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Why did Charles de Bourbon turn against Francis I?
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Francis I
King Francis I of France, portrait by Pierre Dumonstier, after a drawing by Jean Clouet; in the BibliothĂšque Nationale, Paris.
Charles de Bourbonâs decision to turn against Francis I was driven by a combination of personal grievances and legal disputes that eroded his standing at court.1
The primary factors included:
- Hostility from the Queen Mother: Louise of Savoy, the kingâs mother, actively worked against Charles, contributing to his loss of royal favor.1
- Financial Neglect: Francis I failed to pay the Constable his salary following his investiture in 1515.1
- Legal Seizure of Estates: The most significant catalyst was the Kingâs attempt to recover the inheritance of the senior branch of the Bourbon family from Charles through the Parlement of Paris (1522â1523). Although the legal case was weak, the court ordered the sequestration of Charles's property, effectively stripping him of his vast domains.1
Feeling betrayed and dispossessed, Charles entered into treasonous negotiations with Charles V and Henry VIII before ultimately defecting to the service of the Holy Roman Emperor.1