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How did Charles de Bourbon contribute to the Battle of Pavia?
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Francis I
King Francis I of France, portrait by Pierre Dumonstier, after a drawing by Jean Clouet; in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
Charles de Bourbon, formerly the constable of France under Francis I, played a pivotal role in the Battle of Pavia on February 24, 1525, after defecting to the service of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V.1
Following a dispute with the French crown over his inheritance and salary, Bourbon fled to the Emperor's service and led an army of German mercenaries. After repelling a French attack on Italy and invading Provence, he retreated to Lombardy to engage in the conflict at Pavia. It was during this decisive battle that Bourbon’s soldiers successfully captured King Francis I, marking a major victory for the imperial forces.1