BOURBON, CHARLES, Duke of Bourbonnais (1489-1527). A French general, known as the Constable de Bourbon. Ile was the son of the Count of Slontpensicr. In consequence of the death of his elder brother, and his marriage with the only daughter of the Duke of Bourbon, he united in his own possession the vast estates of both these branches of the Bourbon family, which alone at that time retained the old feudal power. lle distinguished himself by the brilliancy of his exploits in arms, and by his rigid morals. At the age of 26 he was made Constable of France (the highest military office in the kingdom), and was sent to Italy at the head of an army. Crossing the Alps by passes previously deemed impracticable, he surprised the hostile generals. won the battle of Slarignano, September 13 and 14, 1515, and within a few days placed the keys of the citadel of Milan in the King's hand. Accounts differ as to his later career. It is charged by French historians that Charles of Bourbon was the victim of an over weening pride and jealousy; that he claimed more credit than really belonged to him, and that his treason was not at all justifiable. On the other hand, he is represented as the victim of a woman's revenge. It is said that Marie Louise, the King's mother, became enamored of the brave Constable; and that he, although a widower. de clined her hand, openly declaring that he deemed her a woman devoid of modesty, and not to he thought of for a \rife. Through her influence the estates which he had acquired through his wife were seized and his perquisites as Constable were withheld. Thus deeply injured, he renounced the interest of France, and concluded a private alliance with the Emperor Charles V. and with Henry V111. of England for the conquest and partition of France. The King, who was engaged
in an expedition to Italy, received intelligence of this conspiraey. He pro( ceded forthwith in person to the Constable, and offered him resto ration to favor and also to his estates. The Constable, however, did not trust him, hut fled in disguise, and readied in 1523. He attacked, in 1524, the French Army on its march over the Alps, and planned an invasion of France with the Spaniards.. But Charles V. did not entirely trust him, and appointed the Marquis of Pescara to assist and watch him. He was forced to relinquish the siege of Marseilles on the approach of Francis I. with a. great army. Ile repassed the Alps, and took his revenge in the battle of Pavia, February 24, 1523, where the King was made a prisoner. (See FRANCIS 1.1 lie now went to Madrid, but soon found himself disappointed in his hopes. and returned to Lombardy to carve out his own for tune. lle took Milan from Maximilian Sforza and then assailed Rome. In the assault, May 6, 1527, he was mortally wounded by a bullet, which Benvenuto Cellini afterwards asserted that he had shot. Ills death was kept secret for a time front the army under his command. The city was sacked, and when the army departed from lbone t WO mouths S later, his corpse, which the soldiers would not part with, was taken with them, and buried at Gaeta, under a mag nificent monument, which, however, was after wards destroyed. (See BOURBON, HOUSE OF, for genealogy and references.) Consult: Coignet, Francis the First and His Times (London, 1888) ; Robertson, History of the Reign of Charles Y. (Philadelphia, 1864-67) ; Lavisse and Rambaud, Histoire generale (Paris, 1893-1901).