Philippe, Chevalier de Lorraine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Philippe
Chevalier de Lorraine
Born	1643
Died	8 December 1702 (aged 59) Paris, France
Issue Detail	Alexandre, Chevalier de Beauvernois
Full name Philippe de Lorraine
House	Guise
Father	Henri de Lorraine, comte d'Harcourt
Mother	Marguerite-Philippe du Cambout

Philippe of Lorraine (1643 – 8 December 1702) was a French nobleman. He was known as the Chevalier de Lorraine. Philippe was a member of the House of Guise, which was part of the larger House of Lorraine. He was a close companion and favorite of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, who was the brother of King Louis XIV.

Biography

Early Life and Family

Philippe was born in 1643. He was the second son of the Count and Countess of Harcourt. His father, Henri of Lorraine, became the Count of Harcourt in 1605. Henri also held an important royal position as the Grand Squire of France. This role meant he was in charge of the king's horses, transportation, and royal ceremonies. People often called him Monsieur le Grand.

Philippe's mother was Marguerite-Philippe du Cambout. Her family, the House of Cambout, was very old. They could trace their family history back to the Dukes of Brittany, who ruled from the 11th century to 1547.

Philippe's older brother was Louis, Count of Armagnac. Louis was the Count of Armagnac. He married Catherine de Neufville. Her father, Nicolas de Neufville de Villeroy, was a governor to the young King Louis XIV. Catherine's brother, François de Neufville de Villeroy, later became governor to King Louis XV.

Life at Court

Philippe was also the head, or Abbot, of four abbeys. These were Saint-Père-en-Vallée, Tiron, Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, and Saint-Jean-des-Vignes de Soissons.

In 1658, Philippe became a close companion of the duc d’Orléans. They lived at the duke's home, the Palais-Royal in Paris. At that time, the young Princess Henriette Anne of England lived there too. She was with her mother, Queen Henriette Marie. They had come to Paris after fleeing England during the English Civil War. The Palais-Royal was a place given to them to live.

In 1661, the duc d’Orléans married Henriette Anne. Philippe and Henriette later lived together in the same household. Philippe was a very close companion to the Duke. He had a difficult relationship with Henriette. The Duke even told Henriette Anne that he could not truly care for her without Philippe's approval. This made his first marriage a challenging one.

Challenges and Return

In January 1670, Henriette Anne convinced King Louis XIV to send Philippe away. He was first held near Lyon. Then he was moved to the island fortress of the Château d'If in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, he was sent to Rome. However, just one month later, the Duke of Orléans strongly protested. He pleaded with the King to allow Philippe to return. The King agreed, and Philippe rejoined the Duke's group.

Later in 1670, Henriette Anne died suddenly. Some people suspected Philippe had caused her death. However, an official examination showed that Henriette Anne died from a natural illness. It was caused by a problem with her stomach.

After being allowed back at court, Philippe was thought to have influenced a marriage. This was the marriage between the duc de Chartres and Mademoiselle de Blois in 1692. The duc de Chartres was the son of the duc d’Orléans and his second wife, Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. Elizabeth Charlotte did not get along with Philippe at all. She only "tolerated his existence." People like Henriette Anne and Elizabeth Charlotte believed that Philippe often influenced the duc d’Orléans.

Towards the end of his life, by 1701, Philippe de Lorraine had lost many of his belongings. He lost furniture from his apartment and his country home. He also lost much of the money he had received. However, he did manage to make peace with Elizabeth Charlotte.

It is also said that Philippe secretly married his cousin, Béatrice Hiéronyme de Lorraine. She was the Abbess of Remiremont.

Death

Philippe of Lorraine passed away in 1702. He was about 59 years old. He died from a sudden illness.

Portrayals in Media

Philippe has been shown in television shows:

• Versailles (2015 TV series), played by Evan Williams

Issue

• Alexandre, Chevalier de Beauvernois (? – after 1734), sometimes called the bâtard of Lorraine. He was an illegitimate son with Claude de Souches.

Ancestry

See also

In Spanish: Felipe de Lorena para niños