Charles XII & VII

## Charles XII Amédée

Charles XII, Roi de France, de Navarre et de Sardaigne, c. 1754

### Born

5th May 1707, Château de Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, Kingdom of France (aged 47)

### Spouse

Élisabeth Thérèse de Lorraine † (m. 1726 - her death, 1752)Marie-Élisabeth, Archiduchesse d'Autriche (m. 1753)

### Issue

Victoire Élisabeth Thérèse, Princesse RoyalePhilippe Joseph Auguste, Monseigneur le Dauphin †

Louis Philippe Charles, Monseigneur le Dauphin

Isabelle Louise Justine, Madame Deuxième †

Antoinette Bénédicte Xavière, Madame Troisième †

Joseph Frédéric Xavier, Duc d'Orléans

Hercule François Marie, Duc d'Aquitaine

Marguerite Charlotte Adélaïde, Madame Quatrième

### Siblings

Charles Henri, Monseigneur le Dauphin de France †Victor Emmanuel, Duc d'Anjou

François Joseph, Duc d'Alençon

Henriette Françoise, Reine d'Espagne

### Father

Charles XI & VI, Roi de France, de Navarre et de Sardaigne †

### Religion

Roman Catholicism

**Charles XII** (Charles Amédée Emmanuel François Hyacinthe; born 5th May 1707) is the sixth monarch of France from the House of Savoie, having succeeded his father Charles XI at the age of eighteen in 1725. He also reigns as King of Navarre in union with France, as well as King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy as **Charles VII.** Born the second son of King Charles XI and his second wife, Anna Contessina Maria Luisa de Médicis, Charles would become heir to the throne upon the death of his elder brother in 1717 as a result of smallpox. Charles's reign of 27 years thus far has seen a continued growth and development of his court - the court of Charles XII has arguably been the most extravagant of any of his predecessors. Diplomatically, Charles has pursued strategic foreign alliances in Spain and Austria against his traditional enemies in Great Britain and Prussia.

Charles himself has been known as a man of expensive tastes. Being one for parties and debauchery, he was staunchly against the relatively drab and militaristic court of his father. Charles had a fondness for expensive decorations and great spectacles, which has led to his perception as something of a spendthrift. He spent much of his reign on remodelling projects at Saint-Cloud and Fontainebleau, his two favoured residences. He has notably spent far more than most of his predecessors combined throughout his reign. In contrast, he had been known to be able to be serious and decisive when the situation requires it. In fact, he possessed a certain terrible temper when aggravated enough, a side of him that would rarely show.

## Early Years (1707 - 1725)

### **Birth (1707)**

Charles Amédée Emmanuel François Hyacinthe de France was born on May 5th, 1707 at the Château de Saint-Cloud to the then Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne. His father, Louis de France (later to reign as Charles X), was heir to the throne since the death of his elder brother King Charles X's only child. He was the second son of the Duc and Duchesse, following his elder brother Charles Henri. At birth, he was named Duc de Longueville, a title he would hold until his father's ascension to the throne of France. He became third-in-line to the throne at birth and was not expected to inherit the throne. He remained at Saint-Cloud throughout his infancy, which his father had taken up residence at rather than residing at the court of the King, whom he was said to have a stormy relationship with.

### **Early Years (1707 - 1717)**

Charles Amédée lived a relatively carefree life at Saint-Cloud throughout his earliest years. He had a close relationship with his father and elder brother, both of whom he looked up to. He was said by peers and staff at Saint-Cloud to have been a handsome and bright boy, in comparison to his relatively weak and sickly elder brother. He was placed into the care of the Princesse de Condé, governess of the children of France. It was said that Charles Amédée idolized Condé, maintaining a strong relationship with her even when he ascended the throne as King. Due to his close proximity in age with his brother, they were brought up in essentially the same environment. They were given the same *enfants d'honneur* to interact with, the same tutors and the same lessons. Of course, his elder brother's education was to be more comprehensive than Charles Amédée's, due to the fact that Charles Henri was expected to rule. During his early years, Charles Amédée himself was shaped for a career at court and in the military, taught to serve his brother. Though the relationship between the two brothers was generally warm, it was said that they grew further apart towards the end of Charles Henri's life, due to their differing interests.

At the age of seven in 1714, Charles was publicly baptised. Prior to this moment, he had been known to the realm simply as *"Longueville"*. His father chose the names *Charles Amédée Emmanuel François Hyacinthe* for him - which honoured numerous ancestors. Charles honoured the father himself, as well as the King Charles X & V as well as numerous Savoyard rulers by that name. Amédée was chosen primarily in honour of Amédée VIII, Duke of Savoy, though it was a name shared by numerous Savoyard rulers. Emmanuel was chosen in honour of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, who was the husband of Queen Isabelle I and the progenitor of the royal Savoyard line. François was chosen in honour of his late grandfather, King François III & I. Hyacinthe was chosen in honour of Saint Hyacinth the Confessor. Also at the age of seven, much to his dismay, he was taken from his governess and placed into the care of the Duc de Roannais, who was a close friend of his father. Roannais was to take the role of Charles Amédée's appointed governor. The Vicomte de Rennes, another of his father's friends, was chosen as under-governor. The Bishop of Boulogne was appointed as his *precepteur.* Despite this new appointments, Charles Amédée remained closest to the Princesse de Condé. He made a point of shunning and purposefully disobeying his governors to show his disapproval over being separated from her. This, however, did nothing but earn him punishments - something which his father encouraged, hoping it would make him strong.

