Charles Sébastien Xavier de France

Xavier de France, painted by Alexis Simon Belle, 1726

### Romantic Interests

Marie-Pelline-Thérèse-Devote Grimaldi, Mademoiselle de Chabreuil (1726 - Present)

### Siblings

Louise Henriette, Madame Royale (half)
Louis Joseph, Dauphin de France † (half)

Jean IV, Roi de France

Louise Marguerite Antoinette de France

### Religion

Roman Catholicism

*Monsieur* **Xavier, Duc d'Angoulême** (Charles Sébastien Xavier; born 18th September 1710) was the youngest child of Charles XI of France by his second wife, Marie Louise Gabrielle de Savoie. A member of the Capetian House of Évreux, he is the younger brother and current heir presumptive to the present sovereign, Jean IV. Born late into his father's life, Xavier's birth solidifed the end of the succession crisis which had been plaguing the House of Évreux for several years. His father's died in 1713, when Xavier was just two. This was followed soon after by that of his mother in 1714, leaving him and his siblings - Jean IV and Madame Antoinette - in the care of their granduncle, Charles Auguste, *Duc d’Alençon*, and the royal governess Charlotte de Lorraine-Armagnac, *Duchesse de Saint-Simon*. As the younger brother of the King, he is known at court as *Monsieur.*

Once a timid, gentle and nervous child, Xavier grew to be far more rebellious and 'troublesome' than his siblings. Beginning at age twelve, he began a pattern of heavy drinking, and he developed a reputation at court for his regular drunken outbursts in public. He occasionally lashed out against the authority of Alençon and Saint-Simon, but his assertive streak was irregular and never lasted long - he generally remained fearful of the two. Xavier also developed an infamous reputation for his short-lived dalliances and affairs with dozens of women. Pamphleteers in Paris delighted in writing of the young Monsieur's latest fling, and he was a frequent topic of conversation among the high society salons in the city. Thought of as the "black sheep" among his siblings - Jean and Antoinette being comparatively more serious and reserved - Xavier spent much of his early life relatively isolated.

## Biography

### Birth and Family

Charles Sébastien Xavier de France was born on September 18th, 1710, at the Château de Fontainebleau. He was the fifth surviving child of King Charles XI, and the third by his second wife Marie Louise de Savoie. His delivery was fairly easy for the Queen, especially in comparison to those of his elder siblings, and was attended by the bulk of the royal court. Upon the announcement of the birth of a healthy boy, there was a general sense of jubilation among those present in the birthing chamber, as one put it *"His Majesty now has an heir and a spare."* The birth of the prince ultimately marked a turning point in the previously troubled fortunes of the House of Évreux. In a surprising break with tradition, the second son was not given the title of Duke of Orléans or of Anjou - rather, owing to a recent visit his father had enjoyed there, he was titled *Duc d'Angoulême.* He was baptised six months after his birth, his godparents being his maternal grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Savoy (later King and Queen of Sardinia).

Xavier's father had previously been married to Angélique Catherine d'Este from 1675 until her death in 1706 - they had significant difficulty producing surviving children, and when their only surviving son Louis Joseph (1683 - 1703) died, there was no clear heir to the French throne. This prompted a succession crisis which would last for the next five years. The death of Angélique Catherine permitted Charles XI to remarry, which he did to Marie Louise later in 1706. In 1708, Xavier's elder brother Jean Marie Antoine was born, finally ensuring the integrity of the House of Évreux and the line of succession. The next year, in 1709, his elder sister Louise Marguerite Antoinette was born, followed in 1710 by Xavier. The birth of three children in quick succession was a great success in the eyes of the French people and prompted much celebration. At birth, Xavier was second-in-line to the throne, though following the death of his father he would move up to first.

### Early Years

After birth, Xavier was placed into the care of the governess of the children of France, Charlotte de Lorraine-Armagnac, Duchesse de Saint-Simon.

## Character Synopsis

### Appearance

Xavier was considered handsome, with a very slight and delicate figure. He was relatively short, even by the standards of the time, standing at around 5'1''. Owing to the upbringing put into place by the Duc d'Alençon, he and his siblings were subjected to meals which were not sufficient for proper growth, hindering their development and leading to them all growing to be unhealthily thin and small. He had a fair and pale complexion. He had brown eyes and naturally curled brown hair. Xavier generally put great care into his appearance - he always dressed finely and, in public, was incredibly well kept.

## Issue

### Illegitimate

By Jeanne Marie Monet, daughter of a valet at the Tuileries, he had one unrecognised illegitimate child:

* Antoine Xavier Monet (14th December 1726 - Present)

## Titles, Styles and Honours

### Titles and Styles

* **18th September 1710 - Present:** *Son Altesse Royale, Monseigneur le Duc d'Angoulême*
	+ **5th April 1713 - Present:** *Monsieur*

### Honours

* Chevalier de l'Ordre du Saint-Esprit
* Chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint-Michel
* Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Toison d'Or (Espagne)