Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orléans

Nicolas Henri
Duke of Orleans
A ca. 1610 sketch of Nicolas Henri.
Reign	April 16, 1607 - November 17, 1611
Born	16 April 1607
Died	17 November 1611 (aged 4)
Burial	Basilica of St Denis
House	Bourbon
Father	Henry IV of France
Mother	Marie de' Medici

Nicolas Henri de France, (April 16, 1607 - November 17, 1611) Duke of Orléans, was the second son and fourth child of Henry IV of France and his Italian queen Marie de' Medici.

Biography

Nicolas Henri was born at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 16 April 1607 and died on 17 November 1611 at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He was known as Monsieur d'Orléans or the Prince sans nom (prince without name), as it was customary in the royal house of France to name the children only at the time of their baptism.

His youngest brother, Gaston de France, titled at birth as Duke of Anjou as was customary for the third son, was born in 1608. At a very young age, he had been engaged to Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier, heiress of the House of Bourbon-Montpensier. Marie was the greatest heiress of the age and was the future mother of la Grande Mademoiselle.

Nicolas Henri died at the age of four as a result of an epileptic attack. The title of Duke of Orléans reverted to the crown and was later given to his younger brother Gaston who outlived him for another four decades. His brother would also marry Marie in 1626.

He was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis, outside Paris.

Ancestors

8. Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme

4. Antoine of Navarre

9. Françoise d'Alençon

2. Henry IV of France

10. Henry II of Navarre

5. Jeanne III of Navarre

11. Marguerite de Navarre

1. Nicholas Henri de France, duc d'Orléans

12. Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

6. Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

13. Eleonora di Toledo

3. Marie de' Medici

14. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor

7. Johanna of Austria

15. Anna of Bohemia and Hungary

Titles

References