### **Monseigneur le Dauphin (1717 - 1725)**

His uncle, King Charles X & V, died in 1715 at Fontainebleau. The King's only child and heir, the Dauphin Louis, had died in a hunting accident in 1706. This had left the King's younger brother, Charles Amédée's father, as heir to the throne. Upon the death of the King, his father became King of France, of Navarre and of Sardinia. This made Charles second-in-line to the French throne, requiring him to move to court with his parents and siblings. His father initially took up residence at Fontainebleau between 1715 and 1719, before residing in Saint-Cloud during the summer and Fontainebleau during the winter. It was upon the ascension of his father that he was created *Duc de Bourgogne*, the former title of his father, which entitled him to status as a peer of France. However, in 1717, his elder brother Dauphin Charles Henri contracted smallpox and died at the age of twelve. This placed Charles Amédée himself as heir to the throne, and he was created *Monseigneur le Dauphin* at the age of ten. He was now heir to the most powerful realm in Europe.

Charles Amédée continued to be educated at court. He shared his education with his younger brother, Victor Emmanuel, Duc d'Anjou. He now received a more specialised education in rulership and diplomacy, as opposed to his previous education focusing on military strategy and court service. By the age of fourteen, Charles Amédée had become adept enough at these studies, though it was believed by some that due to his lapsed education in his earlier years, he would not become as skilled as would be preferable. By this time, he had grown into his tendencies to indulge, growing to enjoy spectacles and parties. He would attend numerous festive balls during his time as Dauphin, much to the disapproval of his militaristic, conservative father. On one occasion, Charles Amédée arranged his own party, which unsurprisingly turned into a night of debauchery and entertainment. Charles Amédée developed a reputation at the court as something of a playboy, spending his time on his own personal enjoyment and excess. His expensive tastes became more apparent during his time as heir apparent, his father twice having to bail him out of his debts. He was, nonetheless, extremely popular amongst the younger nobility, whom he made a point of associating himself with - ostensibly due to the fact that he found the elder courtiers and his father's ministers boring, but more likely due to the fact that he wished to associate himself with powerful people to further his own position in the future.

In his early adulthood as Dauphin, Charles Amédée drew further attention to himself with his affairs. He was known to have had numerous dalliances with young ladies of the court. In his youth, Charles Amédée was known to be studily attractive - this and his rank drew much attention to him from young women. It was also said that he was not indifferent to their charms, either. His first notable relationship was with Jeanne Charlotte de Briançon, Mademoiselle de Broglie. It was much rumoured that he produced an illegitimate child with her; this was neither confirmed nor denied by him. His relationship with Mademoiselle de Broglie lasted up to three years, though during this relationship he had numerous other dalliances - something which Broglie herself encouraged. His father became infuriated with his son's lifestyle, which led to a terrible quarrel and feud between father and son. It was said that, towards the end of the life of Charles XI, father and son had grown to resent one another, a fact that was blatantly obvious when conversation between them was observed.

By 1724, his father had become incapable of ruling independently - the King had been crippled by gout and what was believed to be madness, but was more likely the onset of dementia. This led to his mother, Anne de Médicis, ruling the Kingdom in her husband's stead. Charles Amédée clashed frequently with his mother during this time, desiring to hold power of his own. Finding these efforts futile, Charles Amédée instead turned to Saint-Cloud, the palace which his father had granted to him personally (court at this time was at Fontainebleau). Retreating to Saint-Cloud, Charles Amédée established something of a rival court there - he filled his court with young men and women of the highest pedigrees in France. This rival court was seen by the older generation as disgracefully debauched, with almost nightly parties and soirées being held there. The Duc d'Aumont, a court ally of his mother's, said of Charles Amédée's court: *"The prince and his cohort seem to have no sense of decency".* Indeed, many of the things Charles Amédée enjoyed most were shunned by the court at this time - his father had established a mundane and militaristic court, even more in line with the Prussian court than the traditional excess of the French court. In an affront to his father, Charles Amédée would purposefully do his best to contrast the two courts.

## Reign (1725 - Present)

### **Ascension (1725)**

Charles XI & VI died suddenly on the 5th of June 1725 after almost a year of incapacity, at Fontainebleau. An autopsy revealed that the cause of his death had been a cerebral haemorrhage. On the moment of his father's death, Charles Amédée legally became King of France, of Navarre and of Sardinia. A delegation immediately set out from Fontainebleau to Saint-Cloud in order to meet and proclaim the now 18-year-old Dauphin as King. Roughly seven hours after the King's death, the delegation arrived at Saint-Cloud and met with Charles Amédée. He was informed of his father's death and his ascension to the throne. A witness, the Comte de Muret (a member of Charles Amédée's rival court) later stated in his *mémoires* that, *"Upon receiving this dreadful news, the Dauphin burst into a passion of tears, taking solace only in Mademoiselle de Broglie. Never have I seen a man so deeply impacted by ill news".* An hour after receiving the news, Charles Amédée left Saint-Cloud for Fontainebleau with an entourage. It was said by those who travelled with him that he did not say a word for the entire journey - he simply stared blankly through the window of the carriage.

