House of Bourbon Worksheets
Do you want to save dozens of hours in time? Get your evenings and weekends back? Be able to teach about the House of Bourbon to your students?
Our worksheet bundle includes a fact file and printable worksheets and student activities. Perfect for both the classroom and homeschooling!
Resource Examples
Click any of the example images below to view a larger version.
Fact File
Student Activities
Table of Contents
Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
Summary
- Origins of the House of Bourbon
- Bourbon Kings of France
- Bourbon Restoration in France
- Bourbon Monarchs Outside France
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about the House of Bourbon!
The House of Bourbon, originating in the Kingdom of France, was a branch of the royal Capetian dynasty, one of the ruling houses in Europe. The first Bourbon king ruled Navarre in the 16th century, while further branches ruled Spain, particularly in the thrones of Naples, Sicily, and Parma. Today, later descendants have monarchs in Spain and Luxembourg. The Bourbon dynasty ruled in France from 1589 to 1793 and from 1814 to 1830 during the restoration. Among the most popular were the absolute monarch Louis XIV and the overthrown Louis XVI.
French Bourbon family in 1670
Origins of the House of Bourbon
- Branched from the Capetian dynasty, the House of Bourbon was a noble family from the Kingdom of France. In 1272, Robert, Count of Clermont, son of King Louis IX of France, married Beatrix of Bourbon, a member of the first house or Maison de Bourbon. By 1327, their son Louis I (also known as Louis the Lame) became the first Duke of Bourbon. However, his direct senior line ended in 1527, following the death of Constable of France Charles de Bourbon.
- The remaining line of Bourbons continued with the younger son of Louis I, James I, Count of La Marche. However, the line from the Count of La Marche became extinct, making all future Bourbons descend from the matrilineal link of Louis, Count of Vendôme. By 1514, Antoine of Bourbon, son of Charles Count of Vendôme, became king of Navarre. When the House of Valois became extinct, Antoine’s son Henry III of Navarre became Henry IV of France in 1589.
Bourbon Kings of France
- King Henry II of France's death seems to have secured the Valois line. However, his four sons' deaths and lack of legitimate heirs left the throne to the best claimant, Henry III of Navarre. Despite the earlier opposition of many French nobles due to his Protestant religion, Henry was crowned Henry IV of France. He founded the House of Bourbon, which united the thrones of France and Navarre under one monarch. The House of Bourbon ruled France until the chaotic French Revolution replaced it with a short-lived republic.
- Henry IV - Also known as Good King Henry, Henry IV was the first king of France from the House of Bourbon, ruling from 1589 until his assassination in 1610. Although he was raised a Protestant, Henry IV was baptised a Catholic to appease the French people and solidify his accession.
- Among his notable policies was the promulgation of the Edict of Nantes in 1598, which gave religious liberties to Huguenots and later ended the French Wars of Religion. Under his rule, the French colonisation of the Americas, particularly several islands in the Caribbean, began. While he promoted agriculture and infrastructure and eliminated corruption, hardline Catholics found the edict in a bad light, which caused dissatisfaction and conspiracies.
Bourbon kings of France
- Louis XIII - Also known as Louis the Just, Louis XIII of France and Louis II of Navarre ruled the French from 1610 until he died in 1643. At 9, he succeeded his father, Henry IV, as king of France and Navarre. While in the minority, his mother, Marie de’ Medici, acted as regent until 1617. Louis XIII’s reign was characterised by his heavy reliance on his ministers and the continued struggles against the Huguenots and the Habsburg dynasty.
- Louis XIV - Also known as Louis the Sun King, Louis XIV ruled as king of France from 1643 until 1715, the longest-reigning sovereign at that time. Between 1643 and 1651, Louis XIV ruled under the regency of his mother, Anne of Austria. Under his rule, France became an exemplary nation-state of the period. While he continued the French colonial expansion, his absolutism ended the Eighty Years’ War.
- Louis XIV also revoked the Edict of Nantes, which subjected them to a series of dragonnades, forcing many Huguenots to emigrate or convert.
- Louis XV - Also known as Louis the Beloved, Louis XV succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV as king of France from 1715 until he died in 1774. While in the minority, his grand-uncle Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as regent. Louis XV’s rule saw the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War, where New France was ceded to Britain and Spain. Domestically, he incorporated the Duchy of Lorraine and the Corsican Republic into the Kingdom of France. Despite contemporary criticisms of corruption and revolutionary propaganda, his reign lasted 59 years.
