Inbreeding has been the custom of ruling dynasties for thousands of years; mostly it was due to a desire to keep the bloodline "clean". In the age of Versailles marriages were made to form alliances with other European powers.
The monarchs
Louis XIV and Marie Thérèse were first cousins and as such were the closest relations of the three kings and their consort inhabiting Versailles. Anne of Austria - mother of Louis XIV - was the sister of Philip IV of Spain; he happened to be Marie Thérèse's father.
Louis XV and Marie Leszczynska were not related by 18th century standards. Neither their parents nor their grandparents were related by blood. As such the chose of the Polish princess as a bride was a good choice in more than one sense: first, it enabled the king to produce an heir immediately, secondly, it angered none of the other powers and thirdly, it brought in "new blood".
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were related but not closely. Marie Antoinette was the daughter of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor who in turn was the grandson of Philippe, Duc d'Orléans (Monsieur) and Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate.
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| Louis XIV meeting the king of Spain (his uncle) and his bride (his cousin) |
The Dauphins and Dauphines
Louis, the Grand Dauphin and his bride, Marie Anne Victoire of Bavaria, were second cousins. The Grande Dauphine's grandparents were the Duke of Savoy and the French princess, Christine Marie (a sister of Louis XIII).
The Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne were also second cousins. Marie Adélaide of Savoy's grandfather was Philippe, Duc d'Orléans (Monsieur). Ironically, her great-grandparents were Christine Marie of Savoy and Victor Amadeus - the parents of the Grande Dauphine.
Louis Ferdinand and Marie Thérèse Raphaëlle were also rather closely related. Actually, this short-lived Dauphine was a direct granddaughter of Louis XIV himself through the second son born to the Grand Dauphin.
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| Wedding of the Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne - the Duc d'Orléans is depicted as well; a common ancestor of the couple |
Very interesting
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ReplyDeleteLouis XIV and Marie Theresa were double first cousins because Ana of Spain, mother of Louis, and Philip IV (father of Maria Teresa) were siblings, but also Louis XIII (father of Louis XIV) and Elisabeth of France (mother of Maria Teresa, were siblings.
Louis Duke of Burgundy and Maria Adelaida of Savoy were double second cousins. As they share two sets of great grand parents: Ana of Spain and Louis XIII (who were second cousins through Ferdinand I Emperor and Ana Jagellon), and Victor Amadeus I Duke Ok Savoy and Christine of France (who were double third cousins through Joan the Mad and Philip the Handsome and Louise of Savoy and Charles of Valois-Angouleme)
Louis Ferdinand and Maria Teresa Rafaela were first cousins once removed because Louis XV and Maria Teresa Rafaela were first cousins as they were grandchildren of Louis the Grand Dauphine and his wife/second cousin Maria Ana Victoria of Bavaria.
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were also second cousins once removed, because the Mother of Louis, Maria Josepha of Saxony and Marie Antoinette were second cousins, as they were great grand daughters of Leopold I Emperor and his third wife and second cousin Eleanor Magdalena of Neuburg.
Louis XV was descendant of all children (except Gaston of Orleans) of Henri IV and Maria of Medici.
ReplyDeleteLouis XV was descendant of Diana of Potiers.