Upon his arrival at Fontainebleau, he was confronted with an almost chaotic scene. Noblemen and women rushing around the halls attempting to set their affairs in order (as often happened during a transition of power), clergymen patrolling the halls and the government in disarray. Upon presenting himself to the *Conseil du Roi*, he was proclaimed King of France, Navarre and Sardinia as **Charles XII & VII**, the full weight of the most powerful state in Europe upon his shoulders. Also in his *mémoires*, the Comte de Muret testified that, *"The full weight of his lofty position appeared to hit him at once. He seemed to think himself fatally unprepared for the daunting task which lay ahead of him".* The now Queen-Mother's regency was terminated at once, full power immediately being vested in Charles. Court intrigue began almost at once, as was common during turbulent transitions of power, the Duc de Piennes was caught attempting to undermine the new King's power and restore the regency of the Queen-Mother, which earned him exile. Despite his previous emotion and shock, Charles realised by this time that he needed to appear assertive to keep control - by June 8th he had dismissed almost all members of the conseil and had began to appoint members of his own. He made a point of hosting court in the throne room to assert his authority and legitimacy. After some continued turbulence in the following weeks, Charles was finally undisputedly King. Charles XI was interred at Saint-Denis on June 24th, finally paving the way for Charles XII's reign to begin.

### **Coronation (1725)**

Following his ascension, preparations began to be made for his coronation. A large and elaborate coronation council was assembled made up of many of the great names of France in order to organise one of the largest events of the century. Charles himself took an active role in the organisation of his coronation, choosing Christmas Day for the occasion. The Cardinal-Archbishop of Reims, Henri Alphonse de Guise d'Armagnac, was chosen to perform the ceremony. Numerous foreign dignitaries were invited to the event to witness the anointing of the new French monarch. Charles's coronation was set to be the most lavish and expensive event in over one hundred years, the estimated cost of the coronation and all of the preparations coming up to almost 10,000,000 livres. Unlike his father, who had a relatively simplistic coronation, Charles would spare no expense. These extravagances included gilded carriages, an entourage of hundreds and the celebrations afterwards. A new crown was also created for him, made with hundreds of rubies and diamonds, coming to a shocking expense.

As ever, six powerful men were chosen to fulfil many duties. Historically, the six lay peers would fulfil this duty, but with ever evolving titles and ranks these peers had been surpassed in precedence. At Charles's coronation: the Duc d'Angoulême carried the royal crown, girded his sword and gave him the orders of chivalry; the Prince de Condé carried the first square banner; the Duc de Guise carried the second square banner; the Duc de Broglie carried the spurs; the Duc de Sully carried the royal sword and the Duc de Montmorency-Luxembourg carried the banner of war. This ceremony had remained largely unchanged throughout history. As well as these duties, the perpetual ecclesiastical peers also had roles: the Archbishop of Reims crowned and anointed the King; the Bishop of Laon carried the Holy Ampulla; the Bishop of Langres carried the scepter; the Bishop of Beauvais carried and showed the royal coat of arms; the Bishop of Chalons carried the royal ring and the Bishop of Noyon carried the belt. In an elaborate and ornate ceremony, the new King of France was anointed and then crowned first with the ancient Crown of Charlemagne, then with the new crown which had been fashioned for him. This symbolically provided him with divine right. Afterward, he made his first symbolic *"Joyous Entry"* into Paris, as was customary for a newly crowned monarch. After this, a large dinner and ball in celebration of the coronation was held at the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

### **Marriage (1726)**

The young King's marriage was of immediate importance to the government. Prior to his death, Charles XI had floated the idea of a betrothal to a Jacobite princess, but this match was deemed inappropriate by the *conseil*. Instead, it was thought that Charles should instead marry Élisabeth Thérèse de Lorraine, the daughter of Léopold, Duc de Lorraine et de Bar. The match was agreed upon in November of 1725, with January set for the wedding to be held. Élisabeth Thérèse was handed over to France in early January, while the marriage would take place later in the month. No expense was spared on the occasion, as with the coronation. A large amount of pomp and circumstance was placed into the occasion of the King's wedding. Charles himself took an active role in the planning of the festivities, though he left the parts he thought "dreary", such as the actual mass, to his planning advisors. Extravagances include hundreds of fireworks, a twelve-course banquet, supplies to be given out for street parties and more.

Following their marriage, it became clear that Charles and Élisabeth Thérèse were wholly incompatible. He was considered more of a fun-loving playboy, whilst she was considered reserved and pious. She disagreed with many of his habits, such as his adultery, his lavish expenditures and his drinking. It became clear to many that there was a rot in their marriage from the very beginning - the relationship would only deteriorate further over the years. Out of obligation, they produced thirteen children, five of whom would survive infancy. By the turn of the 1750's, it became clear that the King and Queen loathed one another. Charles himself, while in a drunken stupour, made it clear that he could not stand his wife's company. The Queen, in turn, was most angered and aggressive about Charles's refusal to acknowledge his mistresses. Their differences in opinion and personality led to numerous squabbles, which often led to the court becoming fractured between the two. They had stopped ever sharing a bedchamber by 1745. Despite their personal hatred of one another, the marriage proved politically advantageous. Following the conclusion of the War of the Austrian Succession and the coronation of her brother Francis as Holy Roman Emperor, Élisabeth Thérèse received the Duchies of Lorraine and Bar in the peace treaty. This was despite her brother Charles Alexandre still living, and was mainly due to French pressure that she came to hold the Duchies. Nonetheless, the Duchies found themselves under the domination of Charles - a fact which led to further quarrels and disagreements within their already strained marriage. Charles privately felt relief upon her death in 1752.

