Legitimism

The legitimism is a royalist political tendency French, based on the fundamental law of the Kingdom of succession by male order of primogeniture, on the one hand, and of unavailability of the Crown, on the other hand, according to which the king of France can be only elder Capétiens, consequently the chief of the Maison of France, even if it is about a foreign prince even the ex-sovereign of another kingdom (such Alphonse XIII of Spain, regarded by this tendency as legitimate king de France of 1936 with 1941), according to the succession by order of primogeniture male, which one calls the Salic law, or the “law of the males” (expression of Maurice Druon); according to this political tendency the king de France (and of Navarre) - through this law of intangible succession - is indicated by God, and not elected by Great Electors like the Empereur or the king de Pologne.

This tendency was born in 1830, at the time of the seizure of power by Louis-Philippe, with the royalist in favor of the elder branch of the Capétiens, represented by the king Charles X (of 1824 with 1836), then by his/her son the “count de Marnes” (Louis “XIX”, of 1836 with 1844), then by the nephew of this last, which carries initially the title of “duke of Bordeaux” then that of “count de Chambord” (Henri “V”).

The September 20th 1833, whereas is celebrated with Prague the majority of the duke of Bordeaux, which attracts many French royalists, the European powers of the the Holy Alliance opened since the September 9th the conference of Münchengrätz, in Bohemia. During this conference, no resolution is adopted against the Monarchie to July nor, a fortiori , to restore the Bourbons of the elder branch on their throne. Moreover, following the the United Kingdom, the Austria, the Prussia and the Russia recognized Louis-Philippe in 1830. The legitimists cannot thus count any more, as in 1814, on the foreign armies to reconquer their crown.

The French legitimists can thus count only on their own forces. However, the attempts at rising - as the royalist Insurrection in the West of France in 1832 which tries to organize the duchess of Berry - fail, while the party legitimist knows a constant electoral erosion.

In 1883, with died of the last Bourbon of the elder branch, Henri “V”, “count de Chambord”, grandson of Charles X, most of the former legitimists - called by their White adversaries “of Have”, or more generally “orleanists” - recognized like legitimate heir to the throne of France, the elder one of the branch junior by Orleans, grandson of Louis-Philippe, Philippe of Orleans, “count de Paris” (Philippe “VII” for its partisans).

However, part of the legitimists, being based on the fundamental laws of the Kingdom, which do not recognize the principle of nationality resulting from the French revolution, then deferred its hopes on one ex-infant of Spain, Jean de Bourbon, “count de Montizón”, elder since 1861 of the descendants of Philippe V of Spain (born Philippe de France, duke of Anjou) and new elder since 1883 of all the Bourbons. Jean de Bourbon (Jean “III” for its partisans), and especially its son Charles, disputed since long years, and vainly, the throne inhabitant of Madrid with their cousin Isabelle II of Spain (then with the son of the latter, Alphonse XII), which occupied it with their detriment.

Since then, these French legitimists - called by their Whiting adversaries “”, or more recently “alfonsists” - continued to regard elder Bourbons as the legitimate one claiming with the throne of France, even when this one was being a ex-king of Spain, as it was the case in 1936 in the person of Alphonse XIII of Spain, in their eyes “His Majesty king Alphonse Ier de France”.

The modern legitimism appeared after the Second world war. Jacques Henri de Bourbon, “duke of Segovia”, isolated of the possible succession to the throne of Spain by his/her father (due to Deafness due to a disease of badly neat childhood), with the profit of his younger brother Jean de Bourbon, “count de Barcelone” and father of the current king d' Espagne Juan Carlos, expressed her rights, in 1946, as elder of Capétiens, taking again the title of “duke of Anjou”. The duke of Bauffremont founded the Institute of the House of Bourbon which gathers the legitimists.

There the modern legitimism does not incarnate any more one political claim but a historical tradition, dissociating “count de Paris” and orleanists. The traditional demonstration of the legitimists is the annual mass for the rest of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette with the expiatory Chapelle, of which they obtained reopening.

Their tendency, a long time little known of the general public, knew a certain renewal at the time of the Millenium capétien of 1987, where the applicant legitimist of then, Alphonse “II”, duke “of Anjou and” Cadiz (death in 1989) travelled much to France, chairing many commemorative ceremonies.

It should in addition be known that since the advent of Juan Carlos in 1975, of a branch junior by the descendants of Alphonse XIII of Spain, the elder one of the Bourbons, heir apparent to the crown of France, does not claim any more with the throne of Spain. It is one of the reasons for which the legitimism has known for thirty years a new wave of sympathy.

The current legitimism obtained several authorities. In the first chief appears the Institut of the house of Bourbon, founded in 1973 by Jacques Henri de Bourbon, “duke of Anjou and Segovia”. He was recognized of public utility in 1997. Placed under the high ranking authority of Louis de Bourbon, “duke of Anjou”, successor with the eleventh generation of Louis XIV, his president is currently Jacques de Bauffremont.
The Union of the circles legitimists of France (U.C.L.F.) was founded in 1979 per Gerard Saclier of Bâtie. Its objective is to encourage the study of French historical legitimacy and to make known monarchy. It gathers a great number of associations and circles. It coordinates the activities of them.
The democratic movement legitimist is represented by the Democratic Rassemblement.

Among the reviews legitimists, one can quote the royal Gazette (body of UCLF, founded in 1984), White Hermine , body of the Breton Fédération legitimist (FBL), founded in 1987) or the Bond legitimist , rested by Gerard de Villèle, and whose head office is located 10, place Foire- the-King, with Tours.

Among the most media personalities the legitimists, one can quote the TV host Thierry Ardisson, near to the democratic Rassemblement which preaches a Démocratie crowned, with the manner of Spain of Juan Carlos or the journalist Stephan Bern.

See too

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