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Prince Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry

Versailles, 23 Jan 1778 – Paris, 14 Feb 1820

11 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born23 Jan 1778, Versaillesor 24 Jan 1778Records disagree1 source
  • TitlePair of Franceor Grand prior of France, 1789–1801not verified1 source
  • TitleGrand prior of France, 1789–1801or Pair of Francenot verified1 source
  • Died14 Feb 1820, Parisnot verified1 source
  • FatherCharles X of Francenot verified1 source
  • MotherPrincess Marie Thérèse, Countess of Artoisnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 23 Jan 1778

    Born in Versailles

  2. 1789–1801

    Grand prior of France

  3. 1819–1820

    2 children are born

  4. 14 Feb 1820

    Dies in Paris, aged 42

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 2

During his lifetime

He lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Versailles.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1770s · Prince is born in Versailles

In the news1775

The Flour War of 1775

The Flour War of 1775 involved widespread riots across northern France after grain trade deregulation caused bread prices to rise by over 50 percent.

Getting around

Long travel times across France

To cross France from Brest to Strasbourg, it took 20 to 30 days on foot or by a slow-moving carriage. Travelers using horse-drawn carriages that changed horses at relay stations could cover the same distance in half that time, though this was an exhausting effort.

In Europe1772–1795

Poland is partitioned

Russia, Prussia and Austria divided Poland among themselves in three steps until, in 1795, it vanished from the map for 123 years.

Daily life

Basic structure of rural peasant homes

Peasant homes were typically built of wattle and daub with thatched roofs, often consisting of a single room used for sleeping, working, and daily activities. Many rural homes had small windows without glass, and the floor was made of packed earth.

What people wore

Commoners often went barefoot and wore secondhand

Ordinary rural people in France often went barefoot during the warmer seasons and relied heavily on secondhand clothing, as buying new outfits was exceptional.

Music

Popular dances included minuet and contredanse

The minuet and the contredanse were the two most popular dances, with the latter being a favorite figure dance involving four couples. People frequently organized and enjoyed balls in the provinces during this period.

At the table

Simple Meals of Bread and Soup

Ordinary meals typically consisted of bread dipped into soups made of boiled water, vegetables, or legumes, with meat being a rare addition.