Duke of Berry

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Arms of the ducs de Berry (after 1376)

The title of Duke of Berry (duc de Berry) in the French nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. The Berry region now consists of the départements of Cher, Indre and parts of Vienne. The capital of Berry is Bourges. The first creation was for John, third son of John II, King of France, in 1360. He died in 1416 without surviving male issue, and the title was then recreated for his great-nephew the Dauphin John, Duke of Touraine, eldest son of Charles VI, King of France, who died shortly afterwards. The third creation was in 1417 for the next son of Charles VI, Charles, who had also been given the title Duke of Touraine. He succeeded to the throne in 1422 as Charles VII, King of France. His younger son Charles was given the duchy of Berry in 1461, but exchanged it for that of Normandy in 1465. He died in 1472. The fifth creation was in 1517 for Margaret, daughter of Charles, Count of Angoulême and only sister of Francis I, King of France. She died in 1549, and the duchy was created anew in 1550 for her niece Margaret, sister of Henry II, King of France, who died in 1574. Her nephew Francis, Duke of Alençon, brother of Charles IX, King of France, was created Duke of Anjou, of Berry and of Touraine in 1576, which titles became extinct on his death in 1584. The title was not again used until 1686, when Charles, third son of Louis, le Grand Dauphin and grandson of Louis XIV, King of France, received the title (but not the duchy) at his birth. He was created Duke of Alençon et d'Angoulême in 1710, but continued to use the title of Berry until his death in 1714. The ninth person to use the title was Louis, grandson of Louis XV, King of France, who was also given the Berry title at his birth in 1754. He became Dauphin in 1765 and succeeded as Louis XVI, King of France in 1774. His younger brother Charles, Count of Artois, was given the duchy of Berry in 1776, but he continued to be known by his comital title. However, his second son, Charles Ferdinand, was known by the courtesy title of Duke of Berry from his birth in 1778 to his assassination in 1820.