Duke of Orléans
Duke of Orléans (French: Duc d'Orléans) was a French royal title usually granted by the King of France to one of his close relatives (usually a younger brother or son), or otherwise inherited through the male line. First created in 1344 by King Philip VI for his younger son Philip, the title was recreated by King Charles VI for his younger brother Louis, who passed the title on to his son and then to his grandson, the latter becoming King Louis XII. The title was created and recreated six times in total, until 1661, when Louis XIV bestowed it upon his younger brother Philippe, who passed it on to his male descendants, who became known as the "Orléans branch" of the Bourbons.
| Dukedom of Orléans | |
|---|---|
Arms of the Dukes of Orléans of the House of Orléans | |
| Creation date | 1344 |
| Peerage | Peerage of France |
| First holder | Philip of Valois |
| Last holder | Ferdinand Philippe of Orléans |
| Status | Extinct |
| Extinction date | 13 July 1842 |
| Seat(s) | Château de Blois Château de Saint-Cloud Palais-Royal |
Based at the Palais-Royal, the Duke of Orléans Louis-Philippe II contested the authority of his cousin Louis XVI in the adjacent Louvre. His son would eventually ascend to the throne in 1830 as Louis-Philippe I, King of the French. The descendants of the family are the Orléanist pretenders to the French throne.
Île d'Orléans, in Canada, is named after Duke of Orléans Henri II, and the city of New Orleans in the United States is named after Duke of Orléans Philippe II.
The holder of the title held the style of Serene Highness.