Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon |
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The Duke and Duchess of Chartres with the future Louis Philippe I and the Duke of Montpensier
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| Duchess of Orléans | |||||
| Tenure | 18 November 1785 – 6 November 1793 | ||||
| Born | 13 March 1753 Hôtel de Toulouse, Paris, France |
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| Died | 27 June 1821 (aged 68) Château d'Ivry-sur-Seine, France |
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| Burial | Royal Chapel of Dreux, Dreux, France | ||||
| Spouse | Philippe d'Orléans | ||||
| Issue Detail |
Louis Philippe, King of the French Antoine, Duke of Montpensier Adélaïde, Princess of Orléans Louis Charles, Count of Beaujolais |
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| House | House of Orléans | ||||
| Father | Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon | ||||
| Mother | Maria Teresa d'Este | ||||
| Signature |  |
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Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon (born March 13, 1753 – died June 23, 1821) was a French princess. She was the daughter of Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre and Maria Teresa d'Este. When her brother, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, died, she became the richest heiress in France. She married the future Philippe Égalité. Louise Marie Adélaïde was also the mother of Louis Philippe I, who became the last king of France. Through her marriage, she became a princess of the blood.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Marie-Adélaïde was born on March 13, 1753, in Paris at the Hôtel de Toulouse. When she was very young, people called her Mademoiselle d'Ivoy. Later, until she got married, she was known as Mademoiselle de Penthièvre. This title came from the duchy her father inherited. Her older sister, Marie Louise de Bourbon, also used the title Mademoiselle de Penthièvre before she passed away. Marie-Adélaïde grew up in a convent called the Abbaye de Montmartre, which had a view of Paris.
Marriage and Family Life
When her only brother, the Prince of Lamballe, died in 1768, Marie Adélaïde became the heiress to a huge fortune. This made her the wealthiest person in France. Her marriage to Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans, the Duke of Chartres, had been discussed before. Her father, the Duke of Penthièvre, saw this as a chance for his daughter to marry into a very important royal family.
At first, the Orléans family did not want to marry into a branch of the royal family that was not directly in line for the throne. However, their minds changed when Marie Adélaïde inherited such a large fortune. Even though Marie Adélaïde was very fond of her cousin, King Louis XV warned her father against the marriage. The King knew that the young Duke of Chartres was not always faithful.
Their wedding took place at the famous Palace of Versailles on April 5, 1769.
In the early days of their marriage, the couple seemed very happy together. But soon, the Duke returned to his old habits and was not faithful. In 1772, he started a secret friendship with one of his wife's ladies-in-waiting, Madame de Genlis. This friendship cooled down after a few months. However, Madame de Genlis remained a trusted friend to both Marie Adélaïde and Philippe. They valued her intelligence. In 1779, she became the governess for their twin daughters.
Life During the French Revolution
In April 1791, Marie Adélaïde left her husband and moved to live with her father in Normandy. In September 1792, her husband, the Duke of Orléans, supported the French Revolution. He was elected to the National Convention and changed his name to Philippe Égalité. He joined a radical group called The Mountain. However, other political groups, like the Girondists, were suspicious of all members of the Bourbon royal family. They wanted them to be sent away from France.
The fate of the Orléans family became clear when Marie-Adélaïde's oldest son, the Duke of Chartres, sought safety with the Austrians in March 1793. On April 6, all members of the Orléans family still in France were arrested.
Philippe Égalité and his son, the Count of Beaujolais, were first held in the Abbey prison in Paris. Later, they were moved to a prison in Marseille. They were soon joined by another son, the Duke of Montpensier. Just before his father and brothers were arrested, the Duke of Chartres went to Tournai. His sister Adélaïde and Madame de Genlis had been living there since Philippe Égalité sent them away in November 1792.
After her husband was executed, Marie-Adélaïde became known as "Veuve Égalité" (Widow Égalité). She was imprisoned at the Luxembourg Palace, which was used as a prison during the Revolution. There, she met Jacques-Marie Rouzet, a former member of the National Convention. They remained together and lived in Paris until 1797. At that time, a new law forced all remaining members of the House of Bourbon to leave France.
Marie Adélaïde was sent to Spain, along with her sister-in-law Bathilde d'Orléans. Rouzet went with them to the Spanish border and secretly joined them in Barcelona. He became her trusted advisor.
Marie Adélaïde, Rouzet, and the Orléans family members who were exiled in Spain returned to France in 1814. This was during the first Bourbon Restoration, when the monarchy was brought back. After many legal battles that lasted until her death, she got most of her inheritance back. She passed away in her castle at Ivry-sur-Seine after suffering from breast cancer. She was buried at the Chapelle royale de Dreux.
Understanding Her Name
Sometimes, people incorrectly call the princess Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon-Penthièvre. This is not right. Her own signature, shown above, proves this.
Her Children
- A daughter (born October 10, 1771) who died at birth.
- Louis Philippe I (1773–1850), who had children.
- Antoine Philippe, Duke of Montpensier (1775–1807), who did not marry.
- Françoise d'Orléans (1777–1782), who died as a young child.
- Adélaïde d'Orléans (1777–1847), who did not marry.
- Louis Charles, Count of Beaujolais (1779–1808), who did not marry.
Titles and Styles
- March 13, 1753 – September 25, 1753: Mademoiselle d'Ivoy
- September 25, 1753 – April 5, 1769: Mademoiselle de Penthièvre
- April 5, 1769 – November 18, 1785: Her Serene Highness The Duchess of Chartres
- November 18, 1785 – November 6, 1793: Her Serene Highness The Duchess of Orléans
- November 6, 1793 – June 27, 1821: Her Serene Highness The Dowager Duchess of Orléans
Images for kids
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La famille du Duc de Penthièvre, or La tasse de chocolat, painting by Jean-Baptiste Charpentier le Vieux (1768). From left to right, seated: Duc de Penthièvre; prince de Lamballe; Princesse de Lamballe, Comtesse de Toulouse; standing in background: Mlle de Penthièvre.
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The Palais du Luxembourg where Marie-Adélaïde was imprisoned from November 1793 to July 1794.
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The Duchess of Chartres by Charles Lepeintre, 1786.
See also
In Spanish: Luisa María Adelaida de Borbón para niños
