Louis, Grand Dauphin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louis |
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| Dauphin of France | |
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Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1697
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| Born | 1 November 1661 Château de Fontainebleau, France |
| Died | 14 April 1711 (aged 49) Château de Meudon, France |
| Burial | 28 April 1711 Royal Basilica of Saint Denis, France |
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| Issue Detail |
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| House | Bourbon |
| Father | Louis XIV |
| Mother | Maria Theresa of Spain |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Louis, Dauphin of France (born November 1, 1661 – died April 14, 1711), was often called the Grand Dauphin. He was the oldest son of King Louis XIV of France and his wife, Maria Theresa of Spain. As the eldest son, he was the heir apparent, meaning he was next in line to become king.
He was called the Grand Dauphin after his own son, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, was born. His son was then known as the Petit Dauphin. Sadly, both Louis and his son died before King Louis XIV. This meant neither of them ever became king. Instead, Louis's grandson became King Louis XV of France. His second son became King Philip V of Spain.
Contents
About Louis's Life
Louis was born on November 1, 1661, at the Château de Fontainebleau. He was the first son of Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Austria. They were also cousins. As a "Son of France" (Fils de France), he was called Royal Highness.
He was baptized on March 24, 1662, at the chapel of the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He was given his father's name, Louis. For this special event, Jean-Baptiste Lully composed a song called Plaude Laetare Gallia.
When Louis was very young, royal governesses took care of him. These included Julie d'Angennes and Louise de Prie de La Mothe-Houdancourt. At age seven, he began to be educated by men.
As an adult, Louis was known for being kind and generous. People in Paris and France liked him a lot. Louis was one of six children born to his parents. All his siblings died very young. His sister, Marie Thérèse, lived to be five years old. Louis was 11 when she died.
His father, King Louis XIV, thought Louis was not very active or like him. The King enjoyed hunting, and Louis did too, but that was one of the few things they shared.
Marriage Plans
King Louis XIV wanted to choose a good wife for his son. He considered princesses from other European royal families. One idea was Louis's cousin, Marie Louise d'Orléans. She was the daughter of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans and Princess Henrietta of England. Many people said Marie Louise and Louis were in love because they grew up together.
However, King Louis XIV decided to use Marie Louise to make a connection with Spain. He made her marry Charles II of Spain, who was Louis's half-uncle.
Louis was engaged to his second cousin, Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, when he was seven. She was one year older than him. When she arrived in France, some people thought she was not very pretty. But she was very smart and could speak French well, which made a good first impression.
They were married by a representative in Munich on January 28, 1680. The couple met for the first time on March 7, 1680, in Châlons-sur-Marne.
Role in Politics and Military
Louis was allowed to attend and later join the King's council (the Conseil d'en haut). But he did not play a very big part in French politics. Still, as the heir to the throne, many groups tried to get his favor for the future.
Louis enjoyed other activities, like collecting art. He had a wonderful art collection at Versailles and Meudon. King Louis XIV bought Meudon for him. Louis lived quietly at Meudon for the rest of his life. He was often with his two half-sisters, Marie Anne de Bourbon and the Princess of Condé. They were very close.
Military Actions
During the War of the Grand Alliance, Louis was sent to the Rhineland in 1688. There, he helped capture Philippsburg, a key bridgehead across the Rhine river. It was surrounded by swamps. Louis showed great bravery by visiting soldiers in the flooded trenches while under heavy fire. He wanted to see how the siege was going.
Louis's capture of Philippsburg stopped a large enemy army from crossing the Rhine and invading Alsace.
Spanish Succession
Louis's position in the King's council allowed him to share his opinions before the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis had claims to the Spanish throne through his mother. His uncle, Charles II of Spain, had no children and was dying. He needed to choose someone to inherit his throne. The main choices were from the French or Austrian royal families.
To help a Bourbon (French) family member become king of Spain, Louis gave up his own rights and his eldest son's rights. Instead, he supported his second son, Philip, Duke of Anjou. Philip was not expected to become King of France. This way, France and Spain would remain separate countries.
When Charles II's will left all Spanish lands to Philip, Louis strongly argued for accepting it. He disagreed with those who wanted to reject the will and follow a treaty that would have given him Naples, Sicily, and Tuscany.
Louis died from smallpox on April 14, 1711. He was 49 years old. He died before his father, King Louis XIV.
Literary Connection
The Delphin Classics was a large collection of Latin books. It was put together in the 1670s for Louis. "Delphin" comes from "dauphin." Thirty-eight scholars worked on this series.
Marriages and Children
Louis married Duchess Maria Anna of Bavaria on March 7, 1680. In France, she was known as Dauphine Marie Anne Victoire. Their marriage was not very close, but they had three sons. The Dauphine died in 1690.
In 1695, Louis secretly married his lover, Marie Émilie de Joly de Choin. His new wife did not become the Dauphine of France. They had a son who was sent away secretly. The child died at age two in 1697.
Issue
- Louis, Duke of Burgundy (August 16, 1682 – February 18, 1712). He was the Duke of Burgundy and later Dauphin of France. He married Maria Adelaide of Savoy. He was the father of the future Louis XV of France.
- Philip V, King of Spain (December 19, 1683 – July 9, 1746). He was the Duke of Anjou and later King of Spain. He married Maria Luisa of Savoy first, and then Elisabeth Farnese.
- Charles, Duke of Berry (July 31, 1686 – May 5, 1714). He was the Duke of Berry. He married Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans. They had children, but none lived past one year old.
Through his two older sons, Louis helped continue the Bourbon family line in France and start the Spanish Bourbon royal family.
Images for kids
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Louis's signature from 1695.
See also
In Spanish: Luis de Francia (1661-1711) para niños
