Philippe I of Orleans (original) (raw)

Philippe I, Duke of Orleans (September 21, 1640 - June 8, 1701) was the son of the Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria, and brother of Louis XIV of France.

He was born at St Germain-en-Laye. In 1661 he was created duke of Orleans, and married Henrietta Anne Stuart, sister of Charles II of England; but the marriage was not a happy one, and the death of the duchess in 1670 was attributed to poison. Subsequently he married Charlotte Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Louis, elector palatine of the Rhine.

Having fought with distinction in Flanders in 1667, Monsieur, as Orleans was generally called, returned to military life in 1672, and in 1677 gained a great victory at Cassel and took St Omer. Louis XIV, it was said, was jealous of his brother's success; at all events Orleans never commanded an army again.

He died at St Cloud.

Children include

With Henrietta Anne:

• Marie Louise (1662-1689), wife of Charles II of Spain. She died before her father.
• Philippe Charles, Duke of Valois (1664-1666)
• Anne Marie (1669-1728), first wife of Victor Amadeus II of Savoy, whom she maried in 1679

With Charlotte Elizabeth:

• Philip, the regent Orleans (1674-1723)
• Elizabeth Charlotte (1676-1744), wife of Leopold, duke of Lorraine
  • their son became Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (1708-1765) - father of Marie Antoinette (1755-1793)

Initial text from a 1911 Encyclopaedia. Please update as needed.