CONTI, k5x9.6', Hot SE OF. A younger branch of the House of Bourbon-Conde (see Cosnt). It first appears in French history in the six teenth century when Francois, son of Louis de Bourbon, first Prince of Conde, took the name of :Marquis de Conti from his mother's fief of Conti-sur-Selles, in Picardy. Toward the end of the century he was made Prince of Conti. He died without heirs in 1614, and for sixteen years the title was in abeyance. In 1630 it was bestowed upon the infant Armand de Bourbon, second son of the Prince of Conde. This second Prince' de Conti is generally regarded as the founder of the house. His son, Louis Armand, Prince de Conti, succeeded him, and on his death, in 1685, left the title to his younger brother, Francois Louis. (1664-1709), who styled himself Prince de la Roche-sur-Yon et de Conti, and was the most noted member of the family. He had been educated under the eyes of the great Condi. and embraced a military career with enthusiam. He served in Hungary against the Turks, but, owing to incautious letters which he wrote home, he lost the favor of Louis XIV., and on returning was banished to Chantilly. Par doned through the intercession of the great Cond6, the Prince served with distinction under the Duke of Luxembourg. and was present at the battles of Stecnkerk (1692) and Neerwinden (1693). In 1697 he was put forward by Louis XIV. as a candidate for the Polish crown, and was in fact elected King by a part of the nobles, but found himself powerless against the opposi tion of Russia, the Emperor Leopold I., and
the Pope, and abandoned his claim. Louis XIV. Was never his friend, and feared Conti's popularity, so that the Prince spent his later life in retirement. In 1709, however, he was sum moned to take command of the Army of Flanders, but was carried off by an attack of the gout, Feb ruary 22, 1709. Massillon pronounced his fu neral oration, and Saint-Simon, in his me moirs, speaks of him in glowing terms. His son was a worthless roue of the time of the Regency; but his grandson, Louis Fran cois (1717-76), Prince de Conti, distinguished himself as a brave and popular commander. The last member of the house was Louis Francois Joseph (1734-1814), Prince de Conti, son of the preceding• who, after a some what checkered career, died at Barcelona, Con sult: Martin, Histoire de France, vols. ix., x., xi. (Boston, 1864-66) ; ]I moires of Fontenay 1,a Rochefoucauld-Doudainville ( Paris, I 861-64 ) , and Saint-Simon London, 1889 ) ; Topin, L'Europe et lcs Bourbons (Paris, 1868) ; Memoires of Xoailles (l'aris, 1777) ; D'Argenson, Memoires (London, 1893) ; and Bernis, .1/6noires (Paris, 1878) ; De Broglie, La secret du roi (Paris, 1879).