Gaston of Orleans (1842-1922)

Family

The Count of Have is the oldest son of Louis of Orleans (1814-1896), French prince and duke of Nemours, and his wife the princess Victoire of Saxony-Cobourg-Kohary (1822-1857). By his father, he is the grandson of the king of the French Louis-Philippe Ier (1773-1850) and of the queen Marie-Amélie de Bourbon (1782-1866), princess of Deux-Siciles, while, by his mother, he descends from Ferdinand of Saxony-Cobourg-Saalfeld (1785-1851) and Antoinette de Kohary.

October 15th, 1864, Gaston of Orleans marries, in Rio de Janeiro, the princess Isabelle de Bragance (1846-1921), oldest daughter and heiress of the emperor Pierre II of Brazil (1825-1891) and his wife Marie-Therese de Bourbon (1822-1889), princess of Deux-Siciles. From this union, are born four children:

Louise of Orleans-Bragance (1874-1874).

Pierre d' Alcantara of Orleans-Bragance (1875-1940), prince of the Grão-Para (1891-1908) then prince of Orleans-Bragance, which morganatiquement marries in 1908 the Czech countess Elisabeth Dobrzensky de Dobrzenicz (1875-1951). They are the grandparents of current claiming the orleanist to the throne of France, Henri of Orleans (1933), Count de Paris. In Brazil, Pierre d' Alcantara is also the ancestor of the Branche of Petropolis of the imperial family.

Louis of Orleans-Bragance (1878-1920), prince of Brazil then prince of the Grão-Para, who links with Maria-Pia of Bourbon (1878-1973), princess of Deux-Siciles. In Brazil, they are the ancestors of the Branche of Vassouras of the imperial family.

Antoine of Orleans-Bragance (1881-1918), prince of Brazil.

Biography

With his birth in 1842, the oldest son of the duke of Nemours is titrated Count of Have by his grandfather the king Louis-Philippe Ier. In February 1848, the young boy, 6 years old, flees France and the revolutionists with his family. His/her parents settle then in England near the ex-king of the French and it is in this country that Gaston of Orleans passes then the majority of his childhood and his adolescence.

During this time, in Brazil, the emperor Pierre II, which does not have a boy, seeks for his daughters, Isabelle and Léopoldine of Brazil, the European princes who could act as husband and thus ensure the perenniality of the Brazilian throne. With the assistance of his/her sister, the Princess of Joinville, the emperor selected thus like sons-in-law princes Gaston of Orleans and Auguste of Saxony-Cobourg-Kohary (1845-1907), both grandchildren of the king of the French Louis-Philippe Ier.

Two young people arrive together at Brazil in 1864: Gaston, to marry Léopoldine and Auguste, to link themselves in Isabelle. However, the two princesses take freedom to choose each one their husband and Gaston marries finally the heiress of Brazil!

Naturally, in Europe, Orleans look at this change of last minute with benevolence. However, from a dynastic point of view, the marriage is not without consequence. According to the Orléanistes, the count of Have indeed loses his rights on the French crown while becoming foreign.

At the time of the double marriage, Brazil east into full War with Paraguay (1864-1870) and Gaston of Orleans very quickly require of his/her new father-in-law to take part in the combat. It then receives from the emperor the title of Marshal of the Army. However, its condition from abroad prohibits to him to be placed at the head of the Brazilian troops and it must be satisfied with the command of artillery and the coordination of the operations of Rio de Janeiro. But, in 1869, the Duke of Caxias, general commander Brazilian, falls ill and Pierre II requires of his son-in-law to replace it on the battle field. The count of Have order thus the Brazilian army during the victories of Peribebui and Campo Large. Then, with the death of Solano Lopez, dictator of Paraguay, in Cerro Cora, on March 1st, 1870, the war ends and the count of Have can go back to Rio very haloed of glory.

In policy, the count of Have and his wife are close to the liberals, whom they consider sources of scientific progresses, intellectuals and social. However, the Isabelle princess obtains on several occasions, at the time of the stays of her father in Europe, the regency of the country (1871-1872/1876-1877 then 1887-1889), which makes it possible the couple to influence the Brazilian political life.

May 13rd, 1888, the Isabelle princess thus signs the Loi of Gold ( Lei Aurea ) which puts an end to the Esclavage. This event is worth with the heiress of the throne to receive the nickname of “Rédemptrice” but it also detaches oligarchies coffee-plantations of the imperial family. The Baron de Cotegipe, minister favorable to the maintenance of slavery, is not mistaken there when he declares with the princess: “Your Highness released a race but it lost its throne”.

Hardly one year later, on November 17th, 1889, the Republic is proclaimed in Brazil and the imperial family must exile itself in Portugal then in Normandy, with the castle of Have.

In 1891, the emperor Pierre II dies in Paris and his/her daughter becomes, for the Brazilian monarchists, the empress “Isabelle Ière of Brazil”; consequently occasion, the count of Have “becomes” emperor consort then. But these “titles” hardly have weight and the two husbands remain banished out of their country.

It is only in 1921, whereas it is already widowed, that the count of Have can finally give the feet to Brazil. It repatriates, on this occasion, the bodies of his parents-in-law to bury them in the imperial Mausoleum of the cathedral of Pétropolis.

The following year, the count of Have dies finally of natural death during a voyage which was to bring back it to Brazil for the celebration of the first centenary of the independence of the country. He and the Isabelle princess are also buried in the cathedral of Pétropolis.

Discusses

With believing of it Isabelle of Orleans-Bragance (1911-2003), countess of Paris, Gaston of Orleans forever really allowed the loss of its statute of French prince. However, for the orleanists, there would be contradiction to refuse with the Bourbons of Anjou the statute of legitimate heirs to the throne of France and to recognize with a foreign member of their family the quality of possible successor…

It remains that the pact of family of Orleans of April 26th, 1909 stipulates that Orleans-Bragance, although become foreign as an imperial house of Brazil, could succeed their French cousins if those had suddenly died out.

Work

Gaston of Orleans, count of Have, Viagem militar ao Rio Grande C Sul , ED. da universidade of São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Itatiaia, 1981.

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