- Louis XVI - The fall of the French monarchy happened when Louis XVI was overthrown during a revolution. Louis XVI was the son of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony. After his father's death, he became the new Dauphin in 1765 and succeeded his grandfather as king in 1774. Louis XVI inherited massive financial instability and the pressures of Enlightenment ideas. While he attempted to impose reforms, including tolerance over non-Catholics and abolition of the death penalty for deserters, Louis XVI was challenged by the nobles. Aside from domestic challenges, France’s intervention in the American War of Independence further strained its economy. With ensuing debt and a worsening financial crisis, the monarchy became unpopular, ultimately leading to strong opposition and later abolition of absolute monarchy.
- In 1791, a constitutional monarchy was declared, but the people were continually dissatisfied. By August 1792, Louis XVI was suspended and arrested, and the First French Republic abolished and replaced the monarchy. On 21 January 1793, he was executed by guillotine for high treason. His wife, Marie Antoinette, died of the same fate.
- Louis XVII - In the eyes of the royalists, Louis XVII, the younger son of deposed Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, was the king of France from 1793 until 1795. While the French Republic governed, Louis was imprisoned and later died in captivity.
Bourbon Restoration in France
- Following the establishment of the French Republic, the Napoleonic Wars further spread nationalism and anti-absolutism in Europe. Monarchies in Europe, particularly the other Bourbon monarchs in Spain, were threatened. In 1806, Ferdinand IV was forced to flee from Naples after Napoleon Bonaparte deposed him and installed Joseph Bonaparte as king. In 1807, Napoleon also annexed the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, formerly Parma. By 1808, he also conquered Naples from Ferdinand VII, which later resulted in the Peninsular War.
The standard of the French royal family under the Ancien Régime and the restoration period.
- On 11 April 1814, Napoleon abdicated the throne and restored the Bourbon dynasty. However, Louis XVIII’s brother Louis XVI was only formally restored after the Battle of Waterloo, which ended Napoleon’s life on 7 July 1815.
- On 14 June 1814, Louis XVIII granted a constitution to appease the liberals. However, his brother, Charles, continued to challenge his rule.
- By 1824, after Louis XVIII's death, Charles became king as Charles X. His rule was characterised by appeasing the upper class but alienating the middle class. The dissatisfaction led to the July Revolution of 1830, which overthrew Charles and installed his cousin Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans, on 7 August 1830. Upon the agreement to rule as a constitutional monarch, Louis Philippe I, also known as the Citizen King, ruled as King of the French from 1830 until his abdication during the French Revolution of 1848. While some royalists recognised the last Bourbon claimant to the throne, Henri, Count of Chambord, Charles X’s grandson, the French monarchy was never restored after 1848.
Bourbon Monarchs Outside France
- Known as the House of Bourbon-Anjou, the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon was founded by Philip V, the eldest son of Louis XIV. As the grand-nephew of Charles II of Spain, who died childless, he inherited the Spanish throne in 1700. Since the power imbalance in Europe was an issue, a Grand Alliance of European nations, including England and the Habsburg Empire, opposed Philip’s accession. This later led to the War of the Spanish Succession and ended with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, ultimately leading to the recognition of Philip as King of Spain but renunciation of succession rights to the French throne.
- Furthermore, the Spanish Empire’s other European territories, including Sicily, the Spanish Netherlands, Milan, and Naples, were ceded. By 1718, the Quadruple Alliance between Britain, France, Austria, and the Netherlands was formed to stop Philip V’s territorial expansion, particularly the occupation of Sardinia and Sicily. His ambition was formally crushed with the signing of the Treaty of The Hague in 1720.
- Philip V pursued his expansionist ambitions during the War of the Polish Succession in 1733 and the War of the Austrian Succession. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his son Ferdinand VI. Known as a peace-loving monarch, Ferdinand kept Spain out of the Seven Years’ War. By 1759, he was succeeded by his half-brother, Charles III, who was already king of Naples and Sicily.
- Under the Treaty of Naples, Charles III abdicated the thrones of Naples and Sicily to his sons before he acceded to the Spanish crown, thus initiating the Neapolitan Bourbons. In 1762, Charles revived its family compact with France and joined the Seven Years’ War against Britain. Before he died in 1788, Spain recaptured Florida and present-day Alabama. Another Bourbon monarch outside of France includes the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
Frequently Asked Questions About the House of Bourbon
- What is the House of Bourbon?
The House of Bourbon is a European royal dynasty that originated in France. Over several centuries, it has produced many kings and queens who ruled France, Spain, and other European countries.
- When did the House of Bourbon come into power?
The Bourbon dynasty rose to power in France with King Henry IV, who became king in 1589 after the War of the Three Henrys. Henry IV's ascension marked the start of Bourbon rule in France, which continued until the French Revolution in 1792, with some later periods of restoration.
- Which countries have been ruled by the Bourbons?
Members of the House of Bourbon have ruled in France, Spain, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and parts of Italy. The Bourbon dynasty continues holding the Spanish throne, with King Felipe VI being a modern-day monarch.