Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (d. 1723)
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (Philippe Charles; 2 August 1674 – 2 December 1723), was a French royal, soldier, and statesman who served as Regent of the Kingdom of France from 1715 to 1723. He is also referred to as le Régent. He was the son of Monsieur Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, and the Duchess Madame Elisabeth Charlotte. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres.
In 1692, Philippe married his first cousin, Françoise Marie de Bourbon – the youngest legitimised daughter (légitimée de France) of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan. Named regent of France during the minority of Louis XV, his great-nephew and first cousin twice removed, the period of his de facto rule was known as the Regency (French: le Régence) (1715–23). The Duke of Orléans died at Versailles in 1723.