The lordship of Carency belonged to a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon. From the 15th century onwards they were known as princes of Carency, even if their fiefdom does not seem to have been promoted to a princedom. In the 16th century Carency passed to the Escars via the female line.
Lord of Carency-en-Artois and of Aubigny-en-Artois
He was the third son of John I, Count of La Marche, and of Catherine of Vendôme.
In 1416 he married Catherine of Artois (†1420), second daughter of Philip of Artois, count of Eu and of Marie of Berry.
In 1420 he married Jeanne of Vendômois, daughter of Hamelin of Vendômois and of Alix de Bessé, with whom he had :
Lord of Carency, Aubigny, Rochefort, Buquoy, Lécluse.
He was Lieutenant Général of John II, Duke of Bourbon on his lands, by letters patent given at Moulins on 28 February 1486. Louis XI granted him the goods confiscated from Peter of Bourbon by letters of 20 April 1469. He was still living in 1493.
In 1442 he married Antoinette de la Tour, widow of Jacques Aubert, lord of Marteil and daughter of Annet II de la Tour, lord of Olliergues and of Elips de Vendat, with whom he had :
"Prince" of Carency, lord of Aubigny, Rochefort, Buquoy, Lécluse, Bougny, Combles, Abret, Vendat, Bains, Saint-Georges and Ternat, Count of La Marche.
On 15 January 1468 he married Didière of Vergy, only daughter and heir of Jean of Vergy, lord of Fouvens and Vinory and of Marguerite de la Rocheguyon, no issue.
On 8 November 1481, he married Antoinette de Chabannes (†1490), daughter of Geoffroy de Chabannes, knight, lord of Charlus and of Charlotte de Prie, no issue.
On 18 April 1493, he married Catherine d’Alègre, daughter of Bertrand d’Alègre, baron of Puysaguet, lord of Busset, baron of Puysaguet, Le Temple and Saint-Priest, and of Isabelle de Levy-Cousan, by whom he had :
Princess of Carency, Aubigny, Combles and Buquoy.
On 22 February 1516 she married François de Peyrusse d'Escars (or des Cars) (†1550), lord of La Vauguyon, councillor, chamberlain, gentleman of the king's chamber to Francis I, with whom she had :
"Prince" of Carency, then in 1586 count of La Vauguyon, lord of Abret and Vendat. Knight of the Ordre du Saint-Esprit from 1578.
In 1561 he married Anne de Clermont, daughter of Antoine III count of Clermont, son of Bernardin de Clermont, with whom he had :
Princess of Carency, countess of La Vauguyon and lady of Abret after her brothers' deaths.
In 1573 she married Charles Gouyon, count of la Maure, thus moving Carency into the Rochechouart family, who did not use the title. This family was not linked to Carency's promotion to a princedom. Diane and her husband were great grand parents of Madame de Montespan.
She later married Louis Estuer comte de Saint-Megrin, by whom she had :
At the end of the 18th century the title passed to a Bauffremont via the marriage of one of the daughters of Paul François de Quelen de La Vauguyon.