Sophie d'Artois
Encyclopedia
Sophie d'Artois was a French princess of the House of Bourbon
.
. Her father was Charles Philippe de France
, known as the comte d'Artois. Her mother was Princess Maria Theresa of Savoy, third daughter of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
and Maria Antonietta of Spain
.
She was known as Mademoiselle – a very prestigious style of address which was given to the most senior unmarried princess at the court of Versailles. Sophie was also titled Mademoiselle d’Angoulême and Mademoiselle d'Artois – the former reflecting the Duke of Angoulême which was the title of her brother Louis Antoine d'Artois
. Artois was derived from her father's Appanage
of the County of Artois.
Her father, as a son of the Dauphin of France, held the rank of Grandson of France
. Louis XVI declared that his niece and her siblings would be regarded as Grandchildren of France despite not being born to a King or Dauphin of France. This rank of Grandchild, which immediately followed the Children of France
allowed Sophie to the style of Royal Highness
but she was always known as Mademoiselle.
Sophie died at the Palace of Versailles at the age of seven. She was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside Paris, the traditional burial place of Bourbon royalty. Portraits of Sophie and her family exist at Versailles, one of them being by the famous Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun.
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
.
Biography
Sophie d'Artois was born at the Palace of Versailles during the reign of her paternal uncle, Louis XVILouis 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....
. Her father was Charles Philippe de France
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
, known as the comte d'Artois. Her mother was Princess Maria Theresa of Savoy, third daughter of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus III was King of Sardinia from 1773 until his death. Although he was politically conservative, he carried out numerous administrative reforms until declaring war on revolutionary France in 1792...
and Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the youngest daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. She was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia whom she married in 1750...
.
She was known as Mademoiselle – a very prestigious style of address which was given to the most senior unmarried princess at the court of Versailles. Sophie was also titled Mademoiselle d’Angoulême and Mademoiselle d'Artois – the former reflecting the Duke of Angoulême which was the title of her brother Louis Antoine d'Artois
Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angouleme
Louis Antoine of France, Duke of Angoulême was the eldest son of Charles X of France and, from 1824 to 1836, the last Dauphin of France...
. Artois was derived from her father's Appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
of the County of Artois.
Her father, as a son of the Dauphin of France, held the rank of Grandson of France
Fils de France
Fils de France was the style and rank held by the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille de France .The children of the dauphin, who was the king's heir apparent, were accorded the same style and status as if they were the king's children instead of his...
. Louis XVI declared that his niece and her siblings would be regarded as Grandchildren of France despite not being born to a King or Dauphin of France. This rank of Grandchild, which immediately followed the Children of France
Fils de France
Fils de France was the style and rank held by the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille de France .The children of the dauphin, who was the king's heir apparent, were accorded the same style and status as if they were the king's children instead of his...
allowed Sophie to the style of Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
but she was always known as Mademoiselle.
Sophie died at the Palace of Versailles at the age of seven. She was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside Paris, the traditional burial place of Bourbon royalty. Portraits of Sophie and her family exist at Versailles, one of them being by the famous Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun.