Philip I of Orleans

He was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye . In 1661 , after the death of his uncle, Duke Gaston of Orleans , Philip became Duke of Orleans , before that he bore the title of Duke of Anjou .

He married Henriette Anne Stewart , sister of Charles II of England , also known as 'Minette'. Their marriage was not happy, in large part because of Philip’s homosexual relationship with Chevalier de Lorrain . The Duchess died in 1670, it was rumored that she was poisoned, but this is unlikely.

Subsequently, Philip married a second marriage to the Princess of Palatinate Elizabeth Charlotte , daughter of the Elector of the Palatinate Carl Ludwig .

In an era when infant mortality was 50%, the presence of two children in the royal family was seen as a favorable phenomenon from the point of view of the continuation of the royal family, since he was also a “spare” heir. It is believed that Philip deprived of virginity of the Duke de Nevers - the nephew of Cardinal Mazarin . Since Louis grew up healthy and had a son born early, Philip was allowed to spend time in the palace of Palais Royal and on the estate of Saint-Cloud as he pleases, in the company of his minions . The most detailed information about the homosexual adventures of the duke is preserved in the letters of his second wife.

Philip possessed leadership talents. He participated in the Flanders campaign, but returned to Paris almost immediately after the victory was won. The reason for this abrupt departure was the fatal illness of his wife.

Monsieur returned to command in 1672 , and in 1677 won a great victory at Cassel and took Saint-Omer . Louis XIV was said to envy his brother’s military success, so Philip never commanded the army.

Philip was a collector of works of art and a brilliant conversationalist who maintained constant social talk at the court of his brother. He could prove himself in the political arena, but Louis XIV was jealous of his brother as a politician and did not let him go. Although he loved in his own way, turning a blind eye to his scandalous sexual adventures.

Philip died in Saint-Cloud in 1701 from an apoplexy strike that occurred after a fierce dispute with the king about the marriages of their children. During this period, Louis XIV had already left the former luxury of the court and adhered to strict religious piety. The legendary and rejected by Louis hostess of Versailles , the former favorite of the king Marquis de Montespan , bitterly mourned the loss of the one who remained her only friend from the last golden time of the Sun King.

From March 31, 1661, Henriette Anna Stewart (1644–1670), daughter of Charles I Stewart and Henriette Marie French :

• Maria Louise of Orleans (1662-1689), wife of Charles II , King of Spain. She died while still alive.
• Philip Charles, Duke of Valois (1664–1666).
• stillborn daughter (1665).
• Anna Maria of Orleans (1669-1728), the first wife (from 1679) of Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy .

From December 21, 1671, Elizabeth Charlotte of Palatinate (1652–1722), daughter of Elector Charles I of Ludwig of Palatinate and Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel :

• Louis Alexander, Duke of Valois (1673–1676).
• Philip II of Orleans , Regent of France (1674-1723).
• Elizabeth Charlotte (1676–1744), wife of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine. Their son became Franz I , the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1708-1765) - the husband of Maria Theresa , the father of Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) and the emperors Joseph II and Leopold II .

In fiction

• In the book " Viscount de Brazhelon, or Ten Years Later " by Alexander Dumas, there are two brothers of Louis XIV , with the name Philip the Younger, who actually existed, and the twin of the king, a prisoner in an iron mask , imprisoned for political reasons.

In the cinema

• The Way of the King / L'allée du roi ( France; 1996 ) Director Nina Kompaneets , in the role of Philippe Fabien Bear .
• In Roland Joffe’s “ Vatel, ” released in 2000, Prince of Orleans played Murray Lachlan Young. In the film, the prince is depicted as an open homosexual surrounded by a retinue of flatterers. First, he sets Vatel (played by Gerard Depardieu ) against himself, asking him for Colin, the boy from the kitchen. Vatel responds to this: "I do not receive my assistants from him, and I do not intend to deliver them to his brothel." Later, the prince reveals himself to be a friend, preventing the Marquis de Lozen’s attempt to cripple Vatel. The film shows both the prince’s homosexual inclinations and his gift to the commander.
• In the films about Angelica (“Angelica is the Marquis of Angels”, “The Way to Versailles”) is depicted as a malicious and stupid intriguer, along with her favorite de Lorrain, pursuing a heroine, a licentious revel capable of killing.
• In the TV series " Versailles " in the role of Philip, an open homosexual and a gifted commander, Alexander Vlakhos .
• In the film “Louis, the King is a Child” (France, 1993), despite the fact that Philip, for about 10 years, is shown as having homosexual inclinations. In one of the episodes demanded to deliver women's dresses, which he used to walk in, in another he slaps another boy, having quarreled with him, the king who saw this scene demands that his brother engage in debauchery in the back rooms of the palace. The film shows how jealous of his brother and having a very difficult relationship with him, based on mutual jealousy.

In the musical

• He is also one of the heroes of the French King of the Sun musical, where he is also shown as a merry fellow, an open homosexual and a close friend of his brother, Louis XIV . It was played by Christoph Mahe in the musical.

• Philip I, Duke of Orleans // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron : in 86 tons (82 tons and 4 extra). - SPb. , 1890-1907.