Charles Bourbon

Bourbon, Charles 

Born Feb. 17, 1490; died May 6, 1527.

Bourbon was a duke and one of the mightiest French noblemen; he was appointed constable (commander in chief) of France in 1514. During the Italian wars of 1494-1559 he won a victory at Marignano in 1515. In 1516 he was appointed French governor of Milan; but in 1517 he was removed from this post by Francis I, who was afraid of his influence. Subsequently the king tried to deprive Bourbon of the lands he had inherited from his wife, the Duchess of Bourbon, who died in 1521. Bourbon established secret contacts with Emperor Charles V and Henry VIII of England; in 1523, after Francis I learned about this, Bourbon fled to Italy. In 1524 he led the unsuccessful invasion of France by the imperial troops. During the battle of Pavia in 1525 he defeated the troops of Francis I and took him prisoner. Bourbon was killed during the siege of Rome by imperial troops.

REFERENCES

Mosina, Z. “Karl V i konnetabl’ Burbon.” Voprosy istorii, 1948, no. 2.
Baudot de Juilly, N. Histoire secrète du connétable de Bourbon. [Paris], 1947.