Louis-Charles, Count of Eu
Encyclopedia
Louis Charles de Bourbon, Count of Eu (October 15, 1701 – July 13, 1775) was a grandson of Louis XIV of France
and his Maîtresse-en-titre
Françoise-Athénaïs de Montespan
. He was a member of the legitimised house of Bourbon du Maine
. He was the last surviving member of the house.
near Versailles
on October 15, 1701, he was the yongest and last surviving son of Louis Auguste de Bourbon
, the duc du Maine and his wife, the salon hostess Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon.
He grew up with his elder brother, Louis-Auguste (known as the prince de Dombes and was very close to him and his younger sister Louise Françoise de Bourbon
(1707–1743), known as Mademoiselle du Maine.
Like his siblings he remained unmarried and childless all his life. On his father's death in 1736 he gained the title of Duke of Aumale. He was also made the Grand Maître de l'artillerie de France (Grand Master of the Artillery of France) which was a post that his father had also held.
It was his elder brother who was his father's main heir. On his brother's death in 1755 as a result of a duel, Louis Charles was his brother's heir and thus became the head of the House of Bourbon du Maine. He inherited the family titles; prince de Dombes (1755–1762), prince d'Anet, duc de Gisors, comte de Dreux and baron de Sceaux. From his brothers death he also inherited the famed Governorship of Languedoc
and his brothers many Châteaux.
Like his elder brother he was little seen at court and preferred to hunt on his estate of the Château d'Anet
.
In March 1762 he exchanged with Louis XV the very profitable principality of the Dombes for the duchy of Gisors and lands of Gretz-Armainvilliers et de Pontcarré.
Like his cousin, the famously generous and wealthy Duke of Penthièvre, Louis-Charles was popular with the people of France as a result of his charitable doings. Again in 1773, he offered to sell the Duchy of Aumale, County of Eu and the lands of Anet to Louis XV. The sum agreed was a vast 12 Million Livres.
It was at Sceaux that Louis Charles died at the age of 73 in October 1775. As he never had any children, he did not have an heir to the large Bourbon du Maine fortune. As a result, his chosen heir was his younger cousin the Duke of Penthièvre -son of the Count of Toulouse
, the youngest brother of the duc du Maine.
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...
and his Maîtresse-en-titre
Maîtresse-en-titre
The maîtresse-en-titre was the chief mistress of the king of France. It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments. The title really came into use during the reign of Henry IV and continued until the reign of Louis XV....
Françoise-Athénaïs 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....
. He was a member of the legitimised house of Bourbon du Maine
Bourbon du Maine
The House of Bourbon-Maine was an illegitimate branch of the House of Bourbon, being thus part of the Capetian dynasty. It was founded in 1672 when Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine was legitimised by his father, King Louis XIV of France....
. He was the last surviving member of the house.
Life
Born at his parents famous Château de SceauxChâteau de Sceaux
The Château de Sceaux is a grand country house in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, not far from Paris, France. Located in a park laid out by André Le Nôtre, it houses the Musée de l’Île-de-France, a museum of local history. The former château was built for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's minister of...
near Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
on October 15, 1701, he was the yongest and last surviving son of 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...
, the duc du Maine and his wife, the salon hostess Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon.
He grew up with his elder brother, Louis-Auguste (known as the prince de Dombes and was very close to him and his younger sister Louise Françoise de Bourbon
Louise-Françoise de Bourbon (1707–1743)
Louise Françoise de Bourbon was a grand daughter of Louis XIV of France and his mistress Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, better known as Madame de Montespan...
(1707–1743), known as Mademoiselle du Maine.
It was his elder brother who was his father's main heir. On his brother's death in 1755 as a result of a duel, Louis Charles was his brother's heir and thus became the head of the House of Bourbon du Maine. He inherited the family titles; prince de Dombes (1755–1762), prince d'Anet, duc de Gisors, comte de Dreux and baron de Sceaux. From his brothers death he also inherited the famed Governorship of Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
and his brothers many Châteaux.
Like his elder brother he was little seen at court and preferred to hunt on his estate of the Château d'Anet
Château d'Anet
The Château d'Anet is a château near Dreux, France, built by Philibert de l'Orme from 1547 to 1552 for Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II of France...
.
In March 1762 he exchanged with Louis XV the very profitable principality of the Dombes for the duchy of Gisors and lands of Gretz-Armainvilliers et de Pontcarré.
Like his cousin, the famously generous and wealthy Duke of Penthièvre, Louis-Charles was popular with the people of France as a result of his charitable doings. Again in 1773, he offered to sell the Duchy of Aumale, County of Eu and the lands of Anet to Louis XV. The sum agreed was a vast 12 Million Livres.
It was at Sceaux that Louis Charles died at the age of 73 in October 1775. As he never had any children, he did not have an heir to the large Bourbon du Maine fortune. As a result, his chosen heir was his younger cousin the Duke of Penthièvre -son of the Count of Toulouse
Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse
Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse , duc de Penthièvre , d'Arc, de Châteauvillain and de Rambouillet , , was the son of Louis XIV and of his mistress Madame de Montespan...
, the youngest brother of the duc du Maine.