Louis Joseph de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, often simply called Vendôme (1 July 165411 June 1712) was a French general and
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
. One of the great generals of his era, he was one of
Louis XIV
Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
's most successful commanders in the
War of the Grand Alliance and
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...
.
Vendôme joined the
French Army
History
Early history
The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...
and was promoted
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...
in 1688 after his distinguished combat record in the
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, also known as the Dutch War (french: Guerre de Hollande; nl, Hollandse Oorlog), was fought between France and the Dutch Republic, supported by its allies the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Brandenburg-Prussia and Denmark-Nor ...
. Further successes entitled him to his first army command in 1695, and soon after, he was rewarded with a promotion to Marshal of France.
Vendôme was one of the most aggressive and successful French army commanders during the wars of
Louis XIV
Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
. His charisma, courage and skill won him the loyalty of his troops and the Spanish crown for the
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spani ...
.
Biography
Louis Joseph de Bourbon was born in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, the son of
Louis, Duke of Vendôme and
Laura Mancini. Orphaned at the age of fifteen, he inherited a vast fortune from his father that had been handed down from his great-grandmother, the ''duchesse de Mercœur et Penthièvre''. Prior to succeeding his father in 1669, he was known as the ''duc de Penthièvre''. He was raised by his aunt,
Marie Anne Mancini
Marie Anne Mancini, Duchess of Bouillon (1649 – 20 June 1714), was an Italian-French aristocrat and cultural patron, the youngest of the five famous Mancini sisters, who along with two of their female Martinozzi cousins, were known at the ...
, ''duchesse de Bouillon''.
Entering the army at the age of eighteen, Vendôme soon distinguished himself by his vigour and personal courage in the
Dutch wars, and by 1688, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant-general. In the
Nine Years' War
The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between Kingdom of France, France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by t ...
, he rendered conspicuous service under the
''duc de Luxembourg'' at the
Battle of Steenkerke
The Battle of Steenkerque, also known as ''Steenkerke'', ''Steenkirk'' or ''Steinkirk'' was fought on 3 August 1692, during the Nine Years' War, near Steenkerque, then part of the Spanish Netherlands but now in modern Belgium A French force ...
, and under
Nicolas Catinat at
Marsaglia. In 1695, he was placed in command of the army operating in
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...
, where he took
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
in 1697.
Soon afterwards, Vendome was made a
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
. In 1702, after the first unsuccessful campaign of Catinat and
Villeroi, he was placed in command of the
Franco-Spanish army in Italy. During three campaigns in that country, he proved himself a worthy antagonist to
Prince Eugène of Savoy
Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th and 18th centuries. He ...
, whom he at last defeated in 1705 at
Cassano in a magnificent show of courage and command over his troops, converting the impending defeat that his indolent brother
Philippe had incurred, into a glorious success.
The next year, after holding his own as before, and gaining another victory at
Calcinato, he was sent to
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
to repair the disaster of
Ramillies.
Following the departure of Vendôme to shore up the shattered army in the Flanders, Prince Eugène and the Duke of Savoy inflicted a heavy loss on the French under the
''duc d'Orléans'' and
Ferdinand de Marsin
Ferdinand, comte de Marsin (or ''Marchin'') (February 10, 1656 – September 9, 1706) was a French general and diplomat, who was Marshal of France.
Biography
He was born in Liège as the son of John Gaspar Ferdinand de Marchin, Comte de Granville ...
at the
Battle of Turin, driving the French out of Italy by the end of the year. In Flanders, meanwhile, Vendôme quarrelled with the king's unenterprising grandson,
Louis, Duke of Burgundy
Louis, Dauphin of France, Duke of Burgundy (16 August 1682 – 18 February 1712), was the eldest son of Louis, Grand Dauphin, and Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria and grandson of the reigning French king, Louis XIV. He was known as the "Pet ...
, and was unable to prevent the French defeat at the
Battle of Oudenarde
The Battle of Oudenarde, also known as the Battle of Oudenaarde, was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession, pitting a Grand Alliance force consisting of eighty thousand men under the command of the Duke of Marlborough and Prin ...
.
In disgust, Vendôme retired to his estates. It wasn't long, however, before he was summoned back to take command of the army of his cousin,
Philip V of Spain
Philip V ( es, Felipe; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724, and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign of 45 years is the longest in the history of the Spanish mo ...
. There, he won his last victories, crowning his work triumphantly in the battles of
Brihuega and
Villaviciosa. Before the end of the war, he died suddenly at
Vinaròs on 11 June 1712
and was buried at
El Escorial in Spain.
Assessment
Vendôme was one of the most remarkable soldiers in the history of the French army. He had, besides the skill and the fertile imagination of the true army leader, the brilliant courage of a soldier. The real secret of his continuous success, however, was his extraordinary influence over his men.
He seldom made mistakes, and his opponent Eugene of Savoy praised the brilliance of some of his actions in his memoirs.
