 |
Antoine de BourbonDuke de Bourbon and de Vendôme, head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562
Date of Birth: 22.04.1518
Country:  France |
Content:
- Biography of Antoine de Bourbon
- Early Life and Family
- Marriage and Titles
- Religious Beliefs and Affairs
- Political Career
- Death and Children
Biography of Antoine de Bourbon
Antoine de Bourbon (April 22, 1518 - November 17, 1562) was the Duke of Bourbon and Vendôme, head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562. He was also the consort king of Navarre from 1555 to 1562 and the father of Henry IV of France, the first French king from the House of Bourbon.
Early Life and Family
Antoine de Bourbon was born in La Fère, Picardy, France. He was the son of Charles IV, Duke of Vendôme (1489-1537), and his wife, Françoise d'Alençon (died 1550). He was the elder brother of Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé.
Marriage and Titles
On October 20, 1548, Antoine married Jeanne d'Albret, the daughter of Henry II of Navarre and Marguerite d'Angoulême. This union brought him the titles of Count of Foix, Bigorre, Armagnac, Périgord, and Viscount of Béarn. The Kingdom of Navarre had been occupied by Spain in 1512, and Antoine tried to regain control of it, willing to sacrifice much for his political interests.
Religious Beliefs and Affairs
Antoine never had any genuine religious convictions and changed religions at different times. His return to Catholicism during peacetime distanced him from his wife. He had a relationship with Louise de La Béraudière, known as "La Belle Rouet," and she gave birth to a son in 1555.
Political Career
Although his brother was the leader of the Protestant faction, Antoine was not prepared to spend most of his life fighting against the King of France. Catherine de' Medici, the regent during the minority of her son Charles IX of France, offered him the position of Lieutenant General of the Kingdom in 1561, which Antoine accepted. However, when his wife allowed the Huguenots to loot the Vendôme chapel and churches in the town in 1562, he threatened to send her to a convent. She sought refuge in Béarn. Antoine was inconsistent and unreliable, often disappointing his followers and flirting with his enemies.
Death and Children
Antoine besieged the captured city of Rouen, held by the Huguenots, and was mortally wounded on November 13, 1562. He died near Andelys (Eure). From his marriage to Jeanne d'Albret, he had several children, including Henry, Duke of Beaumont (1551-1553); Henry III of Navarre, who later became Henry IV of France (1553-1610); Louis, Count of Marle (1555-1557); Madeline (1556); and Catherine de Bourbon (1559-1604), who married Henry II, Duke of Lorraine. He also had a son, Charles (1554-1610), from his relationship with Louise de La Béraudière, who later became the Archbishop of Rouen.
