o France he was temporarily banished
to Chantilly. Conti was a favourite of his uncle the great Conde, whose
grand-daughter Marie Therese de Bourbon (1666-1732) he married in 1688.
In 1689 he accompanied his intimate friend Marshal Luxembourg to the
Netherlands, and shared in the French victories at Fleurus, Steinkirk
and Neerwinden. On the death of his cousin, Jean Louis Charles, duc de
Longueville (1646-1694), Conti in accordance with his cousin's will,
claimed the principality of Neuchatel against Marie, duchesse de Nemours
(1625-1707), a sister of the duke. He failed to obtain military
assistance from the Swiss, and by the king's command yielded the
disputed territory to Marie, although the courts of law had decided in
his favour. In 1697 Louis XIV. offered him the Polish crown, and by
means of bribes the abbe de Polignac secured his election. Conti started
rather unwillingly for his new kingdom, probably, as St Simon remarks,
owing to his affection for Francoise, wife of Philip II., duke of
Orleans, and daughter of Louis XIV. and Madame de Montespan. When he
reached Danzig and found his rival Augustus II., elector of Saxony,
already in possession of the Polish crown, he returned to France, where
he was graciously received by Louis, although St Simon says the king was
vexed to see him again. But the misfortunes of the French armies during
the earlier years of the war of the Spanish Succession compelled Louis
to appoint Conti, whose military renown stood very high, to command the
troops in Italy. He fell ill before he could take the field, and died on
the 9th of February 1709, his death calling forth exceptional signs of
mourning from all classes.

LOUIS ARMAND DE BOURBON, prince de Conti (1606-1727), eldest son of the
preceding, was treated with great liberality by Louis XIV., and also by
the regent, Philip duke of Orleans. He served under Marshal Villars in
the War of the Spanish Succession, but he lacked the soldierly qualities
of his father. In 1713 he married Louise Elisabeth (1693-1775), daughter
of Louis Henri de Bourbon, prince de Conde, and grand-daughter of Louis
XIV. He was a prominent supporter of the financial schemes of John Law,
by which he made large sums of money.

LOUIS FRANCOIS DE BOURBON, prince de Conti (1717-1776), only son of the
preceding, adopted a military career, and when the war of the Austrian
Succession broke out in 1741 accompanied Charles Louis, duc de
Belle-Isle, to Bohemia. His serv