Louis de Bourbon, Légitimé de France, Count of Vermandois, born Louis de La Blaume Le Blanc, also known as Louis de/of Vermandois (2 October 1667 – 18 November 1683) was a French nobleman, illegitimate but legitimised son of Louis XIV, King of France by his mistress, Louise de La Vallière. He died exiled and disgraced at the age of 16, unmarried and without issue.
The Count of Vermandois and his sister Mademoiselle de Blois on Louis-Édouard Rioult's 1839 copy of a 17th centurypainting.[1]
Louis de La Blaume Le Blanc was born on 2 October 1667 at the Castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 2 October 1667 to Louise de La Blaume Le Blanc de La Vallière, Mademoiselle de La Vallière (1644–1710). His father was his unmarried mother's long-time lover, Louis XIV, King of France (1638–1715).[2][3] Her parents had been in an extramarital affair for about 6 years by then, but their relationship was nearing its end.[4] They had had 4 children together, only one of whom, the already legitimised Marie-Anne de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Blois (1666–1739) was still alive when La Blaume Le Blanc was born.[3] He was named after his father.[citation needed]
At the age of 2, in 1669, La Blaume Le Blanc was legitimised,[5] given the surname de Bourbon (of Bourbon), as opposed to the surname de France (of France) bore by his legitimate half-siblings. He was also created Count of Vermandois(comte de Vermandois) and appointed Admiral of France(Amiral de France).[6]
The parents of the Count of Vermandois
His father, Louis XIV on a 1670 engraving by Robert Nanteuil
Her mother, Louise de La Vallière, on a contemporary painting attributed to Pierre Mignard I
Life with the Orléans family
The Duchess of Orléans on a 1675 portrait by Pierre Mignard I
The Duke of Orléans was infamous for being effeminate and practicing le vice italien ("the Italianvice"), being homosexual or bisexual.[7] He had children from both of his arranged marriages but had many male (and possibly also some female[8]) lovers before and during them.[9] One of these lovers was Philippe of Lorraine (1643–1702), known as the Chevalier de Lorraine ("Knight of Lorraine"), a man described as having an attractive face and a sharp mind, but also being "insinuating, brutal and devoid of scruple", as well as being "as greedy as a vulture".[10] The young count became involved with the knight and his circle, which included among others François-Louis, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon (later titular king of Poland and prince of Conti; 1644–1709).[citation needed] He joined a secret group of young aristocrats called La Sainte Congregation des Glorieux Pédérastes ("Holy Congregation of Glorious Pederasts").[11]
When the king learned of his son's involvement with the duke's circles, he exiled the Chevalier de Lorraine and several other members of the "congregation".[11] He reprimanded his son and decided to send him away from the royal court.[citation needed] It was suggested that 15-year-old Vermandois should be married as soon as possible to cover up the scandal, possibly to 6-year-old Louise-Bénédicte de Bourbon, Mademoiselle d'Enghien (1676–1753), the daughter of Henri-Jules, Duke of Enghien (later Prince of Condé; 1643–1709).[citation needed]
Exile and death
In June 1682, Vermandois was exiled to Normandy.[citation needed] Hoping to mend the relationship between father and son, his aunt Madame suggested that he be sent as a soldier to Flanders, then under French occupation. Agreeing with his sister-in-law, the king sent his son to the Siege of Kortrijk,[citation needed] where Vermandois soon fell ill. He was advised by a doctor that he should return to Lille and recover, but, desperate for his father's love, he remained on the battlefield.[citation needed] He died in Flanders on 18 November 1683, and was buried in the Arras Cathedral.[citation needed] His aunt and sister greatly mourned his death, while his father reportedly did not shed a tear.[citation needed] His mother, by then a Carmelite nun under the name of Sœur Louise de la Miséricordie ("Sister Louise of Grace"), was still obsessed with the sin of her affair with the king and said upon hearing the news of his son's death, "I ought to weep for his birth far more than his death".[12]
