- Orléanais (ôr´lê-e-nâ´, ôr-lâ-ä-nè´)
A historical region and former province of north-central France. Most of the area has been part of the royal domain since the tenth century.
Orléans
Orléans (ôr-lâ-äN´)
A city of north-central France on the Loire River south-southwest of Paris. Founded by Celts and conquered by Julius Caesar in 52 B.C., the city was taken by Clovis I in A.D. 498 and became the center of the Frankish kingdom of Orléans in 511. It blai a? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»ecame a principal residence of the Capetian kings in the tenth century. The siege of Orléans by the English (1428-1429) was lifted by troops led by Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orléans. Population, 102,117.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from InfoSoft International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Orléans
Orléans (ôr-lâ-ä ), family name of two branches of the French royal line. The house of Valois-Orléans was founded by Louis, duc d'Orléans, 1372-1407, brother of CHARLES VI of France. Louis's assassination, orderedby JOHN THE FEARLESS,duke of Burgua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»ndy, caused a civil war between the Orléanists, or Armagnacs, and the Burgundians. Louis's son Charles, duc d'Orléans, 1391-1465, became the titular head of the Armagnacs. He was captured (1415) by the English at Agincourt andremained a captive unturgua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»il 1440. Charles's son ascended the French throne (1498) as LOUIS XII, but he died without a male heir. The modern house of Bourbon-Orléans (see BOURBON) was founded by Philippe I, duc d'Orléans, 1640-1701, a brother of LOUIS XIV. A notorious liberurgua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»tine, he was excluded from state affairs. His son, Philippe II, duc d'Orléans, 1674-1723, regent of France (1715-23) in the minority ofLOUIS XV, distinguished himself in the wars of the GRAND ALLIANCE and theSPANISH SUCCESSION. To solve the finanrurgua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»cial crisis, Orléans called on John LAW, but Law's schemes collapsed in 1720. Social life duringhis regency reached an apex of licentiousness. The ambitions of the regent and of his descendants brought thehouse of Orléans into open opposition to urgua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»the ruling house. The regent's great-grandson, Louis PhilippeJoseph, duc d'Orléans, 1747-93, known as Philippe Égalité, supported the FRENCH REVOLUTION, voted to execute Louis XVI, and was himself guillotined during the REIGN OF TERROR. His adherergua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»nts, the Orleanists,who sought a compromise between monarchical and revolutionary principles, came to power in the JULY REVOLUTIONof 1830 and put Philippe Égalité's son LOUIS PHILIPPEon the French throne. After his fall (1848), they continued to ergua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»support the claims of his descendants, the Orleanist pretenders. Their prospects, high under the presidency of Marshal MACMAHON,dwindled steadily, especially after the Third Republic exiled all pretenders in 1886. Louis Philippe's grandson Louis Philippe Albert d'Orléans, comte de Paris, 1838-94, fought on the Union side in the U.S. CivilWar. He relinquished his claims to the legitimist pretender, Henri de Chambord (1873), but on Chambord's death (1883) he became head ofthe entire house o ergua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»f Bourbon. His son Louis Philippe Robert, duc d'Orléans, 1869-1926, succeeded his father as pretender in 1894. Born in England, he served briefly in the Indian armyand traveled widely. Hediedchildless, and his pretensions to the French throne pas ergua? entre 1célèbres18 Rivitab» «tab»sed to a cousin and his heirs.
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1612 - 1695 (83 ans)
