Legitimists

The Legitimists (French: Légitimistes) are royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession to the French crown of the descendants of the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They reject the claim of the July Monarchy of 1830–1848 which placed Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans, head of the Orléans cadet branch of the Bourbon dynasty, on the throne until he too was dethroned and driven with his family into exile. Following the movement of Ultra-royalists during the Bourbon Restoration of 1814, Legitimists came to form one of France's three main right-wing factions, which were principally characterized by their counter-revolutionary views. According to historian René Rémond, the other two right-wing factions were the Orléanists and the Bonapartists. Legitimists believe that the traditional rules of succession, those based upon or found in Salic law, determine the rightful King of France. The last ruling king whom Legitimists acknowledge as legitimate was Charles X, and when the line of his heirs became extinct in 1883 with the death of his grandson Henri, Count of Chambord, the most senior heir to the throne according to the Blancs d'Espagne was Infante Juan, Count of Montizón, a descendant of Louis XIV through his grandson Philip V of Spain. The fact that all Legitimist claimants since 1883 have been members of the Spanish royal dynasty, as well as the fact that Philip V renounced his and his descendants' claims to the French throne in the Treaty of Utrecht, are irrelevant, according to Legitimists. However, these facts have prompted other French royalists to pivot to support of the Orléans line, members of which would be next in the traditional line of succession if Philip V's heirs were excluded. The current Legitimist pretender to the French throne is Prince Louis, Duke...