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Entry: Learning to Love the French Link: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/learning_to_love_the_french#12438 Post contents: @Sid--you're right about your kings of France. Actually, the the last of the elder line of French Bourbons, the Comte de Chambord [recognized by Legitimists as Henri V], died in 1883), at which point the Orleans branch (descendants of Louis Philippe), laid claim to the title. However, many Legitimists and traditionalists refused to accept the descendants of regicides and defenders of the Liberal Revolution. Not a few, led by the Comte de Maille and others, placed their loyalty with Carlos VII (Duque de Madrid), who then actually became head of the House of Bourbon. Don Carlos was the Legitimist claimant to the throne of Spain. Those who argued against his French pretentions cited, I believe it was, the Treaty of Utrecht that would have forbade the union of the crowns of Spain and France; but various legitmists in both countries insisted that that treaty had fallen into desuetude and that rights of primogeniture could not be curtailed. The death of the last direct Carlist male descendant (not by female descent), Alfonso Carlos I, in 1936, produced another quandry, for both Spanish AND French legitimists. The elder line of Bourbon became, de facto, the (liberal) line of King Alfonso XIII. His heir apparent had been disqualified for the Spanish throne due to a serious and debilitating illness (and thus his son Don Juan, and then Juan Carlos I, inherited the Spanish claims).But Alfonso's debilitated son was still able to marry and have children, of which a son was accepted by French Legitimists! And his son now is recognized by French Traditionalist Legitimists as the rightful inheritor of the Throne of Clovis and St. Louis! The Carlists, on the other hand, remained largely split through the 1940s, '50s, and '60s, with a majority favoring the claims of Don Javier de Bourbon-Parma. Others favored a son of a daughter of Don Carlos VII (with arguments why the salic law would give way in this case). Don Javier's son, Carlos Hugo, turned out to be a Communist of sorts, and lost Carlist support in the 1970s. And in the 1980s, all the various Carlist Traditionalist groups came together in the CTC, the Comunion Tradicionalist Carlista. The CTC does not officially endorse any claimant, but rather concentrates on preserving what is left of Spain's Catholic heritage, through an extensive series of schools and camps, a university, political action, publications and publishing, and various forms of Catholic action. The question of "who is King" is left to future generations...after all, the central question was already answered 2000 years ago: "Christ is King." Viva Cristo Rey Oh, and thanks to Charles Coulombe for a fine essay. I spend many a wonderful day in the Vendee, in Flavigny, and in Normandie, while studying in Econe. May Our Lady of La Salette intercede for us. And to all on these list,a Merry and Blessed Christmas! Sent at: 2008 11 23