Francis, Count of Vendôme

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

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

Life

Francis was the son of John VIII de Bourbon, Count of Vendôme and Isabelle de Beauveau, the daughter of Louis de Beauvau, Marshal of Provence.[1] As a legitimate member of the Capetian dynasty, he ranked in France as a prince du sang. At his father's death, when he was seven, he succeeded as Count of Vendôme. During his minority, his estates were administered by his uncle, Louis le Joyeuse.

Francis was a faithful follower of Anne of France and her brother, King Charles VIII of France.

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, and the widow of Jacques of Savoy, Count of Romont.[2][3] She brought great estates as her dowry, including the countships of Saint-Pol and Soissons in Picardy, as well as the Château de Condé, which was later passed down as a residence to the Princes of Condé who were the descendants of her grandson, Louis de Bourbon, 1st Prince of Condé.

They had six children:

• Charles de Bourbon (1489–1537), who later became Duke of Vendôme.[3] French King Henry IV was his grandson and all French Kings starting from Henry IV descend from him in the male line.
• Jacques de Bourbon (1490–1491), died young.
• Francis 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.[1]
• Louise de Bourbon (1495–1575), Abbess of Fontevraud.

Also 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. fr: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 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

Patrilineal descent

Patrilineal descent

François' patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son. Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations - which means that if Count François were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be Robertian, as all his male-line ancestors have been of that house. François is a member of the House of Bourbon, a branch of the Capetian dynasty and of the Robertians. François' patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son. It follows the Kings of France and the Counts of Paris and Worms. This line can be traced back more than 1,200 years from Robert of Hesbaye to the present day, through Kings of France & Navarre, Spain and Two-Sicilies, Dukes of Parma and Grand-Dukes of Luxembourg, Princes of Orléans and Emperors of Brazil. It is one of the oldest in Europe. Robert II of Worms and Rheingau (Robert of Hesbaye), 770 - 807 Robert III of Worms and Rheingau, 808 - 834 Robert IV the Strong, 820 - 866 Robert I of France, 866 - 923 Hugh the Great, 895 - 956 Hugh Capet, 941 - 996 Robert II of France, 972 - 1031 Henry I of France, 1008–1060 Philip I of France, 1053–1108 Louis VI of France, 1081–1137 Louis VII of France, 1120–1180 Philip II of France, 1165–1223 Louis VIII of France, 1187–1226 Louis IX of France, 1215–1270 Robert, Count of Clermont, 1256–1317 Louis I, Duke of Bourbon, 1279–1342 James I, Count of La Marche, 1319–1362 John I, Count of La Marche, 1344–1393 Louis, Count of Vendôme, 1376–1446 John II, Count of Vendôme, 1428–1478 François de Bourbon, Count of Vendôme, 1470–1495

Notes

1. Ward, Prothero & Leathes 1911, p. vii.
2. Potter 1993, p. 48.
3. Busby et al. 1993, p. 145.

References

• Busby, Keith; Freeman, M.J.; Houppermans, Sjef; Pelckmans, Paul, eds. (1993). Les Manuscrits de Chrétien de Troyes. Vol. 2. Rodopi.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Potter, David (1993). War and Government in the French Provinces, Picardy 1470-1560. Cambridge University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Ward, A.W.; Prothero, G.W.; Leathes, Stanley, eds. (1911). The Cambridge Modern History. Cambridge University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Francis, Count of Vendôme House of Bourbon Born: 1470 Died: 30 October 1495
Preceded by Jean VIII	Count of Vendôme 1477–1495	Succeeded by Charles IV de Bourbon