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Philippe I, Duke of Orléans

Philippe I
Philippe of France, Duke of Orléans and only brother of Louis XIV, bearing the cross of the Order of the Holy Spirit.jpg
Philippe wearing the Order of the Holy Spirit
Duke of Orléans
Tenure 10 May 1661 – 9 June 1701
Successor Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Born (1640-09-21)21 September 1640
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Died 9 June 1701(1701-06-09) (aged 60)
Château de Saint-Cloud, France
Burial 21 June 1701
Basilica of St Denis, France
Spouse Henrietta of England
Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine
Issue
Detail
Marie Louise, Queen of Spain
Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Élisabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Lorraine
Full name
Philippe de France
House Orléans
Bourbon
Father Louis XIII of France
Mother Anne of Austria
Religion Roman Catholic
Signature
Full name
Philippe de France

Philippe I, Duke of Orléans (21 September 1640 – 9 June 1701), was the younger son of Louis XIII of France and his wife, Anne of Austria. His older brother was Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston in 1660. In 1661, Philippe also received the dukedoms of Valois and Chartres. Following Philippe's victory in battle in 1671, Louis XIV added the dukedom of Nemours, the marquisates of Coucy and Folembray, and the countships of Dourdan and Romorantin. During the reign of his brother he was known simply as Monsieur, the traditional style at the court of France for the younger brother of the king.

Unabashedly effeminate and homosexual, he nonetheless fulfilled his dynastic duty by marrying twice and begetting several children. In fact, he was the founder of the House of Orléans, a cadet branch of the ruling House of Bourbon, and thus the direct ancestor of Louis Philippe I, who ruled France from 1830 until 1848 in the July Monarchy. Through the children of his two marriages, Philippe became an ancestor of most modern-day Roman Catholic royalty, giving him the nickname of "the grandfather of Europe". Philippe's other achievements include his decisive victory as military commander at the Battle of Cassel in 1677. Through careful personal administration, Philippe greatly augmented the fortunes of the House of Orléans.


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