Charles 'Orlando' IX of France (b.1492: d.1528)

Charles Orlando IX of France (b.1492: d.1528)

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Charles Orlando IX of France (b.1492: d.1528)

Born in 1492, Charles Orlando was the first child of Anne, Duchess of Brittany (b.1477: d.1518) and Charles VIII of France (b.1470: d.1498). He was the Dauphin of France from birth until his accession to the throne at 6 years old, upon his father’s death in 1498. He would have two short-lived brothers, Francis (b.1496: d.1496), Louis (b.1497: d.1497), and a sister who managed to survive childhood, Anne (b.1498: d.1540). His mother would remarry in 1506 to Charles III, Duke of Savoy and would have two living children: Philibert Francis (b.1507) and Margaret Isabelle (b.1511: d.1549).

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Margaret Isabelle of Savoy, Queen of England (b.1511: d.1549)

This would spell the end to Anne of Brittany’s reign as Regent, lost to Louis, Duke of Orleans (b.1462: d.1515), who has the Duchess expelled from court as he had wished to marry her himself. Louis, Duke of Orleans would marry Suzanne de Bourbon (b.1491: d.1523), however the two would have no living children, though 4 would be born: Margaret de Orleans (b.1511: d.1511), Anne de Orleans (b.1513: d.1513) and finally stillborn boys in 1517.

Charles Orlando would be married twice in his life, once to Anne of Navarre (b.1492: d.1518) and secondly to Isabella of Austria (b.1501: d.1526). With Anne of Navarre, he would have two sons: Louis, Dauphin of France (b.1515) and Charles, Duke of Orleans (b.1517), with a stillborn daughter in 1518 being the thing that killed his bride. With Isabella, two daughters and two sons would be born: Anne of France (b.1520), Francis, Count of Angouleme (b.1521: d.1523), Henry, Duke of Anjou (b.1524) and Charlotte of France (b.1525: d.1535).

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Anne of Navarre, Queen of France (b.1492: d.1517)

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Louis, Dauphin of France - later King of France (b.1515: d.1568)

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Charlotte of France (b.1525: d.1535)

As a King, Charles Orlando was neither a good or bad one, starting a small war upon his majority with England (c.1512-1519) that ended with a deadlock and the Treaty of Calais, which basically brought both to the same positions as prior, without the funds. His alliance with the Habsburg family was strengthened by his marriage to Isabella of Austria in 1518, which he did in hopes of support for his war. However, the war ended soon after.

Other than that war, his other notable achievement was his major support of portraiture artist Jean de Pamplona, a man from Navarre who showed incredible talent. This artist, from 1516 onwards, would do all of the Royal family's portraits.
 
Philibert III, Duke of Savoy (b.1507: d.1580)

Born in 1507, Philibert was the second son of Anne of Brittany and the first son of Charles III, Duke of Savoy. Along with his sister Margaret Isabelle (b.1511), he represented the freedom the Duchess of Brittany felt after her husband, the King of France's death in 1498 and her last efforts to have a life away from the struggle's of trying to hold the Duchy of Brittany from France. At the time she did this, her son was 14.

In 1522, the 15 year old Philibert married Portuguese Infanta Beatrice, aged 19 at the time. The two would have 8 children over their marriage until her death in 1538, only their daughter Claudia of Savoy (b.1531) surviving past infancy. The death of his beloved bride was a blow to Philibert, who would show extreme favouritism to Claudia even after his other children were born.

In 1547, he attempted to gain a betrothal/marriage to Elizabeth of England, however his suit was ignored and in 1550 he married Magdalena of Austria, the 4th daughter of Ferdinand of Austria. The two would remain married until Magdalena die in 1562, giving birth to stillborn twin daughters. Of their other children, three survived: Charles of Savoy (b.1552), Maximilian of Savoy (b.1555), Anne Eleanor of Savoy (b.1556) and Philip of Savoy (b.1559). Upon his second wife's death, he renewed his suit for the hand of the now Queen of England, Elizabeth I of England. His was rejected, but would continue his suit until 1571, when he married for the final time to Elisabeth of Angouleme (b.1559), by which he would have no children. His bride would go on to marry his heir soon after his death and have 5 children: Marie of Savoy (b.1583), Charlotte of Savoy (b.1588), Charles of Savoy (b.1590), Louise of Savoy (b.1594) and Philibert of Savoy (b.1599)

Philibert as a ruler would have a chance to show his chops in 1553, after his father's death. However, his reign was weak and quiet, with his efforts to play a major role in politics mostly taking effect in his continued attempts to marry well and an ongoing rivalry with his elder brother and , in which he attempted to nephew, to which he felt superior.
 
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