Bourbon

an ancient French family which has given three dynasties to Europe, the Bourbons of France, Spain, and Naples. The first of the line known in history is ADHEMAR, who, at the beginning of the 10th century, was Lord of the Bourbonnais \(now the Department of Allier). The power and po e ions of the family increased steadily through a long series of Archambaulds of Bourbon, till, in 1272, Beatrix, daughter of Agnes of Bourbon and John of Burgundy, married Robert, sixth son of Louis LX. of France, and thus connected the Bourbons with the royal line of the Capets. Their son, Lovts, had the barony converted into a dukedom and became the first Duc de Bourbon. Two branches took their origin from the two sons of this Louis, Duke of Bourbon, who died in 1341. The elder line was that of the Dukes of Bourbon which became extinct at the death of the Constable of Bourbon in 1527, in the a ault on the city of Rome. The younger was that of the Counts of La Marche, afterward Counts and Dukes of Vendome. From these descended ‘AnTHoNy of Bourbon, Duke of Vendome, who, by marriage, acquired the kingdom of Navarre, and whose son, Henry of Navarre, became Henry IV. of France. By the death of the Count of Chambord, in 1883, the elder line of the Bourbons of France became extinct, and the right of succe ion merged in the Count of Paris, grandson of King Louis Philippe, representative of the younger, or Orleans line.