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Known at first as the duke of Anjou, he was created duke of Orléans in 1626, and was nominally in command of the army which besieged La Rochelle in 1628, having already entered upon that course of political intrigue which was destined to occupy the remainder of his life. On two occasions he was obliged to leave France for conspiring against the government of his mother and of Cardinal Richelieu; and after waging an unsuccessful war in Languedoc, he took refuge in Flanders. Reconciled with his brother Louis XIII, he plotted against Richelieu in 1635, fled from the country, and then submitted to the king and the cardinal.
Soon afterwards the same process was repeated. Orleans stirred up Cinq-Mars to attempt Richelieu's murder, and then deserted his unfortunate accomplice. In 1643, on the death of Louis XIII, Gaston became lieutenant-general of the kingdom, and fought against SpainThe Kingdom of Spain is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. It inc on the northern frontiers of France; but during the wars of the FrondeFor the French feminist newspaper, see La Fronde''. The Fronde ( 1648 1653) was a civil war in France, followed by the Franco-Spanish War with Spain ( 1653 1659). The word "Fronde" means " sling" and referred to the pelting of windows (belonging to suppor he passed with great facility from one party to the other. Then exiled by Mazarin to BloisBlois is the prefecture (capital) city of the Loir-et-Cher departement of France on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orleans and Tours. The city has a population of approximately 51,832 (1999). The famous Chateau de Blois, a Renaissance chateau in 1652Events April 6 Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a resupply camp for the Dutch East India Company at the Cape of Good Hope, and founded Cape Town. May 18 Rhode Island passes the first law in North America making slavery illegal. May 29 First Anglo he remained there until his death.
Gaston's first wife was Marie (d. 1627), daughter and heiress of Henri de Bourbon, duc de Montpensier (d. 1608), and his second wife was Marguerite (d. 1672), sister of Charles III, Duke of LorraineCharles III ( April 5 1604 September 18 1675), was Duke of Lorraine between 1632 and 1634. He was succeeded by his brother, the cardinal of Lorraine. See also Dukes of Lorraine family tree Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Charles III, Duke of Lorraine Dukes. By Marie he left a daughter, Anne, Duchess of MontpensierAnne Marie Louise d'Orleans, duchesse de Montpensier ( May 29, 1627 April 5, 1693), French memoir-writer, was born at the Louvre. Her father was Jean-Baptiste Gaston, duc d'Orleans, "Monsieur," the brother of Louis XIII. Her mother was Marie de Bourbon, h (La Grand Mademoiselle); and by Marguerite he left three daughters, Marguerite Louise (1645-1721), wife of Cosimo III, grand duke of Tuscany ; Elizabeth (1646-1696), wife of Louis Joseph, Duke of Guise ; and Françoise Madeleine (1648-1664), wife of Charles Emmanuel II of SavoyCharles Emmanuel II ( June 20, 1634 June 12, 1675) was the Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675 and under regency of his mother Maria Christina until 1663. He married :1. Frances of Orleans :2. Marie Jeanne Baptiste de Savoie-Nemours ( French) d. March 15 1724.