### **Early Reign (1726 - 1733)**

#### **Saint-Cloud (1726 - 1731)**

Charles's reign began relatively well. One of his first actions after his coronation was to move his court to Saint-Cloud, which had always been his favoured residence. The move was resisted by some in court, including his mother and numerous members of his conseil, who preferred to remain at Fontainebleau. Charles went ahead nonetheless, beginning an extensive project to refurbish Saint-Cloud. His expensive tastes which went along with the refurbishment of Fontainebleau dismayed his councillors, who saw the massive treasury built up by the frugal Charles XI be drained away gradually on the young King's lavish disposition. He was counselled often to be more conservative with the funds - though on every one of these occasions he would give some half-hearted concern and continue on his path of indulgence. The renovation work on Saint-Cloud went on for five years, the court remained there during this time even despite the ongoing work.

#### **Household and Government Reforms (1731 - 1732)**

Charles next turned to the reformation of his household and government. He dismissed many of those in the household who had served under his father, believing them far too drab. He instead rearranged his household to contain many younger courtiers who had been acquaintances of his from his time at Saint-Cloud as Dauphin. The dismissal of many senior and high ranking courtiers incensed them, which led to Charles being forced to acquiese and grant them more minor positions in his household, with reluctance. By this time, Charles had made it abundantly clear that he was no friend of the members of his father's court (who had oftentimes publicly agreed with Charles XI's criticisms of his son). This led to an exodus of numerous members of the court and government of Charles XI, who were forced to return in disfavour to their own estates. Only a few were spared from the King's disfavour, including the Princes du Sang and a select few courtiers. Charles instead filled his government with numerous young men who shared his attitude towards life and spending, which undoubtedly made for an ineffective and wasteful government. With this organised and with nobody left to criticise him, Charles turned towards the pleasures in life.

#### **Comtesse de Mailly (1728 - 1740)**

It was in 1728 that Charles's first major *maîtresse-en-titre* came to prominence. She was Louise Julie de Mailly-Nesle, who had been born into a relatively humble non-courtly house and who had come to the King's attention whilst he was hunting at Versailles. She was renowned for her looks, which led to the King beginning a long-term relationship with her, which would ultimately last from 1728 until 1741. During this time, she bore Charles at least five children, who were acknowledged by the King - much to the displeasure of the Queen. The Queen tried unsuccessfully to remove the Comtesse from her household, though she was ultimately kept there due to Charles's insistence. The King pressured the then Duchesse de Guise, who was Grand Mistress of the Robes to his wife, to keep the Comtesse in her position. This was the cause of the first great quarrel between the King and Queen, which saw court divided. The Queen left court and resided at the Luxembourg Palace between 1729 and 1730, before she finally returned in March of 1730. The Queen had left whilst pregnant, and it is often said that the stress of the situation is what led to her daughter being stillborn.

#### **Roannais and Rohan (1731 - 1748)**

In 1731, Charles appointed his former governor, the Duc de Roannais, as Principal Ministre d'État - head of the King's government. This was done, in part, on the advice of his mother. Roannais proved to be effective in his efforts to curtail the economic situation, though he insisted that courtly spending be cut back. This led to a quarrel between Roannais and the King, which caused Roannais to be dismissed after just six months in his office. Charles then appointed the Marquis de Rohan to the position, who was a controversial choice due to his relatively low rank and libertine attitudes. Rohan had the King's favour for far longer than Roannais had, holding the position of Principal Ministre between 1731 and 1748, until he was dismissed by the King. During Rohan's tenure as head of the King's government, spending on the royal court reached a record high - it was believed that tens of millions of livres every year were being spent on the expenses of the court and the King's lifestyle, which included regular hunting trips and parties. Rohan was viewed by much of the conseil and the more conservative members of the court as an enabler of the King's bad habits, which led to his disfavour with the Queen, the Queen-Mother and the Dauphin amongst others. Rohan was a noted opponent of the Queen, supporting the Comtesse de Mailly as the King's mistress. He often encouraged the King to legitimise his children with Rohan which, despite acknowledging them, he did not do for fear of political repurcussions.

### **War of the Polish Succession (1733 - 1735)**

In 1733, Charles led France into the War of the Polish Succession in support of Stanisław I Leszczyński, in an effort to curtail Austrian influence on the continent, who instead supported Augustus III. This put France, Spain and Poland against the Habsburg Empire, Prussia and Russia. Many counselled Charles against entering the war, but he saw a chance to increase his influence in Eastern Europe and to bring Poland into the alliance opposing Austria. He sent an army of 50,000 under the Duc de Fitz-James and a further army of 25,000 under the Duc de Villars into Habsburg territory. Fitz-James and Villars led their forces into the Duchy of Lorraine, the Queen's homeland, before besieging the imperial fortress at Kehl, across the River Rhine from Strasbourg. Within a few weeks, Charles's forces had control of Lorraine and Kehl. By this time, Charles himself journeyed to Lorraine, leaving Rohan in charge of domestic affairs, to meet with his armies and join with them on campaign. Fitz-James and Villars counselled that they should consolidate their position in Lorraine and withdraw across the Rhine River for the winter - but Charles believed that the best course of action would be to press on further into the Holy Roman Empire.

