Orléans, << awr lay ahn, >> was the name of two branches of the royal French family, the houses of Valois-Orleans and Bourbon-Orleans (see Bourbon ; Valois ). None of the people described in this article actually became king of France, though their relatives or descendants did.
Louis (1372-1407)
founded the house of Valois-Orleans. He was the second son of King Charles V and the brother of Charles VI. Louis became Duke of Orleans in 1392. He wanted to rule when Charles VI became mentally ill, but his uncle, Philip of Burgundy, ruled. After Philip’s death, Philip’s son John had Louis assassinated.
Philippe (1640-1701),
the son of Louis XIII and the only brother of Louis XIV, founded the house of Bourbon-Orleans. He was born in St.-Germain-en-Laye, France, on Sept. 21, 1640. He became Duke of Orleans in 1660. He died at St.-Cloud, France, on June 9, 1701.
Philippe (1674-1723),
son of the Philippe who founded the Bourbon-Orleans branch, was born in St.-Cloud on Aug. 2, 1674. He became Duke of Orleans in 1701. He acted as regent (temporary ruler) of France from 1715 to 1723, until Louis XV came of age. He let John Law introduce a large amount of paper currency, which led the country to bankruptcy. He died in Paris on Dec. 23, 1723.
Louis Philippe Joseph
(1747-1793), the grandson of Philippe, was born in St.-Cloud on April 13, 1747. He was known as Philippe Egalite (Equality). He took this name during the French Revolution (1789-1799) to show the people that he sided with them against the nobles. He voted for the death of King Louis XVI. But Philippe and other members of the Bourbon family were arrested in 1793, and he was beheaded in Paris on Nov. 6, 1793. He was the father of Louis Philippe, who ruled France as king from 1830 to 1848. Ferdinand, the eldest son of King Louis Philippe, became the Duke of Orleans when his father became king.
Louis Philippe Robert
(1869-1926), the grandson of Ferdinand, was the last real claimant to the throne of France. He was a scientist and led expeditions to the Arctic regions and to British East Africa. He was born in Twickenham, England, and was exiled from France in 1886.
