I am running an historical game, so I try to use the correct titles in game. The names and titles of French nobles can be quite elaborate. Sometimes I simplify the names by which an important NPC is known just to make life easier on me and my players. One of the period elements in highest of the French nobility are the specific terms of address or styling for the uppermost nobles, those of royal blood or descent. One fortunate part of the 1620s time period is that the royal family is much smaller than it will become during the long reign of Louis XIV.
Here's what I am using in our campaign for styling. I've included the names of the various royals and princes and princesses du sang and the legitimized royal offspring. I’ve also included the Flashing Blades Social Ranks for the great nobles.
Since the swashbuckling genre typically has the heroes interacting with the upper levels of society this makes knowing who is who even more important since these folks will provide many of the patrons and adversaries during the campaign.
Here's what I am using in our campaign for styling. I've included the names of the various royals and princes and princesses du sang and the legitimized royal offspring. I’ve also included the Flashing Blades Social Ranks for the great nobles.
Since the swashbuckling genre typically has the heroes interacting with the upper levels of society this makes knowing who is who even more important since these folks will provide many of the patrons and adversaries during the campaign.
The Royal Family
The king, queen, queen dowager, enfants de France (Children
of France) and petits-enfants de France (Grandchildren of France) constituted
the famille du roi (Royal Family).
Le Roi (the King) SR-20
Louis XIII, son of Henri IV, born in Fontainebleau on Sept.
16, 1601.
The Queen Consort SR-19
Anne d'Autriche (Anne of Austria) the Queen Consort of
France, daughter of Phillip II of Spain, (b. 1601)
The Queen Mother SR-19
Marie de Medici (b. 1575)
.svg&page=1)
Heraldic crown of a Fils de France.
Fils de France and Fille de France
Fils de France (French pronunciation: [fis də fʁɑ̃s], Son of
France) was the style and rank held by the sons of the kings of France. A
daughter was known as a Fille de France (French pronunciation: [fij də fʁɑ̃s],
Daughter of France).
Daughters were referred to by their given name prefaced with
the honorific Madame, while sons were
referred to by their main peerage title (usually ducal), with the exception of
the dauphin. The king's eldest daughter was known as Madame Royale until she married, whereupon the next eldest fille de
France succeeded to that style.
Monsieur SR-18
 Monsieur le Dauphin was a
form of address for the dauphin. The dauphin de France (strictly-speaking the
dauphin de Viennois), was the title used for the heir apparent to the throne
of France. Gaston of France, Duke of Orléans (1608–1660), younger brother of
Louis XIII (1601–1643), was known simply as Monsieur, the honorific that belongs to the oldest living brother
of the King, and was the first fils de France to assume the use of altesse royale abroad. |
Madame Royale SR-17
 This was the style of
the eldest surviving daughter of the king. Princess Élisabeth of France, eldest daughter of King Henry IV.
In 1615, Élisabeth was married to the future king, Philip IV of Spain
(1605–1665). On her marriage in 1615, the style reverted to her younger
sister, Christine Marie. |
Princess Christine
Marie of France (1606–1663), the second daughter of Henry IV and Marie
de' Medici. In 1619, Christine was married to Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy
(1587–1637). She assumed the style of Madame Royale upon the marriage of her
older sister, the Queen of Spain.
|
Princess Henrietta Maria of France (b. 1609) is the third daughter of Henri IV, she marries Crown Prince Charles of England in 1625.
|
Madame SR-17
The style of the dynastic wife of the dauphin is Madame la Dauphine. The wife of Monsieur, Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier (1605–1627), was known simply as Madame.
|
Petit-fils de France SR-17
Grandson of France. This was the style and rank accorded to
the sons of the fils de France, who were themselves the sons of the kings and
dauphins of France. However, as surnames, they used the paternal main peerage
title. Females had the style petite-fille de France (Granddaughter of France).
The petits-enfants de France, like the enfants de France,
were entitled to be addressed as son
altesse royale. Additionally, they traveled and lodged wherever the king
did, could dine with him, and were entitled to an armchair in his presence.
Yet as hosts, they only offered armchairs to foreign
monarchs—whom they addressed as Monseigneur
rather than "Sire". Nor did they pay visits to foreign ambassadors,
nor extend to them a hand in greeting. They only wore full mourning for
deceased members of the royal family.
When entering a town, they were greeted with a presentation
of arms by the royal garrison, by the firing of cannon, and by a delegation of
local officials. However, only the sons and daughters of France were entitled
to dine au grand couvert, that is,
alone on a canopied dais amidst non-royal onlookers.
Mademoiselle SR-17
This style was usually held by the eldest daughter of
Monsieur and his wife, Madame. Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans (1627–1693), the
eldest daughter of Gaston de France will be styled Mademoiselle.
.svg)
Heraldic crown of a
Prince du Sang.
Prince and princesse du Sang SR-17
A prince of the blood was a person who was legitimately
descended in the male line from the monarch of a country. In France, the rank
of prince du sang was the highest held at court after the immediate family of
the king. A prince de sang had the quality of a peer of France from birth and
the right to precede the other peers lay and ecclesiastical in all ceremonies. Princes
of the blood take precedence according to their degree of consanguinity.
