Henri II, Prince of Condé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henri II de Bourbon
Prince of Condé
Tenure	1 September 1588 – 26 December 1646
Predecessor	Henri I
Successor	Louis II
Born	1 September 1588 Saint-Jean-d'Angély, Saintonge, France
Died	26 December 1646(1646-12-26) (aged 58) Hôtel de Condé, Paris, France
Spouse	Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency
Issue Detail	Anne Geneviève, Duchess of Longueville Louis II, Prince of Condé Armand, Prince of Conti
Full name Henri de Bourbon
House	Bourbon-Condé
Father	Henri I, Prince of Condé
Mother	Charlotte Catherine de La Trémoille
Religion	Roman Catholicism
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Henri II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (born September 1, 1588 – died December 26, 1646) was an important French nobleman. He was the leader of a major branch of the House of Bourbon family for most of his life. For a few years, he was even next in line to become the King of France. Henri was the father of Louis, le Grand Condé, a very famous French general.

Henri's Early Life and Family

Henri was born in 1588. He was the third child and only son of Henri I, Prince of Condé and Charlotte Catherine de La Trémoille. His mother was in prison when he was born. She had been accused of a serious crime against her husband.

Henri had two older sisters. One was Catherine, who passed away young. The other was Éléonore de Bourbon, who married Philip William, Prince of Orange when she was 19.

Henri's father died almost six months before he was born. This meant Henri became the Prince of Condé very soon after his birth. The King of France officially recognized him as the new Prince.

Henri's mother stayed in prison for six years. She was never given a trial. Her family's pleas for help were not answered. She and her children were finally set free thanks to Jacques Auguste de Thou. He asked King Henry IV to help, who was a relative of young Henri.

Henri as a boy (Workshop of Jacob II de Gheyn) held at Chantilly Musée Condé

When King Henry III of France died in 1589, Henri was less than a year old. Henry IV of France became the new king. King Henry IV was Henri's father's first cousin.

Less than a year later, the new King's uncle, Cardinal Charles, passed away. At this point, Henri became the First Prince of the blood. This meant he was the closest male relative to the King. He was also the heir presumptive to the throne of France. He held this important position for twelve years. This changed when the future Louis XIII of France was born in 1601.

Henri was raised as a Catholic. This was because Pope Clement VIII insisted on it. Henri's father and grandfather had been leaders of the Calvinist Huguenots.

Henri's Personality and Challenges

Henri grew up at the royal court. However, he was never a favorite of the King. King Henry IV was suspicious of Henri because he could potentially claim the throne.

People at the time described Henri as "not very friendly." He was also quick to get upset. He liked hunting and military life much more than court life.

One person described his looks and personality: "He was small and thin. He had strong facial features, like most people from the Bourbon family. He had blond hair and a lively French spirit. He was smart, but sometimes careless about who he trusted. He could speak Latin and Italian, and a little Spanish. He knew a lot about religious and other writings. He was very devoted to the Catholic religion."

Henri's position at court became even harder because he was not very rich. Also, his mother's actions at court caused problems. This led to her being permanently sent away from court. Henri himself had to tell his mother the bad news.

Henri's Marriage and Escape

In 1609, Henri's marriage to Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency was arranged. Charlotte was the daughter of Henri I de Montmorency. Because Henri and Charlotte were first cousins, they needed special permission from the Pope to marry. This permission was given, and they married at Charlotte's father's home, Chantilly.

After the wedding, Henri did not bring his wife to court as the King expected. Instead, he took her to his country home in Muret. Charlotte stayed there under the care of Henri's mother. Charlotte wrote letters to her family, calling herself "the poor prisoner."

The King kept demanding that Henri bring his wife to court. Henri finally asked for permission to do so, which the King happily granted. But instead, Henri went to Muret. He had arranged a carriage and escaped with his wife to Brussels.

A few months later, in 1610, Henri had to move to Milan for safety. The Spanish government there was happy to help him. They did not want to hand him over to the French king. Henri lived in the palace of the viceroy of Milan, Count of Fuentes, who gave him bodyguards.

Meanwhile, in Brussels, Charlotte was encouraged by French diplomats. She signed a request to end her marriage to Henri. She said they had different personalities. Henri did not agree to the divorce. The situation was finally resolved when King Henry IV was assassinated.

Return to France and Later Life

After the King's death, Henri was free to return to France. He came back to Paris in July 1610. Many nobles, the young King Louis XIII, and the Queen Mother Marie de' Medici welcomed him. He was back in favor at court.

From 1612 to 1616, Henri was the Lieutenant General of New France. He was also made the governor of Berry.

Imprisonment

Henri was later accused of trying to become king through a secret plan. There was no clear proof, but Cardinal Richelieu had him arrested. Henri was imprisoned in the Bastille prison. His wife, Charlotte, chose to join him in prison.

Because Henri was in poor health, the couple was moved to Chateau de Vincennes. They sadly had a stillborn son during this time. It was feared Charlotte might also die. The couple had two more children who died at birth while they were imprisoned. They were finally released after their daughter Genevieve was born.

Henri's Place in Line to the Throne

Later, from 1611 to 1638, Henri was second in line to the throne of France. He was behind Gaston, Duke of Orleans. This was the time between the death of Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orleans in 1611 and the birth of the future Louis XIV of France in 1638.

Marriage and Children

A portrait of Henri II, Prince of Condé.

Henri II, Prince of Condé, Grand Veneur de France.

In 1609, Henri married Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency. She was the daughter of Henri I de Montmorency, Duke of Montmorency. In 1610, Marie de Médici, King Henry IV's wife, gave the Hôtel de Condé in Paris to Henri. This was part of a deal for his marriage to Charlotte. From then on, the Hôtel de Condé was the main home for the Princes of Condé until 1764.

Henri and Charlotte had three children:

• Anne Geneviève de Bourbon (1619–1679), who married Henri II d'Orléans, Duke of Longueville.
• Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (1621–1686), who became the famous French general known as le Grand Condé. The male line of the Princes of Condé ended in 1830.
• Armand de Bourbon, Prince of Conti (1629–1666), who married Anne Marie Martinozzi.

Henri's escape with his wife to Brussels and later Milan became part of a larger international conflict. This conflict was known as the War of the Jülich Succession. It was one of the events that led to the Thirty Years' War.

Succession and Titles