Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, prince de Lamballe
Encyclopedia
Louis Alexandre de Bourbon (Louis Alexandre Joseph Stanislas; 6 September 1747 – 6 May 1768) was the son and heir of Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, grandson of Louis XIV
by the king's legitimised son, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon. He was known as the Prince of Lamballe from birth. He was the husband of Princess Maria Luisa of Savoy
, who after his death became a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette
, and was brutally murdered during the French Revolution
. He pre-deceased his father, and died childless.
(now the seat of the Banque de France, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris), the Paris
residence of his family. His father, the Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, duc de Penthièvre, was the only legitimate child of Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, the youngest legitimised
son of King Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan
. His mother, Princess Maria Teresa Felicity of Modena
, the daughter of the Duke of Modena, also a descendant of Madame de Montespan, and related to the House of Orléans
. The prince de Lamballe, as he was known all his life, was the couple's only surviving son. He was one of seven children.
At the death of his older brother Louis Marie de Bourbon
, the Prince of Lamballe became the heir to the Penthièvre fortune, much of which had been extorted
by Louis XIV from his childless cousin la Grande Mademoiselle, and bestowed upon Louis XIV's legitimised elder son, Louis Auguste de Bourbon
, duc du Maine. His title, prince de Lamballe, came from one of the seigneuries
owned by his father; it was neither a sovereign princedom nor a legal title. Rather, it was a titre de courtoisie
. His mother died in childbirth in 1754 at the age of twenty-seven.
. The wedding celebration lasted from 17 January 1767, until 27 January with feasts in Turin
and Nangis
. Prior to the wedding, Louis Alexandre eager to see his future bride, went secretly where Maria Teresa was staying. He met her disguised as a simple country servant and offered her a bouquet of flowers in his "master's" name. During the wedding ceremony the next day, the princess was shocked to discover that the humble man from the previous day was in fact the prince himself. After the ceremony, for their honeymoon, Louis Alexandre and his bride stayed at the Château de Nangis
. His father had specifically chosen Maria Teresa as his son's wife due to her renowned piety and beauty. He thought that such a spouse would help make his son change his libertine lifestyle.
Princess Maria Luisa was the sixth child of the Prince of Carignan
and his German wife Landgravine Christine Henriette of Hesse-Rotenburg
, the sister of the late Princess of Condé
. After three months of happiness, Louis Alexandre, a jaded hedonist, soon tired of his young wife and resumed his life of débaucherie. He eloped with Mademoiselle de La Chassaigne, an opera dancer, five months into his marriage. At one point, Louis Alexandre even sold his wife's diamonds to raise money to pay his debts.
in the arms of his ever dutiful wife. He died without any issue.,. At his death, his father requested that the Gazette de France post a small note for the deceased prince:
He was buried in the family crypt in 13th-century Saint-Lubin church of the village of Rambouillet
near the Château de Rambouillet
, his father's favorite residence. In 1783, the duc de Penthièvre sold the domain of Rambouillet
to his cousin, King Louis XVI
. On November 25 of that year, in a long religious procession, Penthièvre transferred the nine caskets containing the remains of his parents, the comte and the comtesse de Toulouse, his wife, Maria Teresa d'Este, and six of their seven children, from the small medieval village church of Rambouillet, to the chapel of the Collégiale Saint-Étienne in Dreux
.
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...
by the king's legitimised son, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon. He was known as the Prince of Lamballe from birth. He was the husband of Princess Maria Luisa of Savoy
Princess Marie Louise of Savoy
Maria Luisa of Savoy was a member of the House of Savoy. She was married at the age of 16 to Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, Prince de Lamballe, the heir to the greatest fortune in France. After her marriage, which lasted a year, she went to court and became the confidante of Queen Marie Antoinette...
, who after his death became a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
, and was brutally murdered during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He pre-deceased his father, and died childless.
Biography
Louis Alexandre was born on 6 September 1747, at the Hôtel de ToulouseHôtel de Toulouse
The Hôtel de Toulouse, former Hôtel de La Vrillière, situated 1 rue de La Vrillière, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, was built between 1635 and 1640 by François Mansart, for Louis Phélypeaux, seigneur de La Vrillière....
(now the seat of the Banque de France, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris), the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
residence of his family. His father, the Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, duc de Penthièvre, was the only legitimate child of Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, the youngest legitimised
Legitimation
Legitimation or legitimization is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology becomes legitimate by its attachment to norms and values within in given society...
son of King Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan
Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children....
. His mother, Princess Maria Teresa Felicity of Modena
Maria Teresa d'Este
Maria Teresa Felicitas d'Este was born a Princess of Modena and was by marriage the Duchess of Penthièvre. She was the mother-in-law of Philippe Égalité and thus the grandmother to the future Louis-Philippe of France.-Life:...
, the daughter of the Duke of Modena, also a descendant of Madame de Montespan, and related to the House of Orléans
House of Orleans
Orléans is the name used by several branches of the Royal House of France, all descended in the legitimate male line from the dynasty's founder, Hugh Capet. It became a tradition during France's ancien régime for the duchy of Orléans to be granted as an appanage to a younger son of the king...
. The prince de Lamballe, as he was known all his life, was the couple's only surviving son. He was one of seven children.