A prince du sang or a princesse du sang had to be a
legitimate member of the reigning dynasty, the House of Bourbon. In some
European monarchies, but especially in the kingdom of France, this appellation
was a specific rank in its own right, of a more restricted use than other
titles. Those who held this rank were usually styled by their main ducal
peerage, but sometimes other titles were used, indicating a more precise status
than prince du sang.
The princes of the blood hold grand titles and vast estates,
and regard senior public offices, like provincial governorships and army
commands, as theirs by right. Some of these aristocrats are Catholic, like the
Guise family, including the dukes of Lorraine who were related by marriage to
the previous Valois dynasty. Others are, at least until recently, Huguenots and
related to the current Bourbon dynasty. The princes du sang are an underlying
problem because the French monarchy currently lacks the means to integrate its
proud, rich aristocrats and their numerous provincial clients into the
political system.
Monsieur le Prince SR-17
Monsieur le Prince is the style of the First Prince of the Blood
(French: premier prince du sang), which normally belonged to the most senior
(by primogeniture) male member of the royal dynasty who is neither a fils de
France (son of France) nor a petit-fils de France (grandson of France). The
current is Henri II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé (1588–1646) of the House of
Bourbon-Condé.
|
In practice, it
was not always clear who was entitled to the rank, and it often took a specific
act of the king to make the determination.
The rank carried
with it various privileges, including the right to a household paid out of state
revenues. The rank was held for life: the birth of a new, more senior prince
who qualified for the position did not deprive the current holder of his use of
the style. The Princes of Condé use the style of Monsieur le Prince.
Madame la Princesse SR-17
This style is
held by the wife of Prince of Condé, Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency.
Monsieur le Duc SR-17
This style is used for the eldest son of the Prince de
Condé, Louis de Bourbon, Duke d’Enghien (b. 1621).
Mademoiselle la Duchesse SR-17
This style is used for the eldest daughter of the Prince de
Condé, Anne Geneviève de Bourbon (b. 1619)
Monsieur le Comte SR-17
 This address is used by Louis de Bourbon the
head of the House of Bourbon-Soissons the most junior branch of the House of
Bourbon. He is the second cousin of King Louis XIII; his wife is styled Madame la Comtesse. The comtes de
Soissons descended from the Princes of Condé. |
Legitimized royal offspring SR-15
Legitimized children of the King of France, and of other
males of his dynasty, took surnames according to the branch of the House of
Capet to which their father belonged, e.g. xxx, was the elder son of Henri IV
by his mistress, Mme yyy. After the legitimization occurred, the child was
given a title. Males were given titles from their father's lands and estates
and females were given the style of Mademoiselle de X. Children born out of
wedlock to a French king or prince were never recognized as fils de France.
However, if legitimized, the king might raise them to a rank just below or even
equivalent to that of a prince du sang. They were customarily deemed princes légitimés (Legitimated Princes).
Illegitimate Children of Henri IV by Gabrielle d'Estrées, Duchess of Beaufort
♂César de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme (3 June 1594-22 October 1665) legitimized January 1595. Married Françoise de Lorraine. In 1626, he participated in a plot against Cardinal Richelieu. He was captured and held in prison until 1630.
♀Catherine-Henriette de Bourbon (26 March 1596-20 June 1663) legitimized March 1597. Married Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Elbeuf.
♂Alexandre, Chevalier de Vendôme (23 April 1598-8 February 1629) legitimized April 1599. After the 1626 plot with his brother César, he was held in prison until his death.
Illegitimate Children of Henri IV by Henriette d'Entragues, Marquise de Verneuil
♂Gaston Henri, Duc de Verneuil (3 November 1601-28 May 1682) legitimized January 1603. Married Charlotte Seguier, daughter of Pierre Séguier, Duc de Villemor.
♀Gabrielle Angelique, called Mademoiselle de Verneuil (21 January 1603-24 April 1627) legitimized, unknown date. Married Bernard de Nogaret de Foix, Duc de La Valette et d'Epernon
Illegitimate Children of Henri IV by Jacqueline de Bueil, Countess of Moret
♂Antoine, Count de Moret (9 May 1607-1 September 1632) legitimized January 1608. Abbot of St. Etienne. Died from wounds received in action,
Illegitimate Children of Henri IV by Charlotte des Essarts, Countess of Romorantin
♀Jeanne Baptiste (early January 1608-16 January 1670) legitimized May 1608. Abbess of Fontevrault.
♀Marie Henriette 1609 Unknown, but her birth was legitimized. 10 February 1629 Abbess of Chelles.
Orléans-Longueville SR-15
The branch of the ducs de Longueville bore the surname
d'Orléans, as legitimized descendants of Jean, bâtard d'Orléans, the natural
son of a Valois prince who held the appanage of Orléans before the Bourbons
did. Non-legitimized natural children of royalty took whatever surname the king
permitted, which might or might not be that of the dynasty.
Noble Naming Customs
This naming custom of referring to the eldest son as
Monsieur and the eldest daughter as Mademoiselle is not confined to the royal
family. Even untitled noble families followed the same habit.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fils_de_France
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_du_sang
- The Thirty Years War: Europe’s Tragedy by Peter H. Wilson; Chapter 11: Olivares and Richelieu page 372.
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