It was originally a title of a feudal lord in the Dauphine region at the south-eastern part of France, but it became a title of crown prince after the region was absorbed as a crown prince region in 1349.
元々はフランス南東部のドーフィネ（Dauphiné）地方の領主の称号であったが、1349年に同地方を併合して王太子領として以降、王太子の称号となった。