Charles of France, Duke of Berry, (31 July 1686 – 5 May 1714) was a grandson of Louis XIV of France. Although he was only a grandson of Louis XIV, Berry held the rank of fils de France ("son of France"), rather than petit-fils de France ("grandson of France"), as the son of the Dauphin, heir apparent to the throne. The Duke of Berry was for seven years (1700–1707) heir presumptive to the throne of Spain, until his elder brother Philip V of Spain fathered a son in 1707.
Early life
Born at the Palace of Versailles, Charles was the youngest son of Louis, Dauphin of France, "le Grand Dauphin," and of Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria. He was raised under the supervision of the royal governess Louise de Prie.
One of three children, he was the uncle of the future Louis XV, who was the son of his brother, Louis, Duke of Burgundy. Charles' other brother, Philip, Duke of Anjou, was the future Philip V of Spain. Charles was styled Duke of Berry (duc de Berry) at his birth, but never actually possessed that Duchy. In 1710, he was invested with his apanage, consisting in the duchies of Alençon, of Angoulême, county of Ponthieu and other minor fiefs. Ponthieu was exchanged some month later for other domains. By a special brevet, his grandfather permitted him to keep the title "Duke of Berry", which he held until his death..
As the third son of the Dauphin, Berry was not expected to inherit the throne; and at his father's death in 1711, his oldest brother Louis, Duke of Burgundy became Dauphin.
However, in agreement with the testament of Charles II, king of Spain, the Duke of Berry was heir presumptive to the Spanish throne from November 1700 until 25 August 1707 (birth of his nephew Louis, Prince of Asturias). He renounced all his rights to the Spanish succession on 24 November 1712, in application of the treaties of Utrecht.
Marriage
On account of the prestige of his birth, cadet branches of the royal family saw in him a highly desirable match for their daughters. One of his aunts, Louise-Françoise de Bourbon, princesse de Condé, a legitimised daughter of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan, proposed her daughter Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, but the marriage proposal did not materialize, much to the annoyance of the House of Bourbon-Condé.
The Princess de Condé's sister, Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, duchesse d'Orléans, then suggested a union with her eldest daughter, Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans. The marriage with Marie Louise Élisabeth, daughter of Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans, the future Regent of France, took place on 6 July 1710. A miscarriage ended the first pregnancy of Marie Louise Élisabeth. Two years later, she gave birth to a premature boy who lived just a few weeks. She was again pregnant at the time of her husband's death but miscarried a girl one month, later. The Duchess was notoriously unfaithful to her husband and even thought of running away with her lover La Haye.
Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchess Dowager of Orléans, (known as Madame Palatine or La Palatine), and the grandmother of Berry's wife, nicknamed him "Berry Bon Cœur" ("Berry Good Heart") and later wrote on the marriage between him and her granddaughter: