Princess Marie Zéphyrine of France
Encyclopedia
Marie Zéphyrine de France, fille de France (26 August 1750 – 2 September 1755) was a French Princess. The daughter of the Dauphin and Dauphine, Louis and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony.
She was the first of her parents' children to live to the age of five.
Her birth was greeted with caution; in the previous two years, 1748 and 1749, Maria Josepha had suffered miscarriages and her health was of a fragile nature; Louis XV had hoped for a boy.
As the daughter of the Dauphin, she took the rank of Daughter of France and outranked the daughters of the king, her aunts. These included the Duchess of Parma, Madame Infante
and her twin Madame Henriette among others. As a member of the Royal family, Marie Zéphyrine had the right to the style of Royal Highness
but at court she was known as Madame Royale or la Petite Madame. Her mother had wanted her to marry her first cousin, Prince Anthony, Electoral Prince of Saxony.
She was raised by Marie Isabelle de Rohan
.
Madame Royale was joined by a brother in September 1751, Louis, Duke of Burgundy.
Madame Royale was said to resemble her mother, despite not surviving childhood. In 1753 another brother joined Xavier de France, Duke of Aquitaine
. He died in 1754. Her most famous brother, the future Louis XVI of France
, was born on 23 August 1754. The future Louis XVIII of France
was born November 1755, two months after her death at Versailles.
Marie Zéphryine died at Versailles due an attack of convulsions. She died in the early hours of the morning of 2 September having been baptised just days before by the abbé de Chabannes, the aumonier du Roi.
Madame Royale was not even officially mourned; at Versailles a princess could only be mourned if she was over the age of 7.
Madame Royale was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside the capital of Paris
.
She was the first of her parents' children to live to the age of five.
Biography
Marie Zéphyrine de France was born at the Palace of Versailles to the Dauphin and Dauphine of France. Her curious name comes from Zephyrus, the Greek name for the west wind; it was given to her because she was born on August 26, the feast of St Zephyrinus.Her birth was greeted with caution; in the previous two years, 1748 and 1749, Maria Josepha had suffered miscarriages and her health was of a fragile nature; Louis XV had hoped for a boy.
As the daughter of the Dauphin, she took the rank of Daughter of France and outranked the daughters of the king, her aunts. These included the Duchess of Parma, Madame Infante
Princess Louise Élisabeth of France
Louise Élisabeth de France was the eldest daughter of King Louis XV of France and his Queen consort, Maria Leszczyńska, and the elder twin sister of Anne Henriette de France. As the daughter of the king, she was a Daughter of France...
and her twin Madame Henriette among others. As a member of the Royal family, Marie Zéphyrine had the right to the style of Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
but at court she was known as Madame Royale or la Petite Madame. Her mother had wanted her to marry her first cousin, Prince Anthony, Electoral Prince of Saxony.
She was raised by Marie Isabelle de Rohan
Marie Isabelle de Rohan
Marie Isabelle de Rohan was a French noblewoman and grand daughter of Madame de Ventadour. Marie Isabelle was the governess of the children of Louis XV and his consort Marie Leszczyńska.-Biography:Born in Paris the fourth child of five...
.
Madame Royale was joined by a brother in September 1751, Louis, Duke of Burgundy.
Madame Royale was said to resemble her mother, despite not surviving childhood. In 1753 another brother joined Xavier de France, Duke of Aquitaine
Xavier, Duke of Aquitaine
Xavier of France was a French Fils de France of the House of Bourbon.-Biography:...
. He died in 1754. Her most famous brother, the future Louis XVI of France
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....
, was born on 23 August 1754. The future Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
was born November 1755, two months after her death at Versailles.
Marie Zéphryine died at Versailles due an attack of convulsions. She died in the early hours of the morning of 2 September having been baptised just days before by the abbé de Chabannes, the aumonier du Roi.
Madame Royale was not even officially mourned; at Versailles a princess could only be mourned if she was over the age of 7.
Madame Royale was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside the capital of 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...
.
Ancestry
Titles and styles
- 26 August 1750 - 1 September 1755 Her Royal Highness Madame Royale