Marriage
Vendôme married
Marie Anne de Bourbon
Marie Anne de Bourbon, ''Légitimée de France','' born Marie Anne de La Blaume Le Blanc, by her marriage Princess of Conti then Princess Dowager of Conti, '' suo jure'' Duchess of La Vallière and of Vaujours (2 October 1666 – 3 May 1739) ...
, a daughter of
Henri Jules, Prince of Condé
Henri Jules de Bourbon (29 July 1643, in Paris – 1 April 1709, in Paris, also ''Henri III de Bourbon'') was '' prince de Condé'', from 1686 to his death. At the end of his life he suffered from clinical lycanthropy and was considered insane.
B ...
and granddaughter of
Le Grand Condé.
Reputedly very ugly, her father died leaving her unmarried. Her brother, who became the Prince of Condé in 1709, died the next year not having helped his sister marry. She could have married the
''duc du Maine'' in 1692, but Maine preferred Marie Anne's sister,
Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie.
Anne is sometimes used as a male name in th ...
, and married her instead.
The marriage ceremony occurred at the chapel at the
Château de Sceaux on 21 May 1710.
Sceaux was the residence of Anne Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon. Louis Joseph was fifty-five years old at the time. He was a
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
and had been designated as the heir of his cousin, King
Philip V of Spain
Philip V ( es, Felipe; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724, and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign of 45 years is the longest in the history of the Spanish mo ...
. In the event that Philip should die childless, the
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spani ...
had decided that Louis Joseph would become the next king of Spain. The marriage remained childless though - perhaps due to the
homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...
tendencies of Louis Joseph. Marie Anne died in 1718 without any children.
Although
Louis XIV
Louis XIV (Louis Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was List of French monarchs, King of France from 14 May 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years and 110 days is the Li ...
had given permission for the marriage, the manipulative ''duc'' and ''duchesse du Maine'' hurriedly arranged the details of the wedding, probably for mercenary reasons. Even though the Dowager Princess of Condé was not informed of the marriage, she was present at the
bedding ceremony at Sceaux along with
Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon
Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon (Louis Henri Joseph; 18 August 1692 – 27 January 1740), was a French nobleman and politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1723 to 1726. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, he was a '' p ...
, his wife
Marie Anne de Bourbon
Marie Anne de Bourbon, ''Légitimée de France','' born Marie Anne de La Blaume Le Blanc, by her marriage Princess of Conti then Princess Dowager of Conti, '' suo jure'' Duchess of La Vallière and of Vaujours (2 October 1666 – 3 May 1739) ...
, the
Dowager Princess of Conti, and her children the
Prince of Conti and
''Mademoiselle de La Roche-sur-Yon''.
On his death, Louis Joseph left his wife the duchy of Étampes and its lands. She held this title in her own right. When she died, it went to her niece, the
Princess of Conti.
Sexuality
The Duke was known to be homosexual.
Other members of his family, including his brother
Philippe and his grandfather
César, Duke of Vendôme
César de Bourbon, ''Légitimé de France'' (3 June 1594 – 22 October 1665) was the illegitimate son of Henry IV of France and his mistress Gabrielle d'Estrées, and founder of the House of Bourbon-Vendome. He held the titles of 1st Duke ...
, were also known for their homosexuality/bisexuality, which led to the family mansion on
Place Vendôme being called the ''Hôtel de Sodome'' in the 17th century.
According to
Saint-Simon, Louis-Joseph "plunged...more than anyone else" into sodomy, satisfying his desires with "his valets and officers".
Saint-Simon wrote of the Duke's relationship with Louis XIV that, although the King "had always a singular horror of the inhabitants of the
Cities of the Plain omosexuals..M. de Vendôme, though most odiously stained with that vice - so publicly that he treated it as an ordinary gallantry - never found his favor diminished on that account."
Those who wished to curry favor with Vendôme would try and win over his lovers first. One contemporary account alleges that on his estate at the
Chateau d'Anet, peasant men from the neighborhood would wait for the Duke in the woods when he went out hunting, hoping to be paid for sexual favors.
Louis-Joseph suffered from
syphilis
Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium '' Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, a ...
and lost part of his nose to the disease. He was the first courtier to seek leave from court to be treated for the disease with
Mercury salts, known as the "Great Remedy" (''le grand remède'').
Ancestry
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vendome, Louis Joseph De Bourbon, Duc De
1654 births
1712 deaths
17th-century LGBT people
18th-century LGBT people
Burials in the Pantheon of Infantes at El Escorial
Counts of Dreux
Counts of Penthièvre
Dukes of Beaufort (France)
Dukes of Étampes
Dukes of Mercœur
Louis Joseph de Bourbon, duc de Vendome
French army commanders in the War of the Spanish Succession
Governors of Provence
Louis Joseph de Bourbon, duc de Vendome
French military personnel of the Nine Years' War
Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain
LGBT military personnel
LGBT people from France
LGBT Roman Catholics
LGBT royalty
Marshals of France
Military personnel from Paris
Princes of Martigues