Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême

Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême was the grandson of Charles X of France and the last Dauphin of France before the July Revolution. He was the son of Charles X of France and Marie Thérèse of Savoy, and the brother of Henri V of France. Louis Antoine was also the nephew of Louis XVIII of France and the cousin of Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry. He was a member of the House of Bourbon and held the title of Duke of Angoulême.

● Early Life

Louis Antoine was born on August 6, 1775, at the Château de Versailles in Versailles, France. He was the son of the future Charles X of France and Marie Thérèse of Savoy, and the grandson of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony. Louis Antoine's early life was marked by the French Revolution, which forced his family to flee France and seek refuge in Coblenz, Germany. He was educated by Jacques Necker and later attended the University of Strasbourg. Louis Antoine was also influenced by his uncle, Louis XVIII of France, who would later become the King of France.

● Marriage and Issue

In 1799, Louis Antoine married his cousin, Marie-Thérèse of France, the daughter of Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette. The marriage was arranged by Charles X of France and was seen as a way to strengthen the House of Bourbon. Louis Antoine and Marie-Thérèse of France had no children, but they were close to their nephew, Henri, Count of Chambord, who would later become the Legitimist claimant to the French throne. Louis Antoine was also a supporter of the Catholic Church and was influenced by Pope Pius VII and Pope Leo XII.

● Claim to

the Throne After the death of his father, Charles X of France, in 1836, Louis Antoine became the Legitimist claimant to the French throne. However, he never actually ruled France and instead lived in exile in Gorizia, Austria. Louis Antoine's claim to the throne was supported by the Legitimists, who believed that the House of Bourbon was the rightful ruling family of France. He was also recognized as the King of France by Pope Gregory XVI and the Holy See. Louis Antoine's claim was opposed by the Orléanists, who supported the rule of Louis Philippe I and the House of Orléans.

● Later Life and Death

Louis Antoine spent the remainder of his life in exile, living in Gorizia, Austria, and later in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a supporter of the Jacobite rising of 1745 and was influenced by Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart. Louis Antoine died on June 3, 1844, at the age of 68, in Gorizia, Austria. He was buried in the Kostanjevica Monastery in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, alongside his wife, Marie-Thérèse of France. Louis Antoine's death marked the end of the House of Bourbon's claim to the French throne and paved the way for the rise of the Bonapartist and Orléanist movements.

● Titles and Styles

Throughout his life, Louis Antoine held several titles and styles, including Duke of Angoulême, Dauphin of France, and King of France. He was also known as the Count of Marnes and the Duke of Berry. Louis Antoine's titles and styles were recognized by the Catholic Church and the Holy See, as well as by several European monarchies, including the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Portugal, and the Austrian Empire. He was a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece and the Order of the Holy Spirit, and was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour by Louis XVIII of France. Category:French royalty