Louis, Duke of Burgundy (1751–1761)

Louis Joseph Xavier, Duke of Burgundy (13 September 1751 – 22 March 1761), was a French prince of the House of Bourbon. Although he was the first live-birth son, he died of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

Life

Louis Joseph Xavier was born at the Palace of Versailles. He was the third surviving child and eldest son of Dauphin Louis and Maria Josepha of Saxony, and was thus the oldest brother to the future kings Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X. It is a known fact that he was the favourite child of his parents,^[1] said to be handsome and bright.^[1]

He was put in the care of Marie Isabelle de Rohan and given the title of Duke of Burgundy by his grandfather, King Louis XV. He was much loved by those who were close to him, especially his older sister Marie Zéphyrine, who died at the age of five in 1755. It is unknown if the Duke, who was not even four years old yet, was affected by this. But it is known, however, that the absence of his older sister was felt by the Duke.

The young Duke was pushed off a wooden horse by one of his playmates in 1759. As he was recognized for his kindness, he did not tell anyone about this, in order to prevent his friend from getting into any trouble. After this incident, the Duke of Burgundy's health started to deteriorate quickly. The family's physician, Dr. Barbier, decided to operate on him in 1760. The Duke was very brave, as he was operated on while he was conscious. Knowing that he would die, the Dauphin had him baptised on 29 November 1760, with Louis XV and Marie Leszczyńska, his grandparents, as his godparents. Until that moment, he had been known just as "Burgundy". By 1761, the Duke was bound to his bed, unable to move his legs, with what was diagnosed as extra pulmonary tuberculosis of the bone.^[2] He would later die from this disease, on 22 March 1761.^[1]

Ancestors

References

Princes of France
The first generation are the children of Henri IV; these males held the rank of Son of France or Grand son of France;
1st Generation	Louis XIII Nicolas Henri, Duke of Orléans* Gaston, Duke of Orléans*
2nd Generation	Louis XIV Philippe, Duke of Orléans Jean Gaston, Duke of Valois*
3rd Generation	Louis, Dauphin of France Philippe Charles, Duke of Anjou* Louis François, Duke of Anjou* Philippe Charles, Duke of Valois* Alexandre Louis, Duke of Valois* Philippe, Duke of Orléans
4th Generation	Louis, Duke of Burgundy King Felipe of Spain Charles, Duke of Berry*
5th Generation	Louis, Duke of Brittany* Louis, Duke of Brittany* Louis XV
6th Generation	Louis, Dauphin of France Philippe, Duke of Anjou*
7th Generation	Louis, Duke of Burgundy* Xavier, Duke of Aquitaine* Louis XVI* Louis XVIII* Charles X
8th Generation	Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France* Louis XVII* Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême* Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry
* died without surviving issue