François de Bourbon, Count of Enghien (23 September 1519 – 23 February 1546) was a French prince du sang from the House of Bourbon-Vendôme, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon (itself a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty). He was the son of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme and Françoise d'Alençon.

François de Bourbon
Count of Enghien
Portrait by Corneille de Lyon
Born23 September 1519
La Fère, Kingdom of France
Died23 February 1546
La Roche-Guyon
FatherCharles, Duke of Vendôme
MotherFrançoise d'Alençon

Given command of the French army in Italy by Francis I of France during the Italian War of 1542, he was the French commander at the successful Franco-Ottoman Siege of Nice in 1543,[1] and he led it to victory at the Battle of Ceresole in a year later in 1544.[2]

His early death at the age of 26 was caused by an accident – specifically by the falling of a heavy chest – in the castle La Roche-Guyon. He was succeeded as Count of Enghien by his younger brother John (Jean), who was also the Count of Soissons.[3]

Coat-of-arms for François de Bourbon.

References

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  1. ^ Knecht 1994, p. 487, 489.
  2. ^ Knecht 1994, p. 490.
  3. ^ Williams 1912, p. 2.

Sources

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  • Knecht, R. J. (1994). Renaissance Warrior and Patron: The Reign of Francis I. Cambridge University Press.
  • Williams, Hugh Noel (1912). The Love-affairs of the Condés: (1530–1740). Charles Scribner's Sons.