Charles III, Duke of Bourbon (17 February 1490-6 May 1527) was a French nobleman who served as Constable of France from 1515 to 1521. He was one of the first great French lords to oppose the King of France, joining forces with the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars after King Francis I of France threatened to take his inheritance from him. The Duke of Bourbon was killed during the Sack of Rome in 1527.
Biography[]
Charles was the second son of Gilbert, Count of Montpensier and Clara Gonzaga, and he became Duke of Bourbon in 1505 after marrying Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon. The Duke of Bourbon distinguished himself during the Italian Wars, and he was made a Constable of France in 1515. After the Battle of Marignano, he was made Governor of Milan, but King Francis I of France was wary of the wealthy and proud Duke of Bourbon, and he recalled him from Milan and refused to honor his debts. He was also angry when Charles IV, Duke of Alencon, was given command of the campaigns in the Netherlands, a post that he demanded. The death of Suzanne in 1521 was the final breaking point in the relationship between Francis and Charles; Francis' mother inherited some of the estates, and Francis confiscated them from Charles. An angry Charles offered his services to the Holy Roman Empire, and he drove Guillaume Gouffier's French forces from Lombardy in 1524 before fighting at the Battle of Pavia a year later. He was later given command of a German-Spanish army and was sent to chastise Pope Clement VII. Charles neglected to supply this army with money or food, keeping it together with promises of loot. In May 1527, his army reached Rome, and he was shot by Benvenuto Cellini in front of the walls of the city. His underpaid soldiers proceeded to sack the city.