Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orléans

Nicolas Henri
Duke of Orléans
A ca. 1610 sketch of Nicolas Henri.
House House of Bourbon
Father Henry IV of France
Mother Marie de' Medici
Born 13 April 1607(1607-04-13)
Died 17 November 1611(1611-11-17) (aged 4)

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.

Contents

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.

Ancestors

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Antoine of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Françoise d'Alençon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Henry IV of France
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Henry II of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Jeanne III of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Marguerite de Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Nicholas Henri de France, duc d'Orléans
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Eleonora di Toledo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Marie de' Medici
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Johanna of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Anna of Bohemia and Hungary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Titles

References

Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orléans
Born: 16 April 1607 Died: 17 November 1611
French royalty
Preceded by
Louis, Dauphin of France
Heir to the Throne
as Heir presumptive
14 May 1610 — 17 November 1611
Succeeded by
Gaston, Duke of Orléans
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Alexandre Édouard
Duke of Orléans
1607–1611
Succeeded by
Gaston, Duke of Orléans