Antoine of Navarre

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Antoine de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme (22 April 1518 – 17 November 1562), was head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562, and King-consort of Navarre from 1555 to 1562.

He was born at La Fère, Picardie, France, the son of Charles IV de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme (1489-1537) and his wife, Francoise d'Alencon (d. 1550). He was the older brother of Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé.

On 20 October 1548 at Moulins he married Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre, daughter of Henri d'Albret (Henri II of Navarre) and his wife Margaret of Angoulême. By his marriage, he became Count of Foix, of Bigorre, of Armagnac, of Perigord, and Viscount of Béarn. The Kingdom of Navarre had been occupied by the Spanish since 1512, and Antoine tried to re-establish it. He was ready to sacrifice anything to his political interests.

He had no real religious conviction and changed religions several times. His reconversion to Catholicism separated him from his wife. He had an affair with Louise de la Béraudière, "la belle Rouet," with whom he had a son in 1555.

Although his brother was the head of the protestant faction, he spent most of his life fighting for the King of France. Catherine de Medici, regent for her son Charles IX of France, named him lieutenant general of the kingdom in 1561. When his wife allowed the Huguenots to sack the chapel of Vendôme and the churches of the town in 1562, he threatened to send her to a convent. She took refuge in Béarn.

Antoine was vain and unstable. He often disappointed his followers and was manipulated by his superiors and out-witted by his adversaries.

He laid siege to Rouen and was mortally wounded on November 13, 1562. He died at Les Andelys, Eure.

[edit] Issue

• Henry (1551–1553), Duke of Beaumont
• Henri IV, King of France (1553–1610)
• Louis (1555–1557), Count of Marle
• Madeleine (1556)
• Catherine de Bourbon (1559–1604). Married Henry I, Duke of Lorraine in 1599.
• Charles (1554–1610, Marmoutier), Archbishop of Rouen

Preceded by Charles IV de Bourbon	Duke of Vendôme 1537 – 1562	Succeeded by Henri IV
Preceded by Henry II	King of Navarre with Jeanne III 1555–1562	Succeeded by Jeanne III