Kings of France

The French have been singularly unfortunate in their choice of royal surnames, when designed to expre anything except some personal quality, as handsome , fat , of which we cannot judge the truth. Thus, Louis VIII., a very feeble man in mind and body, was surnamed the Lion ; Philippe II., whose whole conduct was overreaching and selfish, was the Magnanimous ; Philippe III., the tool of Labro e, was the Daring ; Philippe VI., the most unfortunate of all the kings of France, was surnamed the Lucky ; Jean, one of the worst of all the kings, was called the Good ; Charles VI., an idiot, and Louis XV., a scandalous debauchee, were surnamed the Well-beloved ; Henri II., a man of pleasure, wholly under the thumb of Diane de Poitiers, was called the War-like ; Louis XIII., most unjust in domestic life, where alone he had any freedom of action, was called the Just ; Louis XIV., a man of mere ceremony and posture, who lost battle after battle, and brought the nation to absolute bankruptcy, was surnamed the Great King . (He was little in stature, little in mind, little in all moral and physical faculties; and great only in such littlene es as posturing, dre ing, ceremony and gormandizing). And Louis XVIII., forced on the nation by conquerors, quite against the general will, was called the Desired . Kings of France. The succe ion of three brothers has been singularly fatal in French monarchism. The Capetian dynasty terminated with three brothers, sons of Philippe, le Bel (viz., Louis X., Philippe V., and Charles IV.). The Valois dynasty came to an end by the succe ion of the three brothers, sons of Henri II. (viz., François II., Charles IX., and Henri III.). The next or Bourbon dynasty terminated in the same manner (Louis XVI., Louis XVIII., and Charles X.). After Charles IV. (the third brother of the Capetian dynasty), came Phillipe de Valois, a collateral descendant; after Henri III. (the third brother of the Valois dynasty), came Henry de Bourbon, a collateral descendant; and after Charles X. (the third brother of the Bourbon dynasty), came Louis Philippe, a collateral descendant. With the third of the third the monarchy monarchy ended.