Bourbon-Vendôme facts for kids
The Bourbon-Vendôme family refers to two important branches of the House of Bourbon, a famous royal family in France. The first branch became the main legitimate line of the House of Bourbon in 1527. They eventually took over the throne of France in 1589 with Henry IV. Henry IV then created the second branch by giving the title of Duke of Vendôme to one of his sons who was "legitimized" (meaning he was born outside of marriage but officially recognized as a legal child).
Contents
The First Bourbon-Vendôme Family
| House of Bourbon-Vendôme |
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| Country: | France | ||
| Parent House: | Bourbon-La Marche | ||
| Titles: | *Count of Vendôme
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| Founder: | Louis de Bourbon | ||
| Founding Year: | 1393 | ||
| Dissolution: | Merged in the Crown (1589) | ||
The first Bourbon-Vendôme family started with Louis de Bourbon, Count of Vendôme (1376–1446). He was a younger son from the Bourbon-La Marche family. Louis became the Count of Vendôme because of his mother.
In 1514, the area of Vendôme was made into a "duchy-peerage" for Charles de Bourbon. This meant it was a very important noble title. By 1527, Charles had become the "first prince of the blood." This meant he was the most senior member of the royal family after the king's direct children.
Charles's son, Antoine, became the King of Navarre in 1555 through his marriage. When the main royal family line (the House of Valois) ended in 1589, Antoine's son Henry became the King of France. He was known as Henry IV, and he was the first king from the House of Bourbon. When he became king, his other titles, like Duke of Vendôme, "merged in the Crown," meaning they became part of the king's official titles.
The Second Bourbon-Vendôme Family
| House of Bourbon-Vendôme (Légitimé de France) |
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| Country: | France | ||
| Parent House: | Bourbon | ||
| Titles: | *Duke of Vendôme
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| Founder: | César de Bourbon | ||
| Founding Year: | 1598 | ||
| Dissolution: | 1727 | ||
The second Bourbon-Vendôme family came directly from the first one. It was started by César de Bourbon (1594–1665). He was the "legitimized" son of Henry IV and his mistress, Gabrielle d'Estrées.
César de Bourbon was born in 1594. His father, King Henry IV, made him the Duke of Vendôme in 1598. César's family continued to use this title for over a century.
In 1599, César also received the titles of Duke of Beaufort and Duke of Étampes after his mother passed away. When César de Bourbon died in 1665, his oldest son Louis (1612–1669) became the Duke of Vendôme. His second son François (1616–1669) became the Duke of Beaufort.
After the 4th Duke of Vendôme died in 1727, the title of Duke of Vendôme went back to the Crown. Later, it was used as a "courtesy title" (a title used out of politeness, not officially owned) by Louis-Stanislas, Count of Provence. He later became King Louis XVIII.
Key Members of the Second Family
- César de Bourbon, 1st Duke of Vendome (1594–1665). He married Françoise de Lorraine in 1608. She was the daughter of Philippe Emmanuel, Duke of Mercœur, who was a rival of César's father, Henry IV. César and Françoise had three children.
- Louis II de Bourbon-Vendôme, 2nd Duke of Vendôme (1612–1669). He married Laura Mancini, who was the niece of a powerful leader named Cardinal Mazarin. They had three children.
- Louis Joseph de Bourbon-Vendôme, 3rd Duke of Vendôme (1654–1712). He became a very important military leader called a Marshal of France. He married Marie Anne de Condé but they had no children. After he died, the titles went to his younger brother, Philippe.
- Philippe de Bourbon-Vendôme, 4th Duke of Vendôme (1655–1727). He was known as le prieur de Vendôme. He was a leader in the Order of Malta, a famous knightly order. He was also a French army commander. He held the title until he died in 1727.
- Jules César (1657–1660)
- Élisabeth de Bourbon (1614–1664). She was called mademoiselle de Vendôme before she married Charles Amadeus of Savoy.
- François de Bourbon-Vendôme, 1st Duke of Beaufort (1616–1669). He never married and had no children.
- Louis II de Bourbon-Vendôme, 2nd Duke of Vendôme (1612–1669). He married Laura Mancini, who was the niece of a powerful leader named Cardinal Mazarin. They had three children.
Gallery
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César de Bourbon, who started the second family
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Louis Joseph de Bourbon, the Duke of Vendôme, leading a military campaign in 1706
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See also
In Spanish: Casa de Borbón-Vendôme para niños
- [1] - A French website with more information about the family