Despite Fitz-James and Villars counselling otherwise, Charles ordered further advancement. French forces captured Strasbourg in November 1733, which is where they wintered. By February of 1734, the advance continued. The forces of Fitz-James and Villars split, with Villars going further north whilst the King and Fitz-James continued on the original path. The plan was for Villars to put pressure on Prussian territory while the King and Fitz-James put pressure onto Austria. This was to lure enemy forces out of Poland to give King Stanisław time to assemble a substantial force. This almost worked - when Charles and Fitz-James reached Salzburg in March, Emperor Charles VI almost recalled his army to deal with the threat. However, Eugene Francis of Savoy-Carignano (who was, in fact, a non-princely cadet member of Charles's own house) counselled the Emperor otherwise, which led to the failure of this plan in Austria. The minor Battle of Salzburg was won by French forces, but Fitz-James found that they were unable to hold the city which led to a retreat. With this plan, Charles had not accounted for the expertise of enemy generals and had instead hoped that they would attack blindly.

By 1734, French forces had withdrawn back toward the Rhine River. In the North, Villars had come into contact with a Prussian army greater in number and had been annihilated, with what was left of his force limping back toward the Rhine to join up with the King and Fitz-James. The Duc de Noailles and Marquis d'Asfeld, leading smaller French forces which had been assembled at home. Charles himself took a lesser part in the strategy here, for it was already being whispered that he was an incapable strategist after the previous failures. Due to his failure in Prussia, Villars was dismissed and was replaced by Noailles on the War Council. Charles, having proven his tactical ineptitude, left the campaign in the hands of Fitz-James and returned to Saint-Cloud on the 3rd of June 1734, during the Second Siege of Philippsburg. Nine days later, Fitz-James was decapitated by a cannonball at the siege. Charles, enraged, ordered Noailles to butcher every soldier in Philippsburg. When the fortress finally fell, Noailles failed to carry out the order, which led to him losing favour with the King.

Noailles was ordered back to France in August of 1734, at which time he was promptly imprisoned for defying the King's orders. By this time, the French command was in chaos. Asfeld assumed command of the Army of the Rhine and decided to pull back across the river due to their inability to maintain their position. Charles was enraged, though he eventually realised the futility of the campaign and commanded a withdrawal. Stanisław Leszczyński took refuge at Danzig, awaiting French forces. Charles's forces could not make it to Stanisław, being forced to leave their ally behind. During this time, Charles was said to undergo violent mood swings, from pessimism to optimism within a few minutes, and vice versa. Further maddening was the money spent on the war by France, which had ultimately been for nothing. Spanish victories in Italy had balanced out the war though, and when it came to peace talks the result was ultimately beneficial. The Spanish Savoyards received the crowns of Naples and Sicily, which went to Infante Charles. Austria received the Duchy of Parma, whilst Stanisław Leszczyński was deposed once again and Augustus III received the Polish throne. Charles extended his hospitality to Stanisław, who continues to reside at the Château de Blois.

### **Centralisation of Power (1735 - 1740)**

#### **Dissolution of the Parlements (1735)**

Following the War of the Polish Succession, Charles turned toward domestic affairs. At the best of times, the King was considered impulsive and misguided - at the worst of times, he was considered arbitrary and sometimes even unlawful in his actions. Charles attempted to heighten taxes on the whole nation in 1735 in order to pay for the debt accrued during the War of the Polish Succession, but he was met with resistance from regional *parlements* - assemblies of local lower nobility and bourgeois who were the principal judges and legislative bodies in their provinces. Above the provincial parlements was the *Parlement de Paris*, which was by far the most powerful and most numerous of these bodies. The individual parlements of Navarre, Provence and Bourgogne were in defiance to Charles's new taxes, so he responded by dissolving them. This led to protests from more parlements, particularly those of Bretagne, Poitou and Toulouse - most crushingly, the Parlement de Paris also voiced discontent with the King.

On 7th September 1735, Charles issued an edict officially declaring null and void the powers of the parlements of each province of France, not only the ones who had defied him. This vengeance from the King, as it was seen by the now unemployed members of the parlements, was seen as damaging at best and unlawful at worst. By this point, the King was becoming more confident and assertive with his power, which ultimately led to more rash, ill-judged and ultimately damaging decisions. By this point, it became clear that Charles was no skilled statesman. The King's ambition and stubbornness exapserated his conseil and advisers, ultimately leading to more rifts within the government and further reshuffling of his conseil. After the dissolution of the parlements, he also dismissed 2/3 of his conseil. He filled their seats with a corrupt, bloated administration of yes-men who would not go against the will of the King and the Marquis de Rohan. This is often seen as the beginning of the ineffective and loathed administration which still exists today.

#### **Revocation of the Edict of Saint-Germain (1737)**

A rising force in his conseil was Cardinal Fleury, who would ultimately go on to become perhaps the Chief Minister in all but name. Charles, who loathed the presence of protestants in his realm, turned to Fleury for advice on how to deal with them effectively. Charles was advised to revoke the Edict of Saint-Germain, an edict which had remained in force for 175 years, since 1562. The Edict had first been promulgated by Catherine de' Medici during her regency, and granted religious toleration to Huguenots (French Protestants who often followed Jean Calvin's teachings). During the French Wars of Religion, the Edict of Saint-Germain was generally disregarded. After the end of the wars, the Edict was put back into force as the only rights which would be granted to Huguenots. On the 14th of October 1737, Charles officially revoked the Edict of Saint-Germain. The revocation was followed by a damaging mass-exodus of French Huguenots from the realm. It also led to attacks on innocent Huguenots.

