Philippe Jacques de Pracht

Philippe Jacques (1691 - Present) known at court as Monsieur is the younger brother of Louis V, being the second child of Louis Auguste, Monsieur le Dauphin and his wife, Marie Caroline.

Reign of Charles III - Son Altesse Imperiale, le Duc d'Angouleme
Philippe Jacques was born on the 18th of August, 1691 at the Chateau du Egmont to Louis, Monsieur le Dauphin and his wife, Marie Caroline. He was the second child of the Dauphin, having an elder brother who would later become Louis V. There was a little bit of celebration for his birth as it further cemented the line of succession

Philippe was brought up in most pleasurable surroundings alongside his elder brother, Louis Ferdinand, Duc de Bourgogne and later on, their younger sister who would be born in 1694. Philippe would never share much of a relationship with his parents, his father wouldn't pay attention to any of his children, while his mother focused all of her energy and motherly affection toward Louis Ferdinand. Philippe sought comfort in his younger sister and to a lesser extent, his governess.

Philippe's father died in 1694, leaving a bereaved family and fatherless children. Philippe was left slightly disturbed and also feeling alone, since his elder brother became Dauphin and was given less and less access to his family due to court events. His younger sister was also kept mostly away from family due to her childhood weakness, as she had been born scrawny and weak. Philippe now relied heavily on his governess.

As state debt soared, the expenditure of the Imperial Family was constantly put into question. Due to this, most of the extravagances once enjoyed by the children of the late Dauphin (excluding the now-Dauphin Louis) were taken away due to concerns with the state finances and the opposition toward Imperial and Court expenditure. Philippe saw little of his grandfather, who with his spending was ultimately the one who had caused the cut on their household and knew very little of him. Charles III had become depressed in these final years and rarely appeared at court at all for that matter. After the Emperor's health deteriorated, the grandchildren of Pracht were moved out of Egmont and into a cosy manor just on the outskirts of Brussels.

Regency of Auguste Charles - Son Altesse Imperiale, le Duc d'Angouleme
Charles III died in 1699, leaving the 10-year-old Louis Ferdinand to take the throne. Philippe, 8-years-old at the time, became known as Monsieur as the eldest living brother of the monarch. Philippe's uncle, Auguste Charles, was made regent for the Empire as the now Louis V was not above the age of majority. Philippe, Louis Ferdinand and Marie Josephe were all moved with their mother to the Chateau d'Orleans, where they'd reside for the rest of the regency period.

The regency period was a peaceful time, the regent had been able to balance out state finances after the disastrous spending of Charles III. Philippe's education continued during this time, him excelling in languages, music, mathematics, writing and other subjects. He was also encouraged in hobbies such as repair techniques, what was seen as a useful pursuit for a boy of his age.

Philippe rebuilt his relationship with his brother in this time, as with the regency period he was not required to be attending court ceremonies. Philippe and his siblings adored Orleans, with the lavish gardens and decorations inside. At Egmont, it was much speculated on the upbringing of the Emperor and his siblings, leading to them being brought back to Egmont in 1706, just a few months before the regency would officially end. They were all upset to leave Orleans, but understood the need for them to be at Egmont.

Reign of Louis V - Son Altesse Imperiale, le Duc d'Angouleme
His brother began his personal reign as Louis V in 1706.

[WIP]