At the death of his older brother Louis Marie de Bourbon
Louis Marie, Duke of Rambouillet
Louis Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Rambouillet was a French prince and child of the eldest son of the Duke of Penthièvre...
, the Prince of Lamballe became the heir to the Penthièvre fortune, much of which had been extorted
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
by Louis XIV from his childless cousin la Grande Mademoiselle, and bestowed upon Louis XIV's legitimised elder son, Louis Auguste de Bourbon
Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine
Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Legitimé de France was the eldest legitimised son of the Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Madame de Montespan...
, duc du Maine. His title, prince de Lamballe, came from one of the seigneuries
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
owned by his father; it was neither a sovereign princedom nor a legal title. Rather, it was a titre de courtoisie
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
. His mother died in childbirth in 1754 at the age of twenty-seven.
Marriage
His father chose his bride, the Italian born Princess Maria Teresa Louisa of SavoyPrincess Marie Louise of Savoy
Maria Luisa of Savoy was a member of the House of Savoy. She was married at the age of 16 to Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, Prince de Lamballe, the heir to the greatest fortune in France. After her marriage, which lasted a year, she went to court and became the confidante of Queen Marie Antoinette...
. The wedding celebration lasted from 17 January 1767, until 27 January with feasts in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and Nangis
Nangis
Nangis is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
. Prior to the wedding, Louis Alexandre eager to see his future bride, went secretly where Maria Teresa was staying. He met her disguised as a simple country servant and offered her a bouquet of flowers in his "master's" name. During the wedding ceremony the next day, the princess was shocked to discover that the humble man from the previous day was in fact the prince himself. After the ceremony, for their honeymoon, Louis Alexandre and his bride stayed at the Château de Nangis
Château de Nangis
The Château de Nangis, also called Château de La Motte Nangis, is a modernised castle located in the heart of the town of Nangis, in the Seine-et-Marne département of France. It protected the population of the "seigneurie" during the Hundred Years' War...
. His father had specifically chosen Maria Teresa as his son's wife due to her renowned piety and beauty. He thought that such a spouse would help make his son change his libertine lifestyle.
Princess Maria Luisa was the sixth child of the Prince of Carignan
Louis Victor, Prince of Carignan
Louis Victor of Savoy was a northern Italian nobleman and the Prince of Carignano from 1741 till his death.-Biography:...
and his German wife Landgravine Christine Henriette of Hesse-Rotenburg
Landgravine Christine Henriette of Hesse-Rotenburg
Christine of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg was a princess of the German dynasty of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg...
, the sister of the late Princess of Condé
Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Rotenburg
Princess Caroline of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg was the consort of Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon.-Biography:Born at Rotenburg an der Fulda in Hesse, Germany, she was the daughter of Ernest Leopold, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg, head of the Roman Catholic branch of the House of Hesse, by his wife...
. After three months of happiness, Louis Alexandre, a jaded hedonist, soon tired of his young wife and resumed his life of débaucherie. He eloped with Mademoiselle de La Chassaigne, an opera dancer, five months into his marriage. At one point, Louis Alexandre even sold his wife's diamonds to raise money to pay his debts.
Death
After a dissipated short life, Louis Alexandre died on 6 May 1768, sixteen months after his marriage, of a venereal disease at the Château de LouveciennesChâteau de Louveciennes
The Château de Louveciennes in Louveciennes, in the Yvelines department of France, is composed of the château itself, constructed at the end of the 17th century. It was then expanded and redecorated by Ange-Jacques Gabriel for Madame du Barry in the 18th century, and the music pavilion was...
in the arms of his ever dutiful wife. He died without any issue.,. At his death, his father requested that the Gazette de France post a small note for the deceased prince:
Louis Alexander Joseph Stanislas de Bourbon, Prince de Lamballe, first huntsman of France, died at the Château de Louveciennes, near Versailles, the 6th of this month, at half-past eight o'clock in the morning, aged twenty years and eight months. He was born the 6th of September, 1747. He was married the 17th of January, 1767, to Marie Thérèse Louise de Carignan. We cannot too highly commend the sentiments of piety and resignation and the courage which this prince showed during his long illness, up to the last moments of his life. On account of his death the court will wear mourning for ten days.
He was buried in the family crypt in 13th-century Saint-Lubin church of the village of Rambouillet
Rambouillet
Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
near the Château de Rambouillet
Château de Rambouillet
The château de Rambouillet is a castle in the town of Rambouillet, Yvelines department, in the Île-de-France region in northern France, southwest of Paris...
, his father's favorite residence. In 1783, the duc de Penthièvre sold the domain of Rambouillet
Château de Rambouillet
The château de Rambouillet is a castle in the town of Rambouillet, Yvelines department, in the Île-de-France region in northern France, southwest of Paris...
to his cousin, King Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
. On November 25 of that year, in a long religious procession, Penthièvre transferred the nine caskets containing the remains of his parents, the comte and the comtesse de Toulouse, his wife, Maria Teresa d'Este, and six of their seven children, from the small medieval village church of Rambouillet, to the chapel of the Collégiale Saint-Étienne in Dreux
Dreux
Dreux is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-History:Dreux was known in ancient times as Durocassium, the capital of the Durocasses Celtic tribe. Despite the legend, its name was not related with Druids. The Romans established here a fortified camp known as Castrum...
.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 6 September 1747 – 6 May 1768 His Serene Highness the Prince of Lamballe