The impact the revocation of the Edict of Saint-Germain had on the economy was undeniable. Charles himself admitted that he had not taken into account the sheer amount that the Huguenots, who mainly consisted of burghers and bourgeois in towns, had contributed to the economy of his kingdom. Charles did, nonetheless, celebrate the expulsion of many Huguenots from his kingdom. Those who did not leave had to face unbelievable acts of butchery and violence, which led to unlawful mass burnings, lynchings and mob rule. Charles, being unable to gain control of the situation he had caused, simply sat back and allowed the chaos to run its course. Death tolls, particularly in the south, often reached within the tens of thousands for each province. The Catholic Inquisition in Paris led a series of rigged trials which led to mass amounts of burnings. One victim said before his burning, *"J’espère le roi méchant est mal à l’aise à l’odeur de peau brûlée!"* or *"I hope the evil King winces at the smell of burning flesh!"* Indeed, the odour from the burnings made its way throughout the city and into the heights surrounding Paris, including Saint-Cloud. It was said that, on strolling through the gardens at Saint-Cloud, all one would know of is the undeniable stench of burning human flesh. Charles simply deflected any criticism on the matter.

#### **Marquise de Vintimille (1740 - 1743)**

By 1740, Charles was beginning to tire of the Comtesse de Mailly, who had been his chief mistress since 1728, and whom he had five children with. She was one of the famous de Mailly-Nesle sisters, four of whom became Charles's mistresses at some time. The two youngest of the mistresses always remained junior mistresses, though as the decline of the Comtesse de Mailly occured, Charles began to look more toward the Comtesse's younger sister, the Marquise de Vintimille, who had previously been a junior mistress. Vintimille's beauty was said to rival her sister's, and the two sisters became rivals for the King's affection. As the King began to pay more attention to Vintimille, Mailly became more desperate for his attention. Her desperation led to her becoming clingy and obsessive around the King, which drove him further away. By 1740, the Comtesse realised that she had lost the King and there was no use trying to pursue him anymore. Thus, Vintimille had won the King's affections and she became Chief Mistress.

Unlike Mailly, the Marquise de Vintimille was politically active. This led to disdain from Charles's more conservative councillors, whose affairs the Marquise often included herself in. The Marquise, becoming more confident, began to personally make appointments to the conseil. This angered Charles, leading to the first rift in their relationship. One biographer commented, *"A couple's quarrel had become the governance of the most powerful nation in Europe."* The situation had become desperate, which led to Charles forcing the Marquise to remain out of the affairs of the conseil. She did continue to make suggestions for her allies to be granted positions. During their relationship, Charles and the Marquise had two children, who were recognised by the king and legitimised. Their relationship was undeniably more fractituous than his relationship with Mailly, which had been mostly harmonious whilst it lasted. Vintimille became resented by the court for her feelings of superiority and acting above her station, which ultimately led to her downfall. A series of complaints about Vintimille ultimately caused her and the King to break apart. Unlike Mailly, Vintimille did not become desperate and clingy in sensing that she had lost the King. She resigned herself to this fate - finally departing court in 1743.

### **War of the Austrian Succession (1740 - 1748)**

Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI died at the age of 55 on the 20th of October 1740. The Emperor left no male heirs, leaving the Habsburg dominions to his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa. The issue of Maria Theresa's inheritance was hotly contested within the Empire and beyond. Frederick II, King of Prussia, objected to Maria Theresa's inheritance and sought allies. Charles, being the strongest of Austria's enemies, declared war first on December 16th. Prussia joined in his declaration, and thus began the War of the Austrian Succession. France and Prussia were soon joined by Spain, Bavaria, Saxony, Naples, Genoa, Sweden, Hesse-Kassel, the Palatinate and Cologne. Charles set aside his personal distaste for the Prussian king and his peoples for the sake of the war. Realising at once that this war of Austrian Succession was to be larger and longer than the previous Polish war, Charles mustered a larger force than he had done for the last war.

Charles secured the election of Charles VII, formerly the Elector of Bavaria, as Holy Roman Emperor. This way, he created an ally in Bavaria with the hopes that he might create a legitimate alternative for the title of Emperor. The Prussians staged an invasion into Austrian Silesia, with the intentions of capturing that territory and keeping it for themselves. Charles, meanwhile, set his eyes upon the Austrian Netherlands, territories which were considered valuable and which contained many French speakers. By this time, Charles had made it a wish to unify all the different groups of French people into his realm - this included those in the Austrian Netherlands and the Lorrainers. Maria Theresa's husband Francis still reigned as Duke of Lorraine and Bar, titles which Charles coveted for his Lorrainer wife Élisabeth Thérèse - despite the animosity between the couple, Charles recognised her as a tool for the legitimate inheritance of Lorraine. Charles, therefore, ordered a joint invasion into Lorraine and into the Austrian Netherlands. Charles took a step back from personal command in this war, having been humiliated in the War of the Polish Succession. Instead, Charles placed Maurice de Saxe and the Duc de Broglie in command of his armies.

