Bourbon

Bourbon, a French family name, which became that of the royal houses of France, of Spain, and of Naples and the Sicilies, besides having several collateral branches. When the Constable Charles de Bourbon was disinherited and died (see below) his possessions fell to a younger branch of the family, and so finally to Antoine (1537-1562), who by his marriage with Jeanne d'Albret became King of Navarre. Of this marriage were born Catherine de Bourbon and Henri de Bourbon, who, as Henry IV., became King of France, and the founder of the French royal house of Bourbon. It is impossible, in a limited space, to give more than the barest outline of each of the chief branches: -

French Bourbons. 1. Henri IV. (1589-1610). 2. Louis XIII. [his 2nd son, Philippe d'Orleans, was founder of the Orleans branch] (1610-1643). 3. Louis XIV. (1643-1715) [his grandson, Philippe d'Anjou, was founder of the Spanish branch]. 4. Louis XV. (1715-1774), grandson of Louis XIV. 5. Louis XVI. (1774-1793), grandson of Louis XV., beheaded. 6. Louis XVII. (1785-1795), did not reign, died in the Temple (prison). 7. Louis XVIII. (1814-1824), brother of Louis XVI. 8. Charles X. (1824-1830), brother of Louis XVI. 9. Henri, Duke of Bordeaux, Count of Chambord, born 1820, never reigned, and died childless, 1883, thus ending the eldest branch of the French Bourbons.

Orleans Branch. 1. Philippe, Duke of Orleans, died 1701. 2. Philippe, regent, died 1723. 3. Louis, died 1752. 4. Louis-Philippe, died 1785. 5. Louis Philippe (Egalite), beheaded 1793. 6. Louis Philippe, king 1830-1848, died in exile 1850. Louis Philippe left four sons, who, or their descendants, now represent the legitimate branch of the French royal house.

Spanish Bourbons. This branch has hardly played a sufficient part in European politics to call for much notice. It begins with Philippe of Anjou, second grandson of Louis XIV., who was called to the Spanish throne by the will of Charles II., King of Spain, and was crowned as Philippe IV. 1. Philippe V. (1700-1746). 2. Ferdinand VI. (1746-1759), died childless. 3. Charles III. (1759-1788), son of Philippe V. 4. Charles IV. (1788 - resigned his rights in 1808 to Napoleon I.). 5. Ferdinand VII. (1814-1832), died without sons. 6. Isabelle II. (1833, deposed in 1868); her right was disputed by her uncle Don Carlos, younger son of Charles IV. 7. Alfonso XII. (1874-1885). 8. Alfonso XIII. (posthumous, 1886).

The Neapolitan branch began with Charles III. (a son of Philippe of Anjou, King of Spain) 1738, und ended with Francis II. (great-great-grandson of Charles III.), who was expelled in 1860, and the kingdom came to an end.