Louis, Dauphin of France (1661-1711)

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House of Bourbon
Henri IV
Sister
Catherine, duchesse de Lorraine
Children
Louis XIII
Elisabeth, Queen of Spain
Christine Marie, Duchess of Savoy
Nicholas Henri, duc d'Orléans
Gaston, duc d'Orléans
Henriette-Marie, Queen of England
Louis XIII
Children
Louis XIV
Philippe, duc d'Orléans
Louis XIV
Children
Louis, Dauphin
Anne-Élisabeth
Marie-Anne
Marie-Therèse
Philippe-Charles, duc d'Anjou
Louis-François, duc d'Anjou
Grandchildren
Louis, Dauphin
King Felipe V of Spain
Charles, duc de Berry
Great Grandchildren
Louis, Dauphin
Louis XV
Louis XV
Children
Louise-Elisabeth, duchesse de Parme
Madame Henriette
Louis, Dauphin
Madame Adélaïde
Madame Victoire
Madame Sophie
Madame Louise
Grandchildren
Marie Clotilde, Queen of Sardinia
Louis XVI
Louis XVIII
Charles X
Madame Élisabeth
Louis XVI
Children
Marie-Thérèse, duchesse d'Angouleme
Louis-Joseph, Dauphin
Louis XVII
Sophie-Beatrix
Louis XVII
Louis XVIII
Charles X
Children
Louis XIX
Charles, duc de Berry
Grandchildren
Henri V
Louise, duchesse de Parme
French monarchy, 843-1870
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Louis, Dauphin of France (known as The Great Dauphin, le Grand Dauphin in French) (1 November 1661 - 14 April 1711) was the eldest son and heir of King Louis XIV of France and Queen Marie-Thérèse of France. Born heir apparent to the King of France, Louis was styled "Dauphin of France" from the day of his birth. It was foretold at his birth that he would be 'son of a king, father of a king, but never a king' before he died. As the son of the king, he was a Fils de France.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Le Grand Dauphin 2 Marriage and issue 3 Ancestors 4 Image gallery 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Biography

Louis' grandparents were Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria, on his fathers side and Philip IV of Spain and Elisabeth of Bourbon, on his mother's side. Louis XIII of France and Elisabeth of Bourbon were siblings, the children of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici. Anna of Austria and Philip IV of Spain were siblings as well, the children of Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria. Thus, Louis' parents were double-first-cousins.

[edit] Le Grand Dauphin

Louis was called le Grand Dauphin not because of any "grandeur", but rather because of his large physical size. Born a year after the marriage of his parents, he received his education and was tutored by Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, the great French preacher and orator. Despite many indications and reports of intelligence, Louis unfortunately was perceived as very lazy and indolent—in fact, it was said that, when adult, Louis could pass a whole day simply tapping his cane against his foot in an armchair. Nonetheless, Louis was greatly popular in Paris and with the French people in general.

Although he was permitted to attend the Conseil d'en Haut, he did not play an important part in French politics but due to being Louis XIV's heir was constantly surrounded by cabals battling for future prominence. He was sent to the Rhineland front in the War of the Grand Alliance, where he succeeded, under the tutelage of Vauban, in taking Philippsburg, thus preventing the Imperials from invading Alsace. His involvement in international politics showed itself in the years leading up to the War of the Spanish Succession.

He gave up his rights to the Spanish throne (as inherited from his mother) in favour of his second son, Philippe, duc d'Anjou, later to be Philip V of Spain, so that the two kingdoms could be separate, a pre-requisite for King Charles II of Spain's leaving his territories to the Bourbons. In the discussions in Council regarding the French response to Charles II's last will and testament, which did indeed give his domains in their entirety to Philippe d'Anjou, Louis persuasively argued for acceptance.

Apart from ensuring the continuance of the senior French Bourbon line (Louis XV was his grandson) and the establishment of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty (through Anjou), he engaged in more leisurely pursuits and was esteemed for his magnificent collection of art at Versailles and his private establishment at Meudon. It was said that he hunted all wolves to extinction in the Île-de-France. He died of natural causes in 1711 at the age of fifty, predeceasing his father. It could be said that the prophecy was partly fulfilled; but his son never became King of France, his second son however became King of Spain.

[edit] Marriage and issue

Louis was wed to Maria Anna of Bavaria; their children included:

• Louis, duc de Bourgogne, later Dauphin, father of Louis XV of France
• Philip, duc d'Anjou, later King of Spain
• Charles, duc de Berry, Alençon and Angoulême, also Count of Ponthieu (b.1686-d.1714).

[edit] Ancestors

16. Antoine of Navarre

8. Henry IV of France

17. Jeanne III of Navarre

4. Louis XIII of France

18. Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

9. Marie de' Medici

19. Johanna of Austria

2. Louis XIV of France

20. Phillip II of Spain

10. Philip III of Spain

21. Anne of Austria

5. Anne of Austria

22. Charles II of Austria

11. Margaret of Austria

23. Maria Anna of Bavaria

1. Louis de France, Le Grand Dauphin

24. = 20. Philip II of Spain

12. = 10. Philip III of Spain

25. = 21. Anne of Austria

6. Philip IV of Spain

26. = 22. Charles II of Austria

13. = 11. Margaret of Austria

27. = 23. Maria Anna of Bavaria

3. Maria Theresa of Spain

28. = 16. Antoine of Navarre

14. = 8. Henry IV of France

29. = 17. Jeanne III of Navarre

7. Elisabeth of Bourbon

30. = 18. Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

15. = 9. Marie de' Medici

31. = 19. Johanna of Austria

[edit] Image gallery

The Great Dauphin

The Grand Dauphin

[edit] See also

• French monarchs family tree
• Delphin Classics

[edit] External links

• http://genealogy.euweb.cz

Louis, Dauphin of France (1661-1711) House of Bourbon Cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty Born: 1 November 1661 Died: 14 April 1711
Preceded by Louis	Dauphin of France 1 November 1661–14 April 1711	Succeeded by Louis, le Petit Dauphin