth Stuart.
Marriage with Princess Palatine Elizabeth Charlotte
Philippe married the nineteen-year-old Elizabeth Charlotte, who converted to Roman Catholicism, on 16 November 1671. She was not attractive, as Henrietta had been. When Philippe first saw her, he is said to have remarked, "How will I ever be able to sleep with her?"
Regent of France
A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. The following is a list of regents throughout history.
Regents in extant monarchies
Those who held a regency b ...
during the minority of
Louis XV
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), 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 maturity (then defi ...
. Elizabeth Charlotte acted as a mother to Philippe's children by Henrietta and maintained correspondence with them until her last days.
Battle of Cassel
Having already established himself as a successful military commander during the
in 1667, Philippe was eager to return to the field. In 1676 and 1677 he took part in sieges in Flanders, and was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
, which made him second-in-command to Louis XIV himself.
The most impressive victory won under Philippe's command took place on 11 April 1677: the Battle of Cassel against
William III, Prince of Orange
William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702), also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of County of Holland, Holland, County of Zeeland, Zeeland, Lordship of Utrecht, Utrec ...
, later the king of England and son of Philippe's own first cousin
Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Mary, Princess Royal (Mary Henrietta Stuart; 4 November 1631 – 24 December 1660), was a British princess, a member of the House of Stuart, and by marriage Princess of Orange and Countess of Nassau. She acted as regent for her minor s ...
. William decided to relieve some besieged towns; from
Ypres
Ypres ( ; ; ; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though
the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres/Ieper ...
he marched with 32,000 men through
Poperinge
Poperinge (; , ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, and has a history going back to medieval times. The municipality comprises ...
and Oxelaëre in the Cassel Valley. Philippe, who learned of his plans, arranged to meet William's forces at Penebeek between Noordpeene and Zuytpeene. Louis XIV sent him some 25,000 foot-soldiers and 9,000 cavalry from
Cambrai
Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river.
A sub-pref ...
under the command of Marshal Luxembourg. By nightfall there were 66,000 soldiers ready for battle. The Dutch attacked the French positions without scouting first. Marshal Luxembourg surprised the Dutch with a cavalry attack that practically destroyed three battalions and routed William's army. In all, casualties on both sides amounted to 4,200 dead and 7,000 wounded. Philippe was hailed for his skill as a military commander, much to the annoyance of his brother, the king. He was presumably jealous of Philippe's growing popularity at court as well as on the battlefield. In honor of his victory at Cassel, Philippe set up a Barnabite College in Paris. The campaign marked the end of his military career; he soon immersed himself once again in a life of pleasure.
Cultural expansion and property
From the time of the victory at Cassel until the 1690s, Philippe mainly concentrated his energies on the expansion of his estates, personal fortune, and art collection, including the renovation of his residences, the
and the Château de Saint-Cloud. The latter was his favorite residence, the home of an ever-expanding and "stormy" court. Philippe became an important patron of the artists Jean Nocret and
Pierre Mignard
Pierre Mignard or Pierre Mignard I (; 17 November 1612 – 30 May 1695), called "Mignard le Romain" to distinguish him from his brother Nicolas Mignard, was a French painter known for his religious and mythological scenes and portraits. He was a ...
Antoine Lepautre
Antoine Lepautre () or Le Pautre (1621–1679) was a French architect and engraver. Born in Paris, he was the brother of the prolific and inventive designer-engraver Jean Lepautre. Antoine Lepautre has been called "one of the most inventive archi ...
Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Gra ...
to design a grand staircase in the left wing in the manner of the Ambassadors' Staircase at Versailles. The gardens were redesigned by
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...
Noël Coypel
Noël Coypel (; 25 December 1628 – 24 December 1707) was a French Painting, painter, and was also called Coypel le Poussin, because he was heavily influenced by Poussin.
