Charles de Lannoy

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Charles de Lannoy (c. 1487 – September 23, 1527) was a soldier and statesman from the Low Countries in service of the Habsburg Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V.

Charles de Lannoy was born the younger son of Jean de Lannoy, Lord of Mingoval, and his wife, Philipotte de Lalaing (c. 1487). He took service with the Emperor Maximilian I and won distinction for bravery and leadership. He was appointed to the council of Charles of Burgundy — later Emperor Charles V. (1515). He was appointed knight of the Golden Fleece in 1516. He became governor of Tournai in 1521, was made viceroi of Naples in 1522 and made commander in chief of Imperial armies in Italy upon the death of Prospero Colonna at the end of 1523.

His main experience in that era's warfare consisted chiefly of the Italian War of 1521 and the War of the League of Cognac. He commanded the siege of Marseille (1524) and Pavia (1525).

In 1526 he became the first count of Lannoy.

He died of a sudden illness in Gaeta on September 23, 1527.