Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse

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Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse (June 6, 1678 – December 1, 1737) was a French admiral. He was Count of Toulouse from 1681, Duke of Penthièvre from 1697 and Duke of Rambouillet from 1711, all until his death.

[edit] Biography

Born in Versailles, he was the third son of Louis XIV and Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan.

At the age of five he was created admiral of France. In February 1684 he became colonel of an infantry regiment of his name and in 1693 mestre de camp of a cavalry regiment. During the War of Spanish Succession he had the task of the defence of Sicily. In January 1689 he was named governor of Guyana, title which he exchanged with that of Bretagne sixe years later.

On 1696-01-03 he was created Marshal of France, becoming commander of the Royal Armies the following year. In March 1714 he obtained the title of Grand Huntsman of France.

He distinguished himself during the War of the Spanish Succession, and inflicted a severe defeat on Admiral Rooke near Málaga in 1704. He kept aloof from the intrigues of his sister-in-law Anne, Duchess of Maine.

He died in Rambouillet in 1737.

His son, Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, duc de Penthievre, succeeded his father in his posts.

[edit] References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.