Duke of Bourbon

Duke of Bourbon (Duc de Bourbon) is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of Bourbon. In 1416, with the death of John of Valois, the Dukes of Bourbon, were simultaneously Dukes of Auvergne.

Although the senior line came to an end in 1527, the cadet branch of La Marche-Vendome would later succeed to the French throne as the Royal House of Bourbon, which would later spread out to other kingdoms and duchies in Europe. After this date, the title was given to several Princes of Condé and sons of the French Royal family.

Peerage

 * 1) 1327-1342 : Louis de Bourbon, the lame or the great
 * 2) 1342-1356 : Pierre de Bourbon (son of)
 * 3) 1356–1410 : Louis de Bourbon (son of)
 * 4) 1410–1434 : John de Bourbon (son of)
 * 5) 1434–1456 : Charles de Bourbon (son of)
 * 6) 1456–1488 : Jean de Bourbon (son of)
 * 7) 1488–1488 : Charles de Bourbon (brother of, also cardinal and archbishop of Lyon)
 * 8) 1488–1503 : Pierre de Bourbon (brother of)
 * 9) 1503–1521 : Suzanne de Bourbon (daughter of, married)
 * 10) 1505-1527 : Charles de Bourbon (also count of Montpensier and dauphin of Auvergne)

From 1503 onwards, Charles III de Bourbon, a member of the House of Bourbon-Montpensier, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon at that time, was heir male of Bourbon ducal dynasty. Because Pierre II Bourbon's son, Charles de Bourbon, count of Clermont, had died in 1498 and he had no male heirs. This was consolidated with the title of duke of Bourbon, because of his marriage with Suzanne of Bourbon.

The so-called House of Bourbon-Montpensier was the senior branch of the House of Bourbon from 1503 onwards.

He was later stripped of his titles and possessions in 1523, because of his betrayal of the king of France and his collaboration with the Holy Roman Emperor. None of his children by his wife Suzanne survived a year of age. Thus, the line of Bourbon-Montpensier was extinct in the male line from 1527 onward. The junior line, of Bourbon-Vendôme, however were not allowed to inherit, because Charles III had forfeited his fiefs because of his treason.

Therefore, the heir male of the Bourbon family belonged to the House of Bourbon-La Marche from 1527 onwards, in the person of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme until he died in 1537. He was succeeded by his son, Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, who died in 1562. He was succeeded by his son Henry (IV/III) of Bourbon, king of France and Navarre. All the present day family members descend from him. As the senior extant line of the dynasty, the House of Bourbon-La Marche was simply called House of Bourbon.

After 1523 : personal title
The title of duke of Bourbon was bestowed at least twice, after the incorporation of the duchy into the royal domain.


 * Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon (1692–1740)
 * Louis Henri, Prince of Condé (1756–1830)

After 1793 : courtesy title

 * 1950–1975 : Alphonse de Bourbon (1936–1989) (afterwards Duke of Anjou, also Duke of Cadiz)
 * 1975–1984 : François de Bourbon (1972–1984) (son of, formerly Duke of Bretagne)
 * 1984–present : Louis Alphonse de Bourbon (1974–present) (brother of, formerly Duke of Touraine, afterwards Duke of Anjou)