Gaston de France

See also: Gaston of Orleans

Gaston Jean Baptist of France (born in 1608 with Fontainebleau, died in 1660 with Blois), duke of Orleans, sometimes named Gaston of Orleans . Third wire of Henri IV (1553-1610) and of Marie de Médicis, it is Fils of France, Prince of blood, the branch of the Bourbon (dynasty capétienne).

Benjamin of the king Louis XIII, with died of Nicolas de France (1607-1611), second wire of Henri IV, Gaston becomes the eternal second. Titrated duke of Anjou , like next of kin to the throne, it is also called Mister , then (as from 1643) the Large Mister in opposition to the Petit Mister , Philippe, his nephew, brother of Louis XIV.

Cultivated and refined, but weak-willed and inconstant, Gaston de France passed his life to be intrigued, initially against his brother and the cardinal of Richelieu, then against his sister-in-law Anne of Austria and the cardinal Mazarin. These conspiracies always failed, for lack of real political project. Gaston often denounced his accomplices, then saw them perishing (see of Ornano, Chalais, Montmorency, and Five-March).

In 1630, it takes part in the revolt of the duke of Montmorency. With the head of an army of mercenaries, it calls the kingdom with the revolt, before fleeing after the defeat of Montmorency with Castelnaudary. In 1634, it concluded a secret treaty with the Spain.

But in 1638, the unhoped-for birth of a dolphin (the future Louis XIV) deprives it of the row of first heir to the crown. It loses its financial credit, and cannot continue the rebuilding of the Château of Blois which it undertook. In 1642, the conspiracy of Five-March, which aims at making of Gaston the general lieutenant of the kingdom, fails.

With died of Louis XIII, Gaston de France is named all the same at this station. However Anne of Austria is essential on the Parlement of Paris, and takes the reins of the capacity.

Chief of the army, Gaston conducts against the Spaniards a victorious and fast campaign. He conquers a good part of the Flanders, of which the town of Gravelines the July 28th 1644.

Gaston still takes part in the Fronde, and Mazarin the fact of exiling in his Château of Blois in 1652, where he dies in 1660. He is buried with the basilica of Saint-Denis, ultimate privilege attached to royal blood. Louis XIV then confers the title of duke of Orleans on his own brother Philippe.

Marriage and descent

In 1626, after a conspiracy missed, Gaston accepts with regret to marry the richissime Marie de Bourbon, duchess of Montpensier which Richelieu imposes to him. It then receives in Apanage the duchies of Orleans and Chartres, increased county of Blois. From this marriage was born the following year:

Anne Marie Louise of Orleans de Montpensier, future Large Miss

In 1629, Gaston in vain projected to marry Marie de Gonzague, girl of the duke of Mantoue. In 1632 it fell in love and married the young person Marguerite, sister of the Duc of Lorraine and Bar, a prince as odd as him, then in war against France and from which it attends the court. He calls his second wife, aupravant coadjutrice of the Abbess of the noble chapter of Remiremont " Ange". After many adventures, the husbands could find at the court of France in 1643. They had five children:

Marguerite Louise of Orleans (v.1645-v.1721), wife of the Large-duke Cosme III of Tuscany
Elisabeth of Orleans, duchess of Alençon (v.1646-v.1696), wife of the duke Louis-Joseph de Guise
Francoise Madeleine of Orleans (v.1648-v.1664), wife of the duke Charles-Emmanuel II of Savoy
Jean Gaston of Orleans, duke of Valois (v.1650-v.1652)
Marie Anne of Orleans, Miss de Chartres (v.1652-v.1695)

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