Charles II de Valois, Duke of Orléans
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Charles d'Angouleme, Duc d'Orleans, (January 22, 1522–September 9, 1545) was the 3rd son of King Francis I of France and Claude de France, daughter of Louis XII of France.
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[edit] Duke of Orleans
Upon the death of Francis, Dauphin of France (Francis I's eldest son) in 1536, Charles became Duc d'Orleans, a titled he received from his brother Henri, who was now dauphin and later Henry II of France.
By all accounts, he was the most handsome of Francis I's sons. Smallpox made him blind in one eye, but it seems that it was not noticeable. He was known for his wild antics, his practical jokes and his extravagance and frivolousness, which his father approved of wholeheartedly. [Seward, Desmond (1973). Prince of the Renaissance:The Golden Life of Francois I. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 228.]. He was, by far, his father's favorite son. In addition, he was popular with everyone at his father's court, and it was widely believed that the French nobility of the time would have much preferred to have him as the Dauphin as opposed to his downcast brother, Henri, who never seemed to recover from his years of captivity in Spain [Seward, Desmond (1973). Prince of the Renaissance:The Golden Life of Francois I. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 228.].
In 1542, Francis I and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor again went to war against each other. Charles fought and captured Luxembourg, but then fearful that he would miss the glory of Perpignan, which was under siege by the Dauphin Henri, he headed south. Luxembourg was lost and retaken several times during the war.
[edit] Marriage arrangements
On September 19, 1544, the Treaty of Crépy was signed. Charles had a choice. He could marry either 1) Maria of Spain, daughter of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, with the Netherlands or the Low Countries of Franche-Comte as her dowry or 2) Anna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, King of Hungary and Bohemia and Anne of Bohemia. She was a niece of Charles V through her father and would receive Milan as her dowry. As the groom's father, Francis I was expected by the Treaty to endow his son with Angouleme, Chatellerault, Bourbon and Orleans.
The Peace of Crépy deeply offended the Dauphin Henri and his wife, Catherine de' Medici. As a minor point, Henri considered Milan to be his birthright as the heir of Valentina Visconti. More importantly, his brother would by this settlement become as powerful as a monarch, and would be supported by the Emperor, dividing French interests, and creating a strategic nightmare. Many historians believe that this is exactly what Charles V, hoping to use Prince Charles as an adversary against Henri, had in mind.
[edit] Death
The rivalry between Charles and his brother, the Dauphin Henri, was potentially dangerous. However, it solved itself with the death of Charles. In the autumn of 1545, Charles was on his way (with his brother, the Dauphin) to Boulogne, which was under siege. On 6 September, they came across a cluster of houses that had been emptied and sealed off "from the plague" -- probably a form of influenza. Stating that "no son of a King of France ever died of plague", Charles entered some of the infected houses with his brother [Seward, Desmond (1973). Prince of the Renaissance:The Golden Life of Francois I. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 241.]. Laughing, he slashed at bedding with his sword and started a pillow fight with some of his traveling companions. Stories have also been told of him (on a dare) lying down on one of the infected beds and rolling around on the bedding. Later that evening, after dining with his father and brother, he took suddenly ill, suffering from pain, a high fever, vomiting and shaking limbs. His brother rushed to his sickroom immediately, but was barred from entering, being physically restrained on three occasions.
Charles died on September 9, 1545. Some thought that he had been poisoned, but most agreed that it was the "plague" that killed him. He is buried next to his father, Francis I and his brother, the Dauphin Francis at the Abbey of Saint-Denis.
At the time of his death, he possessed the Duchies of Angouleme, Bourbon, and Chatelherault.
[edit] Anecdotes
- Charles was known for his wild antics. Stories have it that once he jumped up behind Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and his father's sworn enemy and shouted, "You are my prisoner". Apparently, Charles V spurred his horse into a frantic gallop without once looking behind him. His brother, Henri, was delighted at the fright his brother gave the Emperor.
- He is known to have accompanied his father and brothers on many ceremonial occasions, including the The Field of Cloth of Gold, where Henry VIII of England is said to have taken a "particular fancy" to the 10-year old boy.
- His father's Swiss Guard nicknamed him "Abednago".[Seward, Desmond (1973). Prince of the Renaissance:The Golden Life of Francois I. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 228.]
