Chevalier de Lorraine
Encyclopedia
Philippe of Lorraine, called the Chevalier de Lorraine (1643 – 8 December 1702) was a French noble man and member of the House of Guise
, cadet of the Ducal house of Lorraine
. He was the renowned lover of Philippe de France, Monsieur
, brother of Louis XIV
.
, a prestigious charge of the royal stables, the transport of the king and his ceremonial entourage. He was known as Monsieur le Grand His mother, was a member of the old House of Cambout who traced their ancestry back to the Sovereign Dukes of Brittany (11th century–1547).
His oldest brother, Louis
, was Count of Armagnac
and husband of Catherine de Neufville, the youngest daughter of Nicolas de Neufville de Villeroy
, governor of a young Louis XIV. She was a sister of François de Neufville de Villeroy, the future governor of Louis XV.
Philippe was the Abbot of the Saint-Pierre in the Diocese of Chartres
.
Known to be as beautiful as an angel, Philippe became the lover of Monsieur in 1658 while living at the Palais-Royal in Paris where the young Princess Henriette Anne of England was living with her mother Queen Henriette Marie
. The two Henriettes had fled England due to the English Civil War
and had lived at the Palais-Royal as a grace and favour residence.
Lorraine and Henriette would later live together under closer circumstances; Monsieur married Henriette Anne at the Palais-Royal in 1661. Monsieur openly flaunted his affairs at court and especially his long term lover who was Lorraine. In 1670, Henriette Anne died suddenly at Saint-Cloud
and it was suspected that the Lorraine had been the murderer even though the autopsy performed reported that Henrietta-Anne had died of peritonitis
caused by a perforated ulcer
.
Monsieur even said to Henriette Anne that he could not love her without the permission of Lorraine.
Unsurprisingly, Monsieur's first marriage was not a happy one. In January 1670, his wife prevailed upon the King to imprison the chevalier, first near Lyon
, then in the Mediterranean island-fortress of the Château d'If
, and finally he was banished to Rome
. But by February Monsieur's protests and pleas persuaded the King to restore him to his brother's entourage.
In 1682, Lorraine was exiled again having been accused of seducing the young Count of Vermandois
(son of Louis XIV and Louise de La Vallière
) with his set (including the Prince of Conti
) and began practicing le vice italien
(the contemporary appellation for homosexuality).
Having been allowed to return to court, he was then blamed for helping to instigate the marriage between Philippe d'Orléans, duc de Chartres
and Mademoiselle de Blois
in 1692. Chartres was the son of Monsieur and his second wife Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
who did not get on with Lorraine at all and merely "tolerated his existence". Monsieur and Elizabeth Charlotte married in 1671.
According to Henriette Anne, Elizabeth Charlotte and Saint-Simon, Monsieur was frequently manipulated by Lorraine. Saint-Simon also said that he married his cousin Béatrice Hiéronyme de Lorraine
(1662–1738), Abbess of Remiremont.
Monsieur died in 1701; by the end of his own life, he had lost his collection of furniture at the Palais-Royal (much of which was from the Palatinate) the money from the abbey but he did reconcile with Elizabeth-Charlotte. He died in 1702 aged roughly 59 from fit of apoplexy
having laid with women the night before.
His niece, Marie de Lorraine
, was the Princess of Monaco, as the wife of Antonio I.
Lorraine has descendants, including the old Counts of Oeynhausen
and the Marquess of Alorna
.
House of Guise
The House of Guise was a French ducal family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion.The Guises were Catholic, and Henry Guise wanted to end growing Calvinist influence...
, cadet of the Ducal house of Lorraine
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
. He was the renowned lover of Philippe de France, Monsieur
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
, brother of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
.
Biography
Philippe de Lorraine was the second son of the Count and Countess of Harcourt. His father, Henri of Lorraine, was created the Count of Harcourt in 1605 aged 4. Henri was also the Grand Squire of FranceGrand Squire of France
The Grand Écuyer de France or Grand Squire of France or Grand Equerry of France was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France and a member of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime. The name "écuyer", the French word for squire, is the origin for the French word "écurie" and the...
, a prestigious charge of the royal stables, the transport of the king and his ceremonial entourage. He was known as Monsieur le Grand His mother, was a member of the old House of Cambout who traced their ancestry back to the Sovereign Dukes of Brittany (11th century–1547).
His oldest brother, Louis
Louis, Count of Armagnac
Louis of Lorraine was the Count of Armagnac from his father's death in 1666. The Grand Squire of France, he was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Guise, itself a cadet branch of the sovereign House of Lorraine...
, was Count of Armagnac
Count of Armagnac
The following is a list of rulers of the county of Armagnac:-House of Armagnac:*William Count of Fézensac and Armagnac ?– 960*Bernard the Suspicious, First count privative of Armagnac 960– ?*Gerald I Trancaléon ? –1020*Bernard I Tumapaler 1020–1061...
and husband of Catherine de Neufville, the youngest daughter of Nicolas de Neufville de Villeroy
Nicolas de Neufville de Villeroy
Nicolas V de Neufville de Villeroy was a French nobleman and marshal of France. He was marquis then 1st duke of Villeroy and peer of France, marquis d'Alincourt and lord of Magny, and acted as governor of the young Louis XIV. His son François succeeded him as duke...
