Sunday, June 3, 2007

Louis the Dauphin (1729-1765)



Louis the Dauphin was the only son of Louis XV and the father of three kings of France, including Louis XVI. According to Wikipedia:
Louis was rather plump. He was well educated: a studious man, cultivated, and a lover of music, he preferred the pleasures of conversation to those of hunting, balls, or spectacles. With a keen sense of morality, he was very much committed to his wife, Marie-Josèphe, as she was to him. Very devout, he was a fervent supporter of the Jesuits, like his mother and sisters, and was led by them to have a devotion to the Sacred Heart. He appeared in the eyes of his sisters as the ideal of the Christian prince, in sharp contrast with their father who was a notorious womanizer.

Kept away from government affairs by his father, Louis was at the center of the Dévots, a group of religiously-minded men who hoped to gain power when he succeeded to the throne.

Louis the Dauphin would take his children to view the local parish register, to see their names inscribed along with the names of the lowliest peasant children, to show them that all distinctions of rank vanish in the eyes of God. He was only thirty-six years old when he passed away, leaving a devoted wife Marie-Josèphe de Saxe, who died not long afterwards, and five young children. It is strange how the oldest son of every generation of the Bourbon family died in youth or infancy before inheriting the throne, almost recalling the tenth plague of Egypt. Some claim it is because of Louis XIV's refusal to consecrate France to the Sacred Heart, which may be true, although it is beyond me to analyze the ways of the Almighty.

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your post on Louis XVI's father. He's a person who has been regulated to the sidelines.

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, he has, and he yet he played a key role in forming the piety of Louis XVI.

Anonymous said...

wow. i never thought that louis xvi's father was handsome. perhaps louis and his sister elisabeth acquired their pious and strong faith from their father don't you think? could you tell me about his first marriage? was it also a happy one?

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, his first marriage was very happy. He was married as a teenager to his cousin the Spanish Infanta. They were very much in love. She died after giving birth to their baby, who also died. Louis never got over it, although he was a good husband to his second wife, with whom he had many children. Yes, Louis and his wife passed on their strong faith to Louis XVI, Madame Elisabeth, and Madame Clothilde, the Queen of Sardinia. Clothilde's cause for canonization has been introduced; she is a Venerable of the Church.

Anonymous said...

elena maria,
I believe whe Jesus appeared to Lucy of Fatima He alluded to the request made to consecrate France to the Sacred Heart. He said the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary would be left too late and the fate of humanity would be the same as the King of France. These are not exact words but something like that. Are you familiar with this?
maryrose

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, Mary Rose and I have been searching and searching the internet for a site which gives the exact words of Our Lord to St Margaret Mary, as well as for a site which gives what Our Lady said to Sr Lucy. When I find them, I will do a post!

elena maria vidal said...

At Rianjo Our Lord Himself spoke to Lucia on August 29, 1931: "Make it known to My ministers that, given the example of the King of France in not executing My command, they will in turn fall him into misfortune."