Bourbon du Maine
Encyclopedia
The House of Bourbon-Maine was an illegitimate branch of the House of Bourbon
, being thus part of the Capetian dynasty
. It was founded in 1672 when Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
was legitimised
by his father, King Louis XIV of France
.
.
Immediately after his birth in 1670, he was entrusted to the care of Madame Scarron
, one of his mother's acquaintances, who brought him to a private house on the rue de Vaugirard, close to the Luxembourg Palace, in Paris. In 1672, the king legitimised him and other younger siblings he had fathered with Mme de Montespan. At the time of his legitimation, Louis-Auguste received the title of duc du Maine.
In 1692, Louis Auguste married Anne-Louise-Bénédicte de Bourbon-Condé, the daughter of Henry III Jules de Bourbon, prince de Condé
.
The House of Bourbon-Maine became extinct at the death of Louis Charles de Bourbon, comte d'Eu. It had been in existence for just over a century.
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
, being thus part of the Capetian dynasty
Capetian dynasty
The Capetian dynasty , also known as the House of France, is the largest and oldest European royal house, consisting of the descendants of King Hugh Capet of France in the male line. Hugh Capet himself was a cognatic descendant of the Carolingians and the Merovingians, earlier rulers of France...
. It was founded in 1672 when Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Legitimé de France was the eldest legitimised son of the Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan...
was legitimised
Legitimation
Legitimation or legitimization is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology becomes legitimate by its attachment to norms and values within in given society...
by his father, King Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
.
History and Founder
Louis-Auguste, founder of the House of Bourbon-Maine, was the first-born illegitimate son of Louis XIV of France and his mistress, Madame de MontespanFrançoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children....
.
Immediately after his birth in 1670, he was entrusted to the care of Madame Scarron
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
, one of his mother's acquaintances, who brought him to a private house on the rue de Vaugirard, close to the Luxembourg Palace, in Paris. In 1672, the king legitimised him and other younger siblings he had fathered with Mme de Montespan. At the time of his legitimation, Louis-Auguste received the title of duc du Maine.
In 1692, Louis Auguste married Anne-Louise-Bénédicte de Bourbon-Condé, the daughter of Henry III Jules de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Henry III Jules de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Henri Jules de Bourbon, Prince of Condé was prince de Condé, from 1686 to his death. At the end of his life he suffered from clinical lycanthropy and was considered insane.-Biography:...
.
The Children of the duc du Maine
Louis-Auguste and his wife had seven children, only three of whom lived to adulthood. All died without issue.- Mademoiselle de Dombes, (11 September 1694 - 15 September 1694);
- Louis Constantin de Bourbon, prince de Dombes, (Château de Versailles, 17 November 1695 - 28 September 1698);
- Mademoiselle d'Aumale, (1697 - 24 August 1699);
- Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, prince de DombesLouis-Auguste, Prince of DombesLouis Auguste de Bourbon, Prince of Dombes was a grandson of Louis XIV of France and of his maîtresse-en-titre Françoise-Athénaïs de Montespan...
, (château de Versailles, 4 March 1700 - 1 October 1755); - Louis-Charles de Bourbon, comte d'EuLouis-Charles, Count of EuLouis Charles de Bourbon, Count of Eu was a grandson of Louis XIV of France and his Maîtresse-en-titre Françoise-Athénaïs de Montespan. He was a member of the legitimised house of Bourbon du Maine...
, (Château de SceauxChâteau de SceauxThe Château de Sceaux is a grand country house in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, not far from Paris, France. Located in a park laid out by André Le Nôtre, it houses the Musée de l’Île-de-France, a museum of local history. The former château was built for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's minister of...
, 15 October 1701 - château de Sceaux, 13 July 1775); - Charles de Bourbon, duc d'Aumale, (château de Versailles, 31 March 1704 - château de Sceaux, September 1708);
- Louise-Françoise de BourbonLouise-Françoise de Bourbon (1707–1743)Louise Françoise de Bourbon was a grand daughter of Louis XIV of France and his mistress Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, better known as Madame de Montespan...
, titled Mademoiselle du Maine, (château de Versailles, 4 December 1707 - Château d'AnetChâteau d'AnetThe Château d'Anet is a château near Dreux, France, built by Philibert de l'Orme from 1547 to 1552 for Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II of France...
, 19 August 1743).
The House of Bourbon-Maine became extinct at the death of Louis Charles de Bourbon, comte d'Eu. It had been in existence for just over a century.
Heads of the House
| Descendent | | Portrait | Birth | | Marriages | | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Légitimé de France Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Legitimé de France was the eldest legitimised son of the Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan... Duc du Maine 1672–1736 |
 |
31 March 1670 Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale .... son of Louis XIV of France Louis XIV of France Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days... and Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children.... |
Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon Palace of Versailles Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles.... 19 May 1692 7 children |
14 May 1736 Château de Sceaux Château de Sceaux The Château de Sceaux is a grand country house in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, not far from Paris, France. Located in a park laid out by André Le Nôtre, it houses the Musée de l’Île-de-France, a museum of local history. The former château was built for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's minister of... aged 66 |
| Louis Auguste de Bourbon, prince de Dombes 1736–1755 |
 |
4 March 1700 Versailles Versailles Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre... son of Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Legitimé de France was the eldest legitimised son of the Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan... and Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon |
never married | 1 October 1755 Fontainebleau Fontainebleau Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau... aged 55 |
| Louis Charles de Bourbon, comte d'Eu 1755–1775 |
5 October 1701 Château de Sceaux Château de Sceaux The Château de Sceaux is a grand country house in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, not far from Paris, France. Located in a park laid out by André Le Nôtre, it houses the Musée de l’Île-de-France, a museum of local history. The former château was built for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's minister of... son of Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Legitimé de France was the eldest legitimised son of the Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan... and Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon |
never married | 13 July 1775 Château de Sceaux Château de Sceaux The Château de Sceaux is a grand country house in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, not far from Paris, France. Located in a park laid out by André Le Nôtre, it houses the Musée de l’Île-de-France, a museum of local history. The former château was built for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's minister of... aged 73 |
|
Ancestry
Other Illegitimate Houses
- Bourbon-BussetBourbon-BussetThe Bourbon-Busset family is an illegitimate branch of the House of Bourbon, being thus agnatic descendants of the Capetian dynasty. Historically they have been regarded as non-dynastic since decisions rendered by Louis XI of France....
- Bourbon-VendômeBourbon-VendômeThe Bourbon-Vendôme family was an illegitimate branch of the senior line of the House of Bourbon, being thus part of the Capetian dynasty. It was founded by César de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme...
(extinct) - Bourbon-PenthièvreBourbon-PenthièvreThe House of Bourbon-Penthièvre was an illegitimate branch of the House of Bourbon, thus descending from the Capetian dynasty. It was founded by the duc de Penthièvre , the only child and heir of the comte de Toulouse, the youngest illegitimate son of Louis XIV of France and the marquise de...
(extinct, were cousins of the House of Bourbon-Maine through the duc du Maine's younger brother, the comte de ToulouseLouis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de ToulouseLouis Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse , duc de Penthièvre , d'Arc, de Châteauvillain and de Rambouillet , , was the son of Louis XIV and of his mistress Madame de Montespan...
)
See also
- Counts and Dukes of Maine