Aumale

Aumale, the Count of and Dukes of, have frequently played an important part in French history: -

1. Charles was one of the heroes of the League, and after the assassination of the Duke of Guise in 1588 was Governor of Paris, which he held successfully against Henry IV., though he lost the battles of Senlis, Arques, and Ivry. He was condemned to be broken on the wheel for high treason in giving up certain towns to the Spaniards. The sentence was carried out on his effigy (1595), and the Duke escaping to Brussels died there in 1631.

2. Henri Eugene Philippe Louis D'Orleans, the fourth son of Louis Philippe, was born at Paris in 1822. He inherited a large fortune from the Condes, and, entering the army at the age of seventeen, distinguished himself during three years' service in Africa (1842-4) by the capture of Abdel-Kader's Smalah. He married in 1844 Marie Caroline de Bourbon, daughter of the Prince of Salerno, but became a widower in 1869. In 1847 he returned to Algeria as governor, resigning his command next year, when his father fled to England. For upwards of twenty years the prince lived chiefly at Claremont or Twickenham. Whilst defending the honour of the Orleanists against the attacks of Prince Napoleon, he felt justified in sending the latter a challenge, which was refused with more discretion than valour. In 1871 he was elected deputy by the constituency of Oise, and, acknowledging the Republic, was restored to military rank and to the enjoyment of his vast estates in France. He presided in 1873 over the trial of Marshal Bazaine, had command of the seventh Army Corps, and behaved with great dignity and patriotism, though he was suspected of gathering about him a party of military supporters. In 1883, after Prince Napoleon's manifesto, an attempt was made to expel all pretenders to the throne by bill. This failed, but M. Jules Ferry soon afterwards deprived the Duke of his command, and in 1886 the Orleanist princes were expatriated. The Duc D'Aumale soon afterwards bestowed his estate and his chateau at Chantilly with all its valuable contents upon the French nation.