Biography
His father, Guyon Coypel, was an unsuccessful artist, original ...
had previously worked at the palace. In 1695, Philippe bought a small island in the
Seine
The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plat ...
directly opposite the château, which he renamed the "".
Philippe not only enjoyed architecture and court society, but also music and dancing; he was in fact famed for his exceptional dancing abilities. Philippe was a patron of musicians such as Jean-Henri d'Anglebert, Henri Dumont, Jacques-Antoine Arlaud and Marie Aubry, many of whom would stay part of his son's household after his death in 1701.
Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste Lully ( – 22 March 1687) was a French composer, dancer and instrumentalist of Italian birth, who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he spent most of his life working in the court o ...
'', one of the most important art collections ever assembled.
With the permission of the
Parlement of Paris
The ''Parlement'' of Paris () was the oldest ''parlement'' in the Kingdom of France, formed in the 14th century. Parlements were judicial, rather than legislative, bodies and were composed of magistrates. Though not representative bodies in the p ...
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
that connected the River
Loire
The Loire ( , , ; ; ; ; ) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône.
It rises in the so ...
, but as financial founder of a family whose monetary value would rival that of the main line 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 ...
Joinville
Joinville () is the largest city in Santa Catarina (state), Santa Catarina, in the Southern Brazil, Southern Region of Brazil. It is the third largest municipality in the southern region of Brazil, after the much larger state capitals of Curitib ...
, count of Dourdan, Mortain and Bar-sur-Seine and viscount of Auge and Domfront. In later life, Philippe was thus able to maintain his lavish lifestyle easily, and he found much satisfaction in the activities of his children and grandchildren. Both of his daughters by his first wife Henrietta married influential European sovereigns, eventually becoming
queens
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
Louis, Duke of Burgundy
Louis, Dauphin of France, Duke of Burgundy (6 August 1682 – 18 February 1712), was the eldest son of Louis, Grand Dauphin, and Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria and grandson of the reigning French king, Louis XIV. He is commonly known as le ...
, who was third in line to the throne. The two were married in 1697 and became the parents of
Louis XV
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), 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 maturity (then defi ...
. In 1701, Chartres was denied a position on the front in the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
stroke
Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
at noon 9 June 1701 at the age of sixty. Louis XIV, upon hearing his only sibling had died, said "I cannot believe I will never see my brother again." The Duchess of Burgundy, his granddaughter, was likewise distraught, avowing that she "had loved Monsieur very much". Philippe's heart was taken to the Val-de-Grâce convent on 14 June, and his body was taken on 21 June to the
Basilica of St Denis
The Basilica of Saint-Denis (, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building is of singular importance historically and archite ...
, was also greatly affected, the two having been very close. The widowed Elizabeth Charlotte continued to write frequently to her
daughter
A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state, condition or quality of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show r ...
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales (; ) is a title used since the 14th century by the wife of the Prince of Wales. The Princess is the apparent future queen consort, as "Prince of Wales" is a title reserved by custom for the heir apparent to the Monarchy of the ...
. She herself died at Saint-Cloud in December 1722, and was also buried at Saint-Denis.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649.
Charles was born ...
and
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ( French: ''Henriette Marie''; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from her marriage to King Charles I on 13 June 1625 until his execution on 30 January 1649. She was ...
Charles II of Spain
Charles II (6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700) was King of Spain from 1665 to 1700. The last monarch from the House of Habsburg, which had ruled Spain since 1516, he died without an heir, leading to a European Great Power conflict over the succ ...
Victor Amadeus II
Victor Amadeus II (; 14 May 166631 October 1732) was the head of the House of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 12 June 1675 until his abdication in 1730. He was the first of his house to acquire a royal crown, ruling first as King o ...
, Duke of Savoy (future king of Sardinia) and had issue
Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
Leopold the Good (11 September 1679 – 27 March 1729) was Duke of Lorraine and Bar from 1690 to his death. Through his son Francis Stephen, he is the direct male ancestor of all rulers of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty, including all Emperor ...