The French campaigns in Lorraine and the Austrian Netherlands went spectacularly well, as did the Prussian campaign in Silesia. By 1745, Charles's forces had total control of the Duchy of Lorraine and the Austrian Netherlands. Saxe and Broglie were reluctant to go further, instead counselling that their forces remain in their occupied territories. Charles agreed - though he did send a few smaller brigades through the Empire to assist the Prussian campaign in Silesia. Also in 1745, Charles offered support to the Jacobite risings led by Charles Edward Stuart in Scotland. French fleets assisted with the uprisings, and Stuart had some initial success in taking Edinburgh unopposed. However, Charles did not go far in enough in his assistance - which led to the disastrous defeat of the Jacobite forces at the Battle of Culloden. The Jacobite pretender returned to France defeated, putting an end to the hopes of a Stuart restoration to the British throne. Charles seemed relatively unconcerned about the matter - he continued with his ambitions in Lorraine and the Netherlands.

As the war began to draw to a close, it became apparent that absolute victory was not attainable. Further, Charles was consistently informed of the disastrous effect the war was having on the economy. This led to the King attempting to find a peace quickly. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, signed on the 18th of October 1748 in Aaachen, laid out the following terms. France was to receive the Austrian Netherlands, while the French Queen Élisabeth Thérèse was to receive the Duchies of Lorraine and Bar, which she would rule alongside her husband Charles as co-monarch. This, effectively, unified each nation of French speakers into the Kingdom of France itself, fulfilling Charles's ambition. Prussia was to receive Austrian Silesia, as well as smaller border concessions of Bohemian territory. Francis I was to become co-monarch in Austria in order to rule as Holy Roman Emperor. Charles's mother, Anne de Médicis, was recognised as Grand Duchess of Tuscany, a title she had inherited during the war. Austria would surrender the Duchies of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla to Felipe of Spain, a member of the Spanish House of Savoy. Britain was to withdraw from certain territories in the Americas, ceding numerous border forts in Canada to New France. Finally, Austria was forced to withdraw from the Duchy of Modena and Genoese Republic. While France gained a lot from the war, they were also left in crippling debt - a situation which would remain unresolved. Further, Aix-la-Chapelle did very little to resolve the problems in European politics, which led to increasing tension as the 1750's came about.

## Biography

### **Personality**

The King was a complex man. He was known to be somewhat intelligent, yet at the same time lazy in many respects. Nonetheless, he made sure to always tend to the affairs of state. Otherwise, the King was known as a spendthrift - he had extremely expensive tastes, which led to his court becoming the most lavish in Europe. Outwardly, he was generally courteous and jovial - he did, however, have a horrible temper whenever he became agitated. The King could, in extreme circumstances, be ruthless when it came to getting what he wanted. He was an extremely proud and arrogant man - he believed that associating with those far below him was out of the question, which led to him becoming detached from his subjects. His distaste for his own people was why he chose to reside at the Château de Saint-Cloud rather than at the Tuileries or the Louvre, which had oftentimes been residences of the French monarchs. This could be seen as placing himself upon a pedestal, which made the King unpopular in Paris. He did, however, remain a popular and beloved figure outside of the city. The King was prone to lust and gluttony, which were evidenced by his numerous affairs and large appetite for feasts and banquets. He was also prone to drinking too much alcohol - his favoured drink was champagne. This often led to poor judgment and lack of reasonability.

### **Appearance**

In his youth, Charles was said to be tall and dashing. He stood at 5'11'', above average when compared to his contemporaries. He possessed brown hair and brown eyes, inherited from his father. He had a fair complexion, which favoured his mother. He had broad shoulders, a strong jaw and a sharp nose. He had the appearance of being strong and powerful outwardly. As he aged, he put on more weight, to the point where he could be considered portly - he also began to appear less strapping and elegant than he had before. During his reign, Charles surrendered himself further and further to vice and excess, which clearly had an adverse effect on his health and his looks. He made every effort to appear stylish and immaculate. He set new precedents in fashion throughout his reign. He favoured powdered wigs, which had not been in fashion during his father's reign. His adoption of this new fashion led to it becoming the norm in the French court. He dressed in the finest silks and fabrics, favouring colourful suits. Some of his favoured colours included blues, crimsons, light pinks and purples. He made himself ornamented, wearing the numerous medals of his orders with the sash of the Order of the Holy Spirit. He also promoted the wearing of ornamented tricorns, which came further into fashion during his reign.

## Issue

### **Legitimate Issue**

With his first wife, Élisabeth Thérèse de Lorraine, Charles had eight livebirth children, as well as two stillborn children and three miscarriages:

* Victoire Élisabeth Thérèse de France, Princesse Royale (17th November 1726 - Present)
* Philippe Joseph Auguste de France, Monseigneur le Dauphin (17th November 1726 - 16th January 1733)
* Louis Philippe Charles de France, Monseigneur le Dauphin (5th June 1728 - Present)
* Stillborn daughter (9th January 1730)
* Isabelle Louise Justine de France, Madame Deuxième (23rd March 1731 - 4th April 1731)
* Antoinette Bénédicte Xavière de France, Madame Troisième (28th August 1733 - 7th October 1736)
* Miscarriage (3rd September 1734)
* Miscarriage (8th February 1735)
* Joseph Frédéric Xavier de France, Duc d'Orléans (2nd January 1736 - Present)
* Hercule François Marie de France, Duc d'Aquitaine (24th July 1739 - Present)
* Stillborn son (31st March 1741)
* Marguerite Charlotte Adélaïde de France, Madame Quatrième (13th May 1742 - Present)
* Miscarriage (16th December 1745)

