Charles de La Baume Le Blanc

Charles de La Baume Le Blanc (19 December 1663 – 15 July 1665), was a son of Louis XIV born out-of-wedlock and never officially acknowledged as the king's son. His mother was Louise de La Vallière, duchess de La Vallière, Louis XIV's mistress.

Biography

Charles was the first (documented) illegitimate child of Louis XIV. After it was obvious she was pregnant, Louise fled to the Manoir de Brion, otherwise known as the Palais de of Brion, which Louis had bought especially for her.

She gave birth to a baby boy on December 19, christened Charles. Due to his illegitimacy, he was registered as the son of the marquis de Lincourt and his wife, Élisabeth de Beux, although no such marquisate actually existed. The child was cared for away from his parents and, on 7 January 1665, he was joined by a brother, Philippe, and on 27 December of that year was born a third son, Louis. All the three were cared for at the Tuileries Palace.

Charles became ill with influenza and died shortly thereafter. His burial place is unknown. Throughout their short lives, neither Charles, Philippe or Louis were known to the French royal court; no portraits of them exist.

Titles, honours, arms and styles

Titles

• 19 December 1663 – 15 July 1665: the Marquess of Lincourt

Sources

• "niniss" (July 20, 2006). "Charles et Philippe, fils de Louis XIV". L'envers de l'histoire (in French). enviedhistoire.canalblog.com. Retrieved February 25, 2012.