Francis, Count of Vendôme

Francis de Bourbon
Count of Vendôme
Born	c. 1470 Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher, France.
Died	30 October 1495(1495-10-30) (aged 24–25) Vercelli, Piedmont, Italy.
Spouse	Marie of Luxembourg
Issue	Charles, Duke of Vendôme François, Count of Saint-Pol Louis, Archbishop of Sens Antoinette, Duchess of Guise Louise, Abbess of Fontevraud
House	Bourbon-Vendôme
Father	John VIII, Count of Vendôme
Mother	Isabelle de Beauvau

Francis of Bourbon or François de Bourbon, (c. 1470 – 30 October 1495), was the Count of Vendôme and a French prince du sang.

Life

Francis was the son of John VIII de Bourbon, Count of Vendôme and Isabelle de Beauvau, the daughter of Louis de Beauvau, Marshal of Provence. As a legitimate member of the Capetian dynasty, he ranked in France as a prince du sang. Francis was seven, when his father died and he succeeded as count of Vendôme. During his minority, his estates were administered by his brother in law, Louis of Joyeuse.

Marriage

In 1487, Francis married Marie of Luxembourg, the elder daughter and principal heiress of Peter II of Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol and Soissons, and Margaret of Savoy. She brought great estates as her dowry, including the countships of Saint-Pol and Soissons in Picardy, as well as the Château de Condé.

Francis and Marie conceived:

• Charles de Bourbon (1489–1537), who later became Duke of Vendôme.
• Jacques de Bourbon (1490–1491), died young
• François de Bourbon (1491–1545), Count of Saint Pol and Chaumont, and Duke of Estouteville
• Louis de Bourbon (1493–1557), Archbishop of Sens
• Antoinette de Bourbon (1493–1583), married Claude, Duke of Guise
• Louise de Bourbon (1495–1575), Abbess of Fontevraud

By Isabeau de Grigny, Francis had an illegitimate son:

• Jacques de Bourbon

Francis de Bourbon died at the age of 25 in Vercelli, Italy, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles IV de Bourbon. His widow Marie administered the family's estates during Charles' minority.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Francis, Count of Vendôme

16. James I, Count of La Marche 8. John I, Count of La Marche 17. Jeanne of Châtillon 4. Louis, Count of Vendôme 18. John VI of Vendôme 9. Catherine of Vendôme 19. Jeanne of Ponthieu 2. John II, Count of Vendôme 20. fr:Raoul IX de Montfort 10. Guy XIII de Laval 21. Jeanne de Kergorlay 5. Jeanne de Laval 22. Guy XII de Laval 11. Anne de Laval 23. Jeanne de Laval-Tinténiac 1. François de Bourbon, Count of Vendôme 24. Jean de Beauvau 12. Pierre I de Beauvau 25. Jeanne, Dame de Tigny 6. Louis de Beauvau, Seneschal of Anjou 26. Pierre de Craon 13. Jeanne de Craon 27. Catherine de Machecoul 3. Isabelle de Beauvau 28. Ferry IV de Chambley 14. Ferri V de Chambley 29. Ermengarde de Florange 7. Marguerite de Chambley 30. Jean de Lannoy d'Herbevilliers 15. Jeanne de Launoy 31. Marguerite de Ligneville

Sources

• Barbier, Jean Paul (2002). Ma bibliothèque Poétique (in French). Librairie Droz S.A.
• Busby, Keith; Freeman, M.J.; Houppermans, Sjef; Pelckmans, Paul, eds. (1993). Les Manuscrits de Chrétien de Troyes. Vol. 2. Rodopi.
• Potter, David (1993). War and Government in the French Provinces, Picardy 1470-1560. Cambridge University Press.