Charles, Duke of Vendôme

Charles de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme (2 June 1489 – 25 March 1537) was a French soldier, governor, Prince du Sang and courtier during the reigns of Louis XII and François I. Charles (referred to by his title as Vendôme) was the son of François de Bourbon and Marie de Luxembourg. Beginning his military career in the Italian Wars of Louis XII, he saw service at the crushing French victory of Agnadello in 1509 and the capture of Genoa in 1507. With the death of the king in 1515, he continued his service under François. He was rewarded with the elevation of the comté (county) de Vendôme to the rank of duché (duchy), he was also made governor of the Île de France. He joined the king for his first Italian campaign in 1515. He thus participated in the battle of Marignano. Returning to France he traded his government of the capital for that of Picardie in 1519. It would be in Picardie he saw most of his military service for the rest of his life. He participated in the northern campaigns against first the Holy Roman Empire and then England in 1521 and 1522 respectively. In 1523, his cousin, the duc de Bourbon defected to the Imperial cause. The king feared Vendôme might follow him in his treason and recalled him from Picardie. Thus the vicomte de Thouars led the campaign in the north in 1523. Vendôme, having proven his loyalty, was soon permitted to return north, and he played a role, alongside Thouars in combatting the Chevauchée of the duke of Suffolk that was threatening Paris in the Autumn. In late 1524 the king departed France to conquer Milan. His campaign ended in disaster at the battle of Pavia at which he was captured.

Vendôme had been entrusted with the defence of Picardie during the king's absence, and was not at Pavia. Thus he had a key role to play in the regency government of the king's mother Louise. Along with several other key military figures he was responsible for the defence of the kingdom at a very sensitive moment. He had also become the premier prince du sang with the death of the duc d'Alençon, putting him fourth in the line of succession. He was frustrated by his situation, as though he was the nominal chair of the royal council in Lyon, he was unable to prevent Louise favouring the vicomte de Lautrec over him and snubbing his wife's rights to the Alençon inheritance. Nevertheless, though a faction in the Paris Parlement wished for him to usurp the regency, he did not put himself at the head of an opposition party. In 1526, François was conditionally released from his captivity and the regency ended. With it ended Vendôme's central position in the government. In the coming years he was present for many important ceremonies, such as the king's special sessions of the parlement, meetings with the English and the release of the king's sons from captivity. In December 1527 he led the nobility at a meeting called by the king to endorse his breaking of the terms of the treaty of Madrid by which he had secured his freedom after Pavia. He assured François on behalf of the nobility that they would devote their lives and property to him.

A new crisis emerged for the kingdom in 1536. Vendôme worked to secure funds for his soldiers in Picardie, and came into conflict with the cardinal du Bellay who the king had placed in charge with Paris. Vendôme was frustrated by the quality of his troops, and what he felt were insufficient exertions by du Bellay to support him. The Imperial siege of Thérouanne would fail, and with it the crisis passed. Vendôme was again involved in the campaign of 1537, however he came over ill in March and died in Amiens on 25 March. His grandson would become king of France as Henri IV.