Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orléans

Nicolas Henri de France, Duke of Orléans, was the second son and fourth child of Henry IV of France and his Italian queen Marie de' Medici.

Biography

Nicolas Henri was born at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 16 (or 13) April 1607 and died on 17 November 1611 at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He was known as Monsieur d'Orléans or the Prince sans nom (prince without name), as it was customary in the royal house of France to name the children only at the time of their baptism.

His youngest brother, Gaston de France, titled at birth as Duke of Anjou as was customary for the third son, was born in 1608. At a very young age, he had been engaged to Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier, heiress of the House of Bourbon-Montpensier. Marie was the greatest heiress of the age and was the future mother of la Grande Mademoiselle.

Nicolas Henri died at the age of four as a result of an epileptic attack. The title of Duke of Orléans reverted back to the crown and was later given to his younger brother Gaston who outlived him for another four decades. His brother would also marry Marie in 1626.

He was buried at the Royal Basilica of Saint Denis, outside Paris.

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