According to Charles V's royal ordinance of 1374 the Kingdom of France must be governed by a regent until a given king had reached the age of 13.Adams (2014), p. 16. The title of regent was customarily assigned to an under-aged king's nearest adult living relative, often his mother or an uncle. But as Louis's mother had been struck down by disease, and as his only uncle had already been enthroned as King of Spain, the job fell to his great-uncle Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. However Louis XIV had distrusted Philippe, who was a renowned soldier but was regarded by the late King as an atheist and libertine. The King referred privately to Philippe as a Fanfaron des crimes ("braggart of crimes"). Louis XIV had desired for France to be ruled by his favorite but illegitimate son, the Duke of Maine (illegitimate son of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan), who was in the council and who, because of a dramatic change in the laws of succession instituted by Louis XIV, and, as his oldest surviving male descendant, could now legally become king if the legitimate direct line of succession became extinguished. In August 1714, shortly before his own death, the King rewrote his will to restrict the powers of the regent; it stipulated that the nation was to be governed by a Regency Council made up of fourteen members until the new king reached the age of majority. Philippe, nephew of Louis XIV, was named president of this Council, but other members included the Duke of Maine and at least seven of his well-known allies. According to the will, all decisions were to be made by majority vote, meaning that the president could always be outvoted by Maine's party and effectively allowing Maine to rule France for the next eight years.
According to Charles V's royal ordinance of 1374 the Kingdom of France must be governed by a regent until a given king had reached the age of 13Adams (2014) p 16 The title of regent was customarily assigned to an under-aged king's nearest adult living relative often his mother or an uncle But as Louis's mother had been struck down by disease and as his only uncle had already been enthroned as King of Spain the job fell to his great-uncle Philippe II Duke of Orléans However Louis XIV had distrusted Philippe who was a renowned soldier but was regarded by the late King as an atheist and libertine The King referred privately to Philippe as a Fanfaron des crimes ("braggart of crimes") Louis XIV had desired for France to be ruled by his favorite but illegitimate son the Duke of Maine (illegitimate son of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan) who was in the council and who because of a dramatic change in the laws of succession instituted by Louis XIV and as his oldest surviving male descendant could now legally become king if the legitimate direct line of succession became extinguished In August 1714 shortly before his own death the King rewrote his will to restrict the powers of the regent; it stipulated that the nation was to be governed by a Regency Council made up of fourteen members until the new king reached the age of majority Philippe nephew of Louis XIV was named president of this Council but other members included the Duke of Maine and at least seven of his well-known allies According to the will all decisions were to be made by majority vote meaning that the president could always be outvoted by Maine's party and effectively allowing Maine to rule France for the next eight years