louis, count, vermandois, louis, bourbon, légitimé, france, count, vermandois, born, louis, blaume, blanc, also, known, louis, vermandois, october, 1667, november, 1683, french, nobleman, illegitimate, legitimised, louis, king, france, mistress, louise, valliè. Louis de Bourbon Legitime de France Count of Vermandois born Louis de La Blaume Le Blanc also known as Louis de of Vermandois 2 October 1667 18 November 1683 was a French nobleman illegitimate but legitimised son of Louis XIV King of France by his mistress Louise de La Valliere He died exiled and disgraced at the age of 16 unmarried and without issue LouisCount of VermandoisPortrait attributed to Francois de TroyBorn 1667 10 02 2 October 1667Saint Germain en Laye Kingdom of FranceDied18 November 1683 1683 11 18 aged 16 FlandersBurialArras CathedralHouseBourbonFatherLouis XIV King of FranceMotherLouise de La Valliere Contents 1 Early life 1 1 Life with the Orleans family 2 Exile and death 3 Ancestry 4 References 5 SourcesEarly life Edit The Count of Vermandois and his sister Mademoiselle de Blois on Louis Edouard Rioult s 1839 copy of a 17th century painting 1 Louis de La Blaume Le Blanc was born on 2 October 1667 at the Castle of Saint Germain en Laye on 2 October 1667 to Louise de La Blaume Le Blanc de La Valliere Mademoiselle de La Valliere 1644 1710 His father was his unmarried mother s long time lover Louis XIV King of France 1638 1715 2 3 Her parents had been in an extramarital affair for about 6 years by then but their relationship was nearing its end 4 They had had 4 children together only one of whom the already legitimised Marie Anne de Bourbon Mademoiselle de Blois 1666 1739 was still alive when La Blaume Le Blanc was born 3 He was named after his father citation needed At the age of 2 in 1669 La Blaume Le Blanc was legitimised 5 given the surname de Bourbon of Bourbon as opposed to the surname de France of France bore by his legitimate half siblings He was also created Count of Vermandois comte de Vermandois and appointed Admiral of France Amiral de France 6 The parents of the Count of Vermandois His father Louis XIV on a 1670 engraving by Robert Nanteuil Her mother Louise de La Valliere on a contemporary painting attributed to Pierre Mignard I Life with the Orleans family Edit The Duchess of Orleans on a 1675 portrait by Pierre Mignard I In 1674 when Vermandois was 7 years old his mother entered a Carmelite convent in Paris and from then on saw very little of her citation needed He was entrusted to the care of his aunt the wife of his paternal uncle Philippe I Duke of Orleans 1640 1701 born Princess Elizabeth Charlotte Liselotte of the Palatinate 1652 1722 known as court as Madame or Madame Palatine He lived with the Orleans family in the Palais Royal in Paris and became close with his aunt despite her well known disdain for the king s bastards citation needed The Chevalier de Lorraine The Duke of Orleans was infamous for being effeminate and practicing le vice italien the Italian vice being homosexual or bisexual 7 He had children from both of his arranged marriages but had many male and possibly also some female 8 lovers before and during them 9 One of these lovers was Philippe of Lorraine 1643 1702 known as the Chevalier de Lorraine Knight of Lorraine a man described as having an attractive face and a sharp mind but also being insinuating brutal and devoid of scruple as well as being as greedy as a vulture 10 The young count became involved with the knight and his circle which included among others Francois Louis Prince of La Roche sur Yon later titular king of Poland and prince of Conti 1644 1709 citation needed He joined a secret group of young aristocrats called La Sainte Congregation des Glorieux Pederastes Holy Congregation of Glorious Pederasts 11 When the king learned of his son s involvement with the duke s circles he exiled the Chevalier de Lorraine and several other members of the congregation 11 He reprimanded his son and decided to send him away from the royal court citation needed It was suggested that 15 year old Vermandois should be married as soon