Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon (born 1562)

Charles II of Bourbon (1562 - 1594), Cardinal de Bourbon and Vendome, was a prince of the blood of the House of Bourbon. With the advent of his cousin, the Protestant King Henry IV of France (1589), he raised the hopes of Catholics hostile to the League and was a candidate for the crown of France.

Family

Born August 19, 1562 at Gandelus-en-Brie, Charles is the son of Louis I de Bourbon-Conde, Prince of Conde and Duke of Enghien, and Eleonore de Roye. He is the nephew of Cardinal Charles de Bourbon

Biography

He did not receive ordination. Elected coadjutor archbishop of Rouen with right of succession on 1 August 1582, he did not receive episcopal consecration.

He was created cardinal deacon in the consistory of December 12, 1583, but did not receive the red hat or title Cardinal. He is known as the Cardinal de Vendôme (Vendome is the name of the branch of the Bourbon family which he came).

He is adviser to King Henry III of France. He did not participate in the conclave of 1585 that elected Pope Sixtus V.

He is a director of the diocese of Bayeux from 1586 to 1590. He was appointed abbot of Saint-Denis in 1589.

During the events of the League, he chose, unlike his brothers, to follow his uncle, Cardinal de Bourbon in his action against the Protestants. He showed himself unfavorable to Guise and according to historian De Thou was allegedly used by Henry III to break the influence that Lorraine had over the old Cardinal. In 1588, he participated in the Estates General of Blois.

The principal is the government which remained in Tours during the vacancy of the throne after the death of Henry III. He recognized Henri IV as king and momentarily became Minister of Justice before the king, who feared the ambition of his young cousin's withdraws. On the death of his uncle the archbishop of Rouen May 9, 1590, the cathedral chapter refused to acknowledge him. Only after the siege by Henry IV was he accepted.

He became Cardinal de Bourbon at the death of his uncle, and offered himself as candidate for the throne of France and formed the third party in which were grouped many Catholic nobles unhappy not to see Henry IV to convert to Catholicism. The political interest in the person of Cardinal in 1593, was one of the factors that prompted Henry to convert.

He combined the commendams of the abbeys of Saint-Denis, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Saint-Ouen in Rouen, Bourgueil, St. Catherine of Rouen and Ourscamp.

He did not take part in the councils of 1590 which elected Urban VII and Gregory XIV, of 1591 which elected Innocent IX or that of Clement VIII in 1592.

He died July 30, 1594 of dropsy at the Abbey of St. Germain des Pres. He is buried in the monastery of Gaillon.