Charles VIII of France

Charles VIII the Affable
King of France, Duke of Brittany, Count of Provence (more...)
Reign	30 August 1483 – 7 April 1498
Coronation	30 May 1484, Reims
Titles	Dauphin of Viennois: As Dauphin of France (30 June 1470 – 30 August 1483); As King of France (30 August 1483–11 October 1492, 16 December 1495–8 September 1496, 2 October 1496–July 1497, July 1497–7 April 1498); Jure uxoris Duke of Brittany (1491 – 1498) King of Naples
Born	30 June 1470(1470--)
	Château d'Amboise, France
Died	7 April 1498 (aged 27)
	Château d'Amboise, France
Predecessor	Louis XI
Successor	Louis XII
Consort	Anne of Brittany (1477 – 1514)
Royal House	Valois Dynasty
Father	Louis XI (1423 – 1483)
Mother	Charlotte of Savoy (1443 – 1483)

Charles VIII, called the Affable (French: l'Affable; 30 June 1470 – 7 April 1498), was King of France from 1483 to his death. Charles was a member of the House of Valois. He started the long series of Franco-Italian wars which characterized the first half of the 16th century.

Biography

Charles was born at the Château d'Amboise in France, the only surviving son of King Louis XI and Charlotte of Savoy. Charles succeeded to the throne upon his father's death on August 30, 1483. In poor health and regarded by his contemporaries as of pleasant disposition but foolish and unsuited for the business of the state, the 13-year-old king reigned under a regency headed by his eldest sister, Anne de Beaujeu, and her husband, Pierre de Bourbon.

In 1483 he was betrothed to Margaret of Austria daughter of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Mary of Burgundy; she was returned to her father in 1493.

On December 6, 1491, in an elaborate ceremony at the Château de Langeais, Charles married Anne de Bretagne, heiress to the duchy of Brittany, The 14-year-old Duchess Anne, not happy with the politically arranged marriage, arrived for her wedding with her entourage carrying two beds. However, Charles's marriage brought him independence from his relatives, and thereafter he managed affairs according to his own inclinations. Queen Anne would live at the Clos Lucé in Amboise.

Having inherited a vague claim to the kingdom of Naples through his paternal grandmother, Marie of Anjou, and encouraged by Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, he imagined himself capable of seizing that realm, and he thereupon set France's resources toward that goal, starting the Italian Wars. He contracted several unfavourable treaties with Austria and England, in order to free himself of distractions, and then commenced a massive buildup of forces. He entered Italy in 1494 and marched across the peninsula, reaching Naples on February 22, 1495.

Charles VIII.

Having expelled Alfonso II of Naples and crowned king of Naples in his lieu, Charles then found himself the subject of an opposing coalition from the League of Venice, involving that republic with Austria, the Papacy, the same Ludovico Sforza and other Italian states. Partially defeated at Fornovo in July 1495, he escaped to France after losing over a thousand men, while the Italians lost over two thousand. Charles left Italy quickly and left behind a few small garrisons to shore up his taken possessions in Naples. Those garrisons were quickly taken by the returning Aragonese. He attempted in the next few years to rebuild his army, but was hampered by the serious debts incurred by the previous one. He never succeeded in recouping anything substantive. He died two-and-a-half years after his retreat, of an accident: striking himself on the head while passing through a doorway, he succumbed to a sudden coma several hours later.

French Monarchy-
Capetian Dynasty,
House of Valois

Philip VI Children    John II John II Children    Charles V    Louis I of Anjou    John, Duke of Berry    Philip the Bold Charles V Children    Charles VI    Louis, Duke of Orléans Charles VI Children    Isabella of Valois    Catherine of Valois    Charles VII Charles VII Children    Louis XI    Charles, Duke of Berry Louis XI Children    Charles VIII Charles VIII

Charles bequeathed a meagre legacy: he left France in debt and in disarray as a result of an ambition most charitably characterized as unrealistic. On a more positive side, his expedition did broach contacts between French and Italian humanists, energizing French art and letters in the latter part of the Renaissance.

Since all of his children died before him, Charles was the last of the elder branch of the House of Valois, and upon his death at Amboise the throne passed to a cousin, the son of Charles, duc d'Orleans, who reigned as King Louis XII of France.

Ancestors

Issue

The marriage with Anne resulted in the birth of four children:

• Charles-Orland, Dauphin of France (11 October 1492 - 16 December 1495).
• Charles, Dauphin of France (8 September–2 October 1496).
• François, Dauphin of France (July 1497).
• Princess Anne of France (1498).

See also

• First Italian War

References

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