With his second wife, Marie-Élisabeth d'Autriche, he had the following:

* Miscarriage (29th November 1754)

### **Illegitimate Issue**

With Jeanne Charlotte de Briançon, Mademoiselle de Broglie, he had two children. Both were listed as children of a Monsieur de La Ferte, old Officer of Cavalry, and a Mme. de La Ferte, both non-existent persons:

* Louise Marie de La Ferte (5th September 1722 - Present)
* Charles Antoine de La Ferte (17th June 1724 - Present)

With Claudine Marie d'Aumont, Mademoiselle de Chappes, he had one child who would be listed without a father and would go unacknowledged by the King:

* François Henri d'Aumont (23rd July 1727 - 10th January 1730)

With Louise Julie de Mailly-Nesle, Comtesse de Mailly, he had five children. The King acknowledged his children by the Comtesse, as well as granting them legitimisation:

* Charles Auguste de Savoie, *Légitimé de France*,Duc du Maine (8th December 1729 - Present)
* Marie Louise de Savoie, *Légitimé de France*, Mademoiselle de Dreux (14th October 1732 - 30th June 1737)
* Amélie Henriette de Savoie, *Légitimé de France*, Mademoiselle de Touraine (9th August 1734 - Present)
* Louis César de Savoie, *Légitimé de France*, Comte de Vexin (4th June 1736 - Present)
* Henri Joseph de Savoie, *Légitimé de France*, Comte d'Artois (19th February 1738 - Present)

With Pauline Félicité de Mailly-Nesle, Marquise de Vintimille, he had two children. They were acknowledged by her husband, the Marquis de Vintimille:

* Charles Baptiste de Vintimille, Marquis du Luc (2nd April 1737 - Present) - nicknamed *Demi-Charles* due to his remarkable resemblance to the King.
* Élisabeth Augustine de Vintimille, Mademoiselle de Vintimille (7th May 1740 - Present)

With Diane Adélaïde de Mailly-Nesle, Duchesse de Lauraguais, he had one child who was acknowledged by her husband:

* Louis Charles de Brancas, Duc de Villars (21st September 1742 - Present)

With Marie Anne de Mailly-Nesle, Duchesse de Châteauroux, he had three children, all of whom were acknowledged by her husband:

* Diane Antoinette de La Tournelle, Mademoiselle de La Tournelle (6th October 1740 - 8th October 1740)
* Louise Adélaïdede La Tournelle, Mademoiselle de La Tournelle (6th October 1740 - Present)
* Hortense Charlotte de La Tournelle, Mademoiselle de La Tournelle (20th November 1743 - Present)

With Jeanne Émilie de Aubusson de la Feuillade, Marquise de Fosseux, he had four children, who were acknowledged by her husband:

* Alexandre Henri de Montmorency de Luxembourg, Chevalier de Fosseux (8th March 1741 - Present)
* Frédéric Georges de Montmorency de Luxembourg, Chevalier de Fosseux (25th December 1743 - 26th December 1743)
* Maximilien Charles de Montmorency de Luxembourg, Chevalier de Fosseux (7th November 1745 - Present)
* Louis Nicolas de Montmorency de Luxembourg, Chevalier de Fosseux (5th March 1747 - Present)

With Philippine Antoinette de Béthune, Mademoiselle de Montricoux, he had one child, who was listed as the child of a certain Antoine Le Duc, Old Official and a Lady Marie, non-existent persons:

* Benoît Louis Le Duc (16th June 1751 - Present)

With Marie Jeanne Isabelle de Guise d'Armagnac, Princesse de Conti, he had the following:

* Charlotte Isabelle de Savoie de Condé, Mademoiselle de Conti ([TBD] - Present) - acknowledged by her late husband, the Prince de Conti, actually fathered by the King.

## Titles, Styles and Honours

### **Titles and Styles**

* **5th May 1707 - 9th August 1715:** *Son Altesse Royale, Monseigneur le Duc de Longueville*
* **5th June 1715 - 13th March 1717:** *Son Altesse Royale, Monseigneur le Duc de Bourgogne, Pairie de France*
* **13th March 1717 - 5th June 1725:** *Son Altesse Royale, Monseigneur le Dauphin de Viennois*
* **5th June 1725 - Present:** *Sa Majeste Très Chrétien, le Roi de France, de Navarre et de Sardaigne*

Charles's formal style was "*Très haut, très puissant et très excellent Prince Charles XII et VII, par la grâce de Dieu, roi de France, de Navarre et de Sardaigne*", or "Most high, most potent and most excellent Prince Charles XII and VII, by the Grace of God, King of France, of Navarre and of Sardinia".

### **Honours**

* *Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre du Saint-Esprit*
* *Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre de Saint-Michel*
* *Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis*
* *Souverain Grand Maître de l'Institution du Mérite Militaire*
* *Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre Suprême de la Très Sainte Annonciade*
* *Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre des Saints-Maurice-et-Lazare*
* *Chevalier de l'Insigne Ordre de la Toison d'Or (Spain)*