Philippe, Duke of Anjou

Philippe
Duke of Anjou

"Prince Philippe blowing bubbles": a depiction of Philippe on a snuffbox in the Walters Museum.
Born (1730-08-30)30 August 1730
Palace of Versailles, France
Died 7 April 1733(1733-04-07) (aged 2)
Palace of Versailles, France
Burial Basilica of Saint Denis, Paris, France
Full name
Philippe de France
House Bourbon
Father Louis XV of France
Mother Marie Leszczyńska

Philippe de France, fils de France, Duke of Anjou (30 August 1730 – 7 April 1733) was a French Prince and second son of king Louis XV of France and Marie Leszczyńska. He was the Duke of Anjou from birth.

Biography

Philippe de France was born at the Palace of Versailles to the King and Queen of France 30 August 1730. He was the second son and fifth child to be born to the royal family. A member of the House of Bourbon and son of a king, he held the rank of a son of France; this entitled him to the style of Royal Highness; in his short lifetime, he was the third most important male at court after his father Louis XV and his oldest brother, Louis, Dauphin of France.

Named Philippe, that was the traditional name of the second son - the first being called Louis. He was created the Duke of Anjou at birth, this title was associated with the second son. The last duke of Anjou had been his father while a child during the reign of Louis XIV.

He was the favourite child of his mother Marie Leszczyńska.

The little Philippe grew up at Versailles with his brother the Dauphin and their twin sisters Madame Élisabeth "Madame de France" (future Duchess of Parma) and Madame Henriette "Madame de Navarre". In March 1732, Philippe saw the birth of the future Madame Adélaïde. The next year his older sister Marie Louise de France died at Versailles on 19 February 1733 of a Common cold. She had been known as Madame Louise and named after her parents.

Always a sickly child, Philippe was cared for by a group of female attendants, as royal children were cared for by women until the age of 5. As part of their intensely superstitious beliefs, the women mixed in earth from the grave of Saint Medard with his food; the child was given so much earth that his organs failed.

As a result, Philippe died at Versailles on 7 April 1733[1] at the age of 2, two months after Madame Louise. He was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis outside Paris.

Doctors reported that large amounts of earth were found in his intestines.

Ancestry

Notes

  1. ↑ other dates of his death include 7 April, and 9 April.

Titles, styles, honours, and arms

Titles and styles

Succession

Philippe, Duke of Anjou
Cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty
Born: 30 August 1730 Died: 7 April 1733
French royalty
Preceded by
Vacant
Louis		 Duke of Anjou
30 August 1730 – 7 April 1733 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Louis Stanislas Xavier

See also

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