Charles, Duke of Berry

Charles of France, Duke of Berry, (31 July 1686 – 5 May 1714) was a grandson of Louis XIV of France. The Duke of Berry was seven years heir presumptive to the throne of Spain (1700–1707) when his brother Philip V of Spain was childless.

Charles
Duke of Berry
Charles by Nicolas de Largillière
Born	(1686-07-31)31 July 1686 Palace of Versailles, France
Died	5 May 1714(1714-05-05) (aged 27) Palace of Versailles, France
Burial	15 May 1714 Basilica of Saint Denis, France
Spouse	Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans
Issue Detail	None that survived infancy
Full name Charles de France
House	Bourbon
Father	Louis, Dauphin of France
Mother	Marie Anne Victoire of Bavaria
Signature

Born at the Palace of Versailles, Charles was the youngest son of Louis, Dauphin of France, "le Grand Dauphin", and of Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria.

The Duchess of Orléans proposed he marry her daughter Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans. All agreed, the marriage with Marie Louise Élisabeth took place on 6 July 1710. It was an unhappy marriage, and after a miscarriage which ended her first pregnancy, Marie Louise Élisabeth never gave birth to a child that lived for more than a few days. Once a widow, Madame de Berry became ill-famous for her debauched lifeways. She hid several pregnancies and died at 23 a few weeks after suffering a harrowing clandestine childbirth. Elisabeth Charlotte, Duchess Dowager of Orléans and the grandmother of Berry's wife, nicknamed him "Berry-Bon Cœur" ("Berry Good Heart").

Issue

• Na (not baptized) d'Alençon, Granddaughter of France (Fontainebleau, 21 July 1711)
• Charles d'Alençon, Grandson of France, Duke of Alençon (Versailles, 26 March 1713 – Versailles, 16 April 1713)
• Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Alençon, Granddaughter of France (Versailles, 16 June 1714 – Versailles, 17 June 1714)

Titles and styles

• 31 July 1686 - 5 May 1714 His Royal Highness The Duke of Berry