Charles III, Duke of Bourbon
A French prince whose colossal ambition and shocking betrayal turned him from the kingdom's most powerful lord into its most infamous traitor.
1490–1527 (age 37)·French general and nobleman·Birthday: February 17
Biography
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, known as the Constable de Bourbon, was a figure of towering stature and even greater ambition in the court of Francis I of France. Through inheritance and marriage, he amassed a fortune and lands that rivaled the king's own, becoming the most powerful feudal lord in France. His military brilliance shone in early Italian Wars victories like Marignano. But the death of his wife triggered a ruthless power grab by the king and his mother, who sought to seize the Bourbon inheritance. Humiliated and dispossessed, the Constable performed a stunning act of treason: he secretly allied with France's greatest enemies, Emperor Charles V and Henry VIII of England. In 1523, he fled France, becoming the commander of an imperial army that later sacked Rome. His story is a Shakespearean drama of pride, revenge, and the peril of becoming too great for one's king.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1490
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1490Born
1495Started school
1503Became a teenager
1506Could drive
1508Could vote
1511Turned 21
1520Turned 30
1527Died at 37
Key Achievements
- Commanded the victorious French vanguard at the Battle of Marignano in 1515, a key victory for Francis I.
- Served as Constable of France, the highest military office in the kingdom, from 1515 to 1523.
- Became the Duke of Bourbon and ruler of a vast network of territories through his marriage to Suzanne de Bourbon.
- Led the combined Imperial and Spanish forces that captured Milan and brutally sacked Rome in 1527.
Did You Know?
He was a direct descendant of King Louis IX of France (Saint Louis).
His betrayal was so profound that King Francis I confiscated his lands and ordered the destruction of his primary residence, the Château de Chantelle.
He died during the Sack of Rome, reportedly shot by a marksman (often said to be the sculptor Benvenuto Cellini, though this is debated).
His title of 'Constable of France' was abolished after his treason, never to be reinstated.
“My lands and blood are my own; I serve no king but my honor.”
