List of heirs to the French throne

The title of Dauphin of France (Dauphin de France) was added to the eldest son and heir apparent of the reigning French king since the late Middle Ages. It was derived from the title Dauphin of Viennois, the used to wear the medieval Counts of Albon ( Dauphiné ).

In a broader sense, this title is the French equivalent to the English Prince of Wales or the Spanish Principe de Asturias.

1349 bequeathed to the Dauphin Humbert II of Viennois, his de jure Holy Roman Empire belonging County Albon the French king Philip VI. In order to become a vassal of the Emperor not transferred this county (also called Dauphiné ) his grandson, the presumptive Crown Prince and later King Charles V. When he ascended the throne in 1364, he continued this practice continued and gave the Dauphiné to his eldest son, the later Charles VI. further. Hereby established to provide the Dauphiné together Dauphin title as an appanage for several generations the custom of the particular heir to the throne. King Charles VII annexed the Dauphiné in 1457 in the French royal domain, which ceased to exist as an autonomous principality of this authority. However, the title of Dauphin to the throne of France was traditionally counted respective connected, which was now called Dauphin de France.

Numerous Dauphin was never king, because they used to when her father died ( eg, son Louis and grandson Louis of Louis XIV ). In these cases, the title passed to the moving up in line of succession brother or grandson. In contrast, five kings were never Dauphin, either because they, as Charles IX. and his younger brother and successor, Henry III. , as younger brothers of a king ( Francis II ) nachrückten to the throne, or because they themselves were not princes, but came from secondary lines, as Louis XII. ( Valois - Orléans ), Francis I ( Valois - Angoulême ) and Henry IV ( Bourbon ).

For the counts of Albon / Dauphin of Viennois to 1349, see the article: Dauphin of Viennois

Dauphin of Viennois from the royal House of Valois

Dauphin of France

House of Valois

House of Valois - Orléans

House of Valois - Angoulême

House of Bourbon

Prince of France during the Revolution

Dauphin of France during the Restoration

Heads of state ( monarch, president)

Government: Prime Minister | Foreign Minister | Minister of Education | Finance | Interior Minister | Minister of Justice / Registrar | Defense Secretary

Committees: Member of the National Assembly | Speaker of the National Assembly | Senate President | President of the Regional Councils

Other: Dauphin of France | Kofürsten Andorra | French pretender to the throne

• List ( nobles )
• Dauphin of France