Philippe II Duc de Orleans

1674-1723 (Regent 1715-1723)

Background and early career of Philippe II Duc d'Orleans

Philippe II duc d'Orleans was the son of Louis' brother Philip I duc de Orleans (1640-1701) and Liselotte (1650-1722). The older Orleans held his own court at Saint Cloud and as brother of the king he was a man of great standing in France. His mother the Princess Palatine Liselotte of Bavaria was a woman very conscious of her own standing and duties. His parents ensured that the Duke of Chartres 1) (as he was called at the time) got an education that centered on the sciences and humanities. Less attention was paid to his military and physical education, in the latter of which he did not excel anyway.

Adolescence of the Duke of Orleans

Meanwhile the relative importance of Philippe at court steadily decreased because of the number of children the Grand Dauphin fathered. This probably gave Louis XIV occasion to propose the marriage of the seventeen year old Philippe II to Mademoiselle de Blois (1677-1749). She was the second daughter of the King and Madame de Montespan (mistress of Louis before Maintenon became so). The object of this was to raise the bastards of Louis in rank, a project that Louis was always interested in. It is said that Orleans consented to this shameful marriage because he expected it to raise his son's fortunes, Liselotte vehemently opposed it. The marriage would take place on 9 January 1692

Early military career of the Duke of Orleans

At about the time of his marriage Orleans also started a military career. He is said to have been present at the siege of Mons in spring 1691 2). In the next year he was present in the battle of Steenkerque. In 1693 Orleans commanded the cavalry under Luxembourg and distinguished himself at Neerwinden. In 1695 Orleans served as general of cavalry under Villeroy and in 1696 he did the same 3).

The career of the Duke of Orleans seems to come to a stop

Despite the fact that his wife was popular at court and that he had served with some distinction Orleans' career now came to a halt. It seems that Orleans led a life of doubtful morality for a while and he certainly neglected his wife, but I cannot ascertain whether these things have anything to do with each other.

His father pressed the king to give him the independent command of an army but this was not granted. Even worse, the bastards of Louis were showered with favors and the young Duke of Chartres was left out. This was the reason for a vivid quarrel and long-lasting conflict between the king and his brother and at the death of the latter they were still not reconciled.

It was at the death of his father that Orleans then received the benefits of his marriage: He held his own pensions and also got those his father had enjoyed, giving him 1,800,000 Livres a year, as well as the Palais Royal, Saint Cloud and other Mansions. On top of that he had a Swiss guard and took the title Duc de Orleans.

Later military career of the Duke of Orleans

Orleans was present at the battle of Ramillies 23 May 1706 and later also at the siege of Turin in July 1706. Saint Simon gives a favorable account of his actions in Italy, where Marsin and La Feuillade commanded. When Marsin was killed in the battle for Turin Orleans took over command and wanted to retreat into Lombardy. La Feuillade and the other officers succeeded in preventing this and organizing it thus that the retreat went in the direction of France, thereby abandoning Italy.

In 1708 Orleans was commanding in Spain where he made his famous remark about the she-captain of France and the she-lieutenant of Spain.

This threw the madames in such a rage that when Orleans should return to Spain in 1709 they prevented it. When Orleans then sent an agent to get his equipages he had left in Spain, this agent was arrested. It was rumored that Orleans through this agent had been acting with some Spanish Grandees to overthrow Felipe V, who was detested for being under the influence of Madame des Ursins. Orleans thus fell into disgrace with Louis XIV.

The disgrace of Orleans was in part also due to the fact that he had a mistress Madame d'Argenton. This mistress was of course unpleasant to Louis because Orleans was married to his bastard daughter. In early 1710 Saint Simon persuaded Orleans to send her away, and he was thus reconciled with the king and Madame de Maintenon. Saint Simon also assisted Orleans in marrying his daughter Marie Louise to the Duc de Berry (third son of the grand Dauphin).

The Duke of Orleans as Regent

When the dauphins died Orleans was accused of having poisoned them. According to Saint Simon this was a rumor circulated by the Duc de Main and his cabal. When after Louis XIV's death Orleans became regent he had a long conflict with Maine who wanted to be regent too. Orleans finally triumphed in this.

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