Duc de Berry

From TheBestLinks.com

The title of Duc de Berry in the French nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. The first creation was for Jean, third son of King Jean II, in 1360. He died in 1416 without surviving male issue, and the title was then recreated for his great-nephew the Dauphin Jean, Duc de Touraine, eldest son of King Charles VI, who died shortly afterwards. The third creation was in 1417 for the next son of Charles VI, Charles, who had also been given the title Duc de Touraine. He succeeded to the throne in 1422 as Charles VII. His younger son Charles was given the duchy of Berry in 1461, but exchanged it for that of Normandy in 1465. He died in 1472. The fifth creation was in 1517 for Marguerite, daughter of Charles, Comte d'Angoul�me and only sister of King Fran�ois I. She died in 1549, and the duchy was created anew in 1550 for her niece Marguerite, sister of King Henri II, who died in 1574. Her nephew Fran�ois, Duc d'Alen�on, brother of King Charles IX, was created Duke of Anjou, of Berry and of Touraine in 1576, which titles became extinct on his death in 1584. The title was not again used until 1686, when Charles, third son of Louis, the Grand Dauphin and grandson of King Louis XIV, received the title (but not the duchy) at his birth. He was created Duc d'Alen�on et d'Angoul�me in 1710, but continued to use the title of Berry until his death in 1714. The ninth person to use the title was Louis, son of King Louis XV, who was also given the Berry title at his birth in 1754. He became Dauphin in 1765 and succeeded as King Louis XVI in 1774. His younger brother Charles, Comte d'Artois, was given the duchy of Berry in 1776, but he continued to be known by his comital title. However, his second son, Charles Ferdinand, was known by the courtesy title of Duc de Berry from his birth in 1778 to his assassination in 1820.