, governor of a young Louis XIV. She was a sister of François de Neufville de Villeroy, the future governor of Louis XV.
Philippe was the Abbot of the Saint-Pierre in the Diocese of Chartres
Roman Catholic Diocese of Chartres
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chartres is a Roman Catholic Latin Rite diocese in France.The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tours.-Pilgrimages:...
.
Known to be as beautiful as an angel, Philippe became the lover of Monsieur in 1658 while living at the Palais-Royal in Paris where the young Princess Henriette Anne of England was living with her mother Queen Henriette Marie
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
. The two Henriettes had fled England due to the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and had lived at the Palais-Royal as a grace and favour residence.
Lorraine and Henriette would later live together under closer circumstances; Monsieur married Henriette Anne at the Palais-Royal in 1661. Monsieur openly flaunted his affairs at court and especially his long term lover who was Lorraine. In 1670, Henriette Anne died suddenly at Saint-Cloud
Château de Saint-Cloud
The Château de Saint-Cloud was a Palace in France, built on a magnificent site overlooking the Seine at Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine, about 10 kilometres west of Paris. Today it is a large park on the outskirts of the capital and is owned by the state, but the area as a whole has had a large...
and it was suspected that the Lorraine had been the murderer even though the autopsy performed reported that Henrietta-Anne had died of peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
caused by a perforated ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
.
Monsieur even said to Henriette Anne that he could not love her without the permission of Lorraine.
Unsurprisingly, Monsieur's first marriage was not a happy one. In January 1670, his wife prevailed upon the King to imprison the chevalier, first near Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, then in the Mediterranean island-fortress of the Château d'If
Château d'If
The Château d'If is a fortress located on the island of If, the smallest island in the Frioul Archipelago situated in the Mediterranean Sea about a mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille in southeastern France...
, and finally he was banished to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. But by February Monsieur's protests and pleas persuaded the King to restore him to his brother's entourage.
In 1682, Lorraine was exiled again having been accused of seducing the young Count of Vermandois
Louis de Bourbon, comte de Vermandois
Louis de Bourbon, Légitimé de France, Count of Vermandois was the eldest surviving son of Louis XIV of France and his mistress Louise de La Vallière....
(son of Louis XIV and Louise de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière was a mistress of Louis XIV of France from 1661 to 1667. She later became the Duchess of La Vallière and Duchess of Vaujours in her own right...
) with his set (including the Prince of Conti
François Louis, Prince of Conti
François Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was Prince de Conti, succeeding his brother Louis Armand I, Prince of Conti in 1685. Until this date he used the title of Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon. He was son of Armand de Bourbon and Anne Marie Martinozzi, niece of Cardinal Jules Mazarin...
) and began practicing le vice italien
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
(the contemporary appellation for homosexuality).
Having been allowed to return to court, he was then blamed for helping to instigate the marriage between Philippe d'Orléans, duc de Chartres
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
and Mademoiselle de Blois
Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
Françoise Marie de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was the youngest legitimised daughter of Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan. Originally known as the second Mademoiselle de Blois, that style eventually gave way to the name Françoise Marie de...
in 1692. Chartres was the son of Monsieur and his second wife Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine was a German princess and the wife of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, younger brother of Louis XIV of France. Her vast correspondence provides a detailed account of the personalities and activities at the court of her brother-in-law, Louis XIV...
who did not get on with Lorraine at all and merely "tolerated his existence". Monsieur and Elizabeth Charlotte married in 1671.
According to Henriette Anne, Elizabeth Charlotte and Saint-Simon, Monsieur was frequently manipulated by Lorraine. Saint-Simon also said that he married his cousin Béatrice Hiéronyme de Lorraine
Béatrice Hiéronyme de Lorraine
Béatrice Hiéronyme de Lorraine was a member of the House of Lorraine and was the Abbess of Remiremont. She was a member of the household of Le Grand Dauphin and was the supposed wife of her cousin the Chevalier de Lorraine...
(1662–1738), Abbess of Remiremont.
Monsieur died in 1701; by the end of his own life, he had lost his collection of furniture at the Palais-Royal (much of which was from the Palatinate) the money from the abbey but he did reconcile with Elizabeth-Charlotte. He died in 1702 aged roughly 59 from fit of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
having laid with women the night before.
His niece, Marie de Lorraine
Marie of Lorraine
Marie of Lorraine was a princess of the House of Lorraine and Princess of Monaco as wife of Antonio I of Monaco. She was the mother of Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi, the only sovereign Princess of Monaco....
, was the Princess of Monaco, as the wife of Antonio I.
Lorraine has descendants, including the old Counts of Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen is a spa town in the Minden-Lübbecke district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Geography :Bad Oeynhausen is located on the banks of the Weser river, which runs along the eastern edges of the town. Bad Oeynhausen has the world's highest carbonated, thermal saltwater fountain,...
and the Marquess of Alorna
Marquis of Alorna
Marquis of Alorna was a Portuguese title of nobility granted, in 9 November 1748, by King John V of Portugal, to D. Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal e Vasconcelos, 3rd Count of Assumar and 44th viceroy of India....
.
Issue
- Alexandre bâtard of Lorraine, Chevalier de Beauvernois (? – Post 1734) illegitimate son with Claude de Souches
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 1643 – 8 December 1702 His Highness the Chevalier de Lorraine