Antoine Of NAVARRE

Notes:

Antoine de Bourbon, duc de VendÙme (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 FËre, Picardie, France, the son of Charles IV de Bourbon, duc de VendÙme (1489-1537) and his wife, Francoise d'Alencon (d. 1550). He was the older brother of Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de CondÈ.

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 AngoulÍme. By his marriage, he became Count of Foix, of Bigorre, of Armagnac, of Perigord, and Viscount of BÈarn. 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 BÈraudiËre, "la belle Rouet," with whom he had a son in 1555.

Coat of Arms of Antoine de Bourbon and the Kings of Navarre.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 VendÙme and the churches of the town in 1562, he threatened to send her to a convent. She took refuge in BÈarn.

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.

Antoine married Jeanne III Of NAVARRE on 20 Oct 1548. Jeanne was born on 07 Jan 1528; died on 09 Jun 1572. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Henry IV King Of FRANCE was born on 13 Dec 1553; died on 14 May 1610.
2. Henri Duc DE BEAUMONT was born in 1551; died in 1553.
3. Louis Of BEAUMONT was born in 1555; died in 1557.
4. Madeline Of BEAUMONT was born in 1556.
5. Catherine DE BOURBON was born in 1559; died in 1604.