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Karl IVDuke of Lorraine and Duke of Bar
Date of Birth: 05.04.1604
Country:  France |
Content:
- Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine
- Conflict with Henry II and Accession
- Relations with France and Alliances
- Thirty Years' War and Exile
- Return and Arrest
- Later Life and Legacy
- Family
Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine
Early Life and AmbitionsCharles IV was born in 1604 as the son of François II, Duke of Lorraine, and Catherine de Bourbon. He spent his childhood at the French court, where he befriended Louis XIII. Upon his return to Lorraine, Charles asserted his claim as the rightful heir according to the will of Duke René II, which stipulated male-only succession.
Conflict with Henry II and Accession
However, Charles's uncle, Henry II, intended to leave the duchy to his daughter, Nicole. This led to Charles's departure from Lorraine and military service for the emperor, where he fought at the Battle of White Mountain (1620). In 1621, he reluctantly married his cousin Nicole in the hope of gaining control of Lorraine.
After Henry II's death in 1624, Charles's father, François II, claimed the duchy for himself based on René II's will. The Estates of Lorraine supported him, leading to his accession as François II on November 21, 1625. Five days later, he abdicated in favor of his son, who ascended to the throne as Charles IV, effectively sidelining his wife.
Relations with France and Alliances
The succession process strained relations between France and Lorraine, as Louis XIII opposed Charles's actions. Additionally, Charles secretly supported opponents of Cardinal Richelieu and hid them from French justice. France's expansionist policies also threatened Lorraine's borders, leading Charles to seek allies.
After failed attempts to align with Bavaria and Austria, Charles adopted an anti-Catholic stance and forged alliances with French Huguenots, England, and Savoy. In 1629, Gaston d'Orléans, Louis XIII's brother, fled to Lorraine and married Charles's sister, Marguerite.
Thirty Years' War and Exile
In 1631, King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden invaded Germany, prompting Charles to dispatch an army to support the emperor. However, Louis XIII invaded Lorraine in 1632, forcing Charles to sign a treaty which he later ignored. In 1634, French forces again occupied Lorraine, leading Charles IV to abdicate in favor of his brother, Nicolas II François.
Charles joined the imperial forces and fought against the Swedes and French with limited success. In 1635, he attempted to reconquer the duchy but failed. Despite the indifference of his Bavarian and Austrian allies, he achieved some victories between 1638 and 1640, leading to renewed negotiations with France.
Return and Arrest
In 1641, the Treaty of Saint-Germain restored Lorraine to Charles under French protectorate, on condition that he avoid alliances with Austria. However, Charles continued to oppose Richelieu and harbored conspirators against Louis XIV. In 1641, he fled arrest after the cardinal apprehended the conspirators.
He rejoined military service and fought at the Battle of Tuttlingen (1643), where, alongside Franz von Mercy and Johann von Werth, he defeated the French.
Later Life and Legacy
The Treaty of Westphalia (1648) officially placed the three Lorraine bishoprics (Toul, Metz, Verdun) under French rule. Charles IV played no role in these negotiations. He resumed hostilities against France and even threatened Paris in 1652. However, he lost his gains and allies after negotiating with both Cardinal Mazarin and the Fronde.
Spain, blaming him for the failure of their uprising, arrested Charles in Brussels in 1654. He was imprisoned in the Alcázar of Toledo. The intervention of his brother, Nicolas II François, secured his release in 1659. The Treaty of Vincennes (1661) restored the duchy to Charles.
He focused on improving roads in Lorraine and Bar, implementing harsh taxes in his war-torn territories. In the Treaty of Montmartre (1662), Charles transferred his rights to the Lorraine throne to Louis XIV for 1 million thalers and titles for his family as Princes of the French Blood. He also agreed to disband his army.
In 1669, Charles refused to comply with Louis XIV's demand to disband his army. French forces occupied Lorraine again in 1670. Charles was forced to flee and once again entered imperial service against the French. He achieved a victory at the Battle of Konzer Bridge (1675) alongside George William of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Charles IV fell ill and died on September 18, 1675, in Allenbach, Germany.
Family
Charles IV had three marriages and multiple children. His first marriage to Nicole of Lorraine was annulled in 1635. He then married Béatrice de Cusance in 1637. They had three children: François (d. 1638), Anne (1639-1720), and Charles Henry (1649-1723). After Béatrice's death, he married Marie Louise d'Apremont in 1665, but they had no children.
