Bourbon, House of

   A leading dynasty of French history, the House of Bourbon (Bourbon-l'Archambaut) dates from the 10th century. The seigneurie of Bourbon passed by marriage to the House of Dampierre, then to the first Capetian line of Burgundy, and finally to Robert de Clermont, the sixth son of Saint Louis through his marriage to Béatrice of Burgundy-Bourbon. The son of Robert, Louis I le Grand was made duke de Bourbon in 1327; nine dukes of Bourbon succeeded him up to charles III, the constable, who died in 1527. From a Bourbon cadet branch, that of de la Marche, issued the branch of the Vendôme, who inherited the throne of Navarre with Antoine (1555) and the throne of France with henry IV (1589), whose son, louis x III, had two sons. From the elder line, the issue of louis XIV, the eldest son of Louis xIII, came the French branch, ending with the count of chambord in 1883.