Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-10-19
From the Baltimore Republican.
HIIE HOUSE OF BOURBON

The mighty events of which France has been re-
Gently the theatre, and the change in the destiues of
nations which those events will in all probability pro-
duce, render brief account of family which has
cuped prominent station for the last four hundred
years, and has given many regns the fdirest
kingdoms of Europe, desirable addition the political
history of the day.
The origin of the Bourbon family is lost, like that
OF many OF the Royal houses OF Europe in remote anti
guilty. The earliest period 10 which its pedigree can
be traced with any reasonable degree of authenticity is
the ninth century, in the person Of Robert the strong,
Duke OF Neustra, petty Prince who governed small
portion called by that of the Gau several
OF his descendants became soveregns of France n the
earliest and most turbulent period of lis existence as
kngdom but the immediate head of the present family
subsequent TO the dark ages aud when the feuda sys-
tenn had almost expired, Anthony de Bourbon Kins
of Navarro whose son. the celebrated Henry w., the
first king of France of the house Of Bourbon assembled
the throne of that nation in 1899, the extinction
of the house of Vavis, by the murder of his cousin,
Henry ILL.,
The crown of France has been worn since that fine
by the descendants of that great Prince with the ex-
cepton OF the twenty-five years which elapsed from the
reinforcement of Louis XVI. and the restoration of
XVIII; from 1892 1914, the period during which the
Republic and the Empire Of Napoleon esiised The
recent change Of dynasty still it leaves in possession of
one of his descendants, will be in the following
brief statement:
The House of Bourbon is divided into two branches:
that of Bourbon proper, which comprises all the legi-
mate descendants OF Henry Nv. and that of Bourbon,
Condo descended from Louis, Prince of Condo Young
brother of that Sovereign.
The head of the first or royal house of Bourbon is the
deposed King Charles x the second in order OF prece-
dence in this branch Ferdinand, the present King OF
SPAIN who is is neally descended from grandson of
Louis XVI, who ascended the Spanish throne i'm the
year, l7O1 and the next in ORDER is Francis King Of
Naples or it is generally called the two Sicies) de-
scended also from Louis XIV and whose branch OF the
family obtained that crown in 1885
The last branch Of this stock, the Ducal house OF
Orleans, represented by Louis Philippe the king
Of the French who is the ffh in direct line from
AID brother to Louis XIV by which latter monarch he
was invested with the Duksdom Of Orleans, snciens
ief OF Fence
The second minor line OF the Bourbons that OF
Bourbon-Conde divided into two branches; Condo
and Cont, the former Of which produced the greatest
man of the Bourbon family with the exception per-
haps, Of Henry IV) we mean Louis, commonly styled
the GREAT CoNDE, so renowned statesman and
warrior in the reign Of Louis XIII. and XIV
The branch Of Cont, became extinct in 1914 by fbo
death Of Louis Francis Joseph the last Prince of that
House That Of Conds, still survives in the person Of
Louis Henry Joseph, Duke Of Bourbon father of tho
unfortunate Duke Of Enghen, executed in 1903 during
tho government OF Napoleon. The race Of this great
and gallant branch Of the family, that has recently be-
come extinct also; the Duke Of Bourbon, died childess
since the late revolution advanced age II is worthy
OF remark that he is the Only of the BoUrbons with
the exception Of the Orleans family, who has acquesed
in the events Of the late revolution and the csnsesuent
change Of dynasty. lie gave 10000 francs for the re-
lief Of the wounded and the relatives Of tho kilsd an
the glorious days Of July.
Numerous descendants Of Louis XIV have snrun,
from tho Royal houses Of Spain and Naples and have
inicrmarried with branches OF most Of lie rernino
Catholic Houses OF Europe But inasmuch 40 neither
they nor their offspring have any influence on
the affairs Of France it is deemed unnecessary 10 par
cularize them.