as possible to cover up the scandal possibly to 6 year old Louise Benedicte de Bourbon Mademoiselle d Enghien 1676 1753 the daughter of Henri Jules Duke of Enghien later Prince of Conde 1643 1709 citation needed Exile and death EditIn June 1682 Vermandois was exiled to Normandy citation needed Hoping to mend the relationship between father and son his aunt Madame suggested that he be sent as a soldier to Flanders then under French occupation Agreeing with his sister in law the king sent his son to the Siege of Kortrijk citation needed where Vermandois soon fell ill He was advised by a doctor that he should return to Lille and recover but desperate for his father s love he remained on the battlefield citation needed He died in Flanders on 18 November 1683 and was buried in the Arras Cathedral citation needed His aunt and sister greatly mourned his death while his father reportedly did not shed a tear citation needed His mother by then a Carmelite nun under the name of Sœur Louise de la Misericordie Sister Louise of Grace was still obsessed with the sin of her affair with the king and said upon hearing the news of his son s death I ought to weep for his birth far more than his death 12 It was later when suggested by whom that he might have been the Man in the Iron Mask which could not be true as the unidentified prisoner died in 1703 clarification needed citation needed Ancestry EditAncestors of Louis Count of Vermandois16 Antoine of Navarre8 Henry IV of France17 Jeanne III of Navarre4 Louis XIII of France18 Francesco I de Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany9 Marie de Medici19 Joanna of Austria2 Louis XIV of France20 Philip II of Spain10 Philip III of Spain21 Anna of Austria5 Anne of Austria22 Charles II Archduke of Inner Austria11 Margaret of Austria23 Maria Anna of Bavaria1 Louis Count of Vermandois24 Laurent Le Blanc seigneur de La Valliere12 Jean de La Baume Le Blanc baron de la Papelardiere25 Marie Adam de la Gasserie6 Laurent de La Baume Le Blanc seigneur de La Valliere26 Jacques de Beauvau seigneur du Rivau13 Francoise de Beauvau27 Francoise Le Picard du Boille3 Louise de La Valliere28 Jean le Provost Ecuyer seigneur de la Rue en Guel14 Jean Le Prevost seigneur de la Coutelaye29 Francoise Fious7 Francoise Le Prevost30 Philippe Martin de Mauroy chevalier et seigneur de la Garde15 Elisabeth Martin de Mauroy31 Francoise Van Den WerneReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louis de Bourbon Count of Vermandois Biography portal Europe portal Reunion des Musees Nationaux Grand Palais www photo rmn fr Retrieved 2022 05 28 Bluche Francois 16 November 2005 Dictionnaire du Grand Siecle 1589 1715 in French Fayard ISBN 978 2 213 62144 9 a b Petitfils Jean Christian 1 June 2011 Louse de La Valliere in French Tempus Perrin ISBN 978 2 262 03649 2 Fraser Antonia 2010 06 25 Love and Louis XIV The Women in the Life of the Sun King Doubleday Canada pp 111 112 ISBN 978 0 385 67251 1 Riley 2001 p 106 Rowlands 2002 p 343 Crompton Louis 31 October 2006 Homosexuality amp Civilization Belknap Press Harvard University Press p 341 ISBN 978 0 674 02233 1 Mitford Nancy 1 January 1969 The Sun King Sphere Books p 54 ISBN 978 0722161401 Aldrich Robert Wotherspoon Garry eds 21 February 2003 Who s Who in Gay and Lesbian History Ruthledge ISBN 978 0 415 15983 8 van der Cruysse Dirk 1988 Madame Palatine princesse europeenne in French Paris Fayard p 165 ISBN 978 2 213 02200 0 a b Crompton 2009 p 340 Love and Louis XIV by Lady Antonia FraserSources EditCrompton Louis 2009 Homosexuality and Civilization Harvard University Press ISBN 978 0 674 03006 0 Riley Philip F 2001 A Lust for Virtue Louis XIV s Attack on Sin in Seventeenth century France Greenwood Publishing Rowlands Guy 2002 The Dynastic State and the Army under Louis XIV Royal Service and Private Interest 1661 1701 Cambridge University Press Louis Count of VermandoisHouse of BourbonBorn October 2 1667 Died November 18 1683French nobilityVacantMerged into the crownTitle last held byEleanor Count of Vermandois1669 1683 Succeeded byNonePreceded byCesar de Bourbon Admiral of France1669 1683 Succeeded byLouis Alexandre de Bourbon 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