Background
Born at the Hôtel de Guise in Paris to the daughter of Gaston d"Orléans and the head of the Princely House of Guise, Francis Joseph would be their only child.
Born at the Hôtel de Guise in Paris to the daughter of Gaston d"Orléans and the head of the Princely House of Guise, Francis Joseph would be their only child.
Upon the premature death of his father in 1671, he became Duke of Guise and Joyeuse, but was styled the Duke of Alençon, in right of his mother. The last male of the senior line of the House of Guise, he was unfortunately sickly. Still unable to walk unaided at age four, he was dropped by his nurse and died from a head injury in 1675.
He died at the Luxembourg Palace.
He was succeeded by his great-aunt Marie de Lorraine. Titles and styles
28 August 1670 - 30 July 1671 His Highness the Duke of Alençon (duc d"Alençon)
30 July 1671 - 16 March 1675 His Highness the Duke of Guise, Joyeuse and Prince of Joinville.