Louis I
Duke of Bourbon
Reign1327 – 1341
PredecessorTitle Established
SuccessorPeter I
Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis
Reign1317 – 1327
1331 – 1341
PredecessorRobert
SuccessorPeter I
Count of La Marche
Reign1322 – 1341
PredecessorCharles IV, King of France
SuccessorJames I
Born1279
Clermont, Oise, France
Died1341 (aged 61–62)
France
Spouse
​
(m. 1310)​
IssuePeter I, Duke of Bourbon
Joanna, Countess of Forez
Margaret of Bourbon
Marie, Latin Empress
Philip of Bourbon
James of Bourbon
James I, Count of La Marche
Beatrice, Queen of Bohemia
HouseBourbon
FatherRobert, Count of Clermont
MotherBeatrix of Burgundy

Louis I, called the Lame (1279 – 1341) was a French prince du sang, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche and the first Duke of Bourbon, as well as briefly the titular King of Thessalonica from 1320 to 1321.

Life

Louis was born in Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, the son of Robert, Count of Clermont, and a grandson of King Louis IX of France.[1] Louis' mother was Beatrix of Burgundy, heiress of Bourbon and a granddaughter of Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy.[1]

He fought on the losing side at the Battle of the Golden Spurs (1302)[2] and at the Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle (1304),[3] but managed to escape unharmed. In 1310, he was made Grand Chambrier of France. Louis was crucesignatus in 1316 founding a confraternity called the Holy Selpulchre.[4] On 13 September 1318, Philip V of France designated Louis, who had drawn up a preliminary crusading plan, as captain-general of his crusading army, however the loss of the Franco-Papal fleet in 1319 to the Ghibbelines at Genoa sidelined their efforts.[5]

On 14 April 1320, Louis offered 40,000 livres to Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy for the rights to the title King of Thessalonica, however Philip of Taranto stepped in and offered the same amount which Odo accepted.[6] The terms of the agreement also included the marriage of Philip's oldest son and Louis' daughter, Beatrice.[6]

In 1327, Charles IV of France persuaded Louis to exchange the County of Clermont for that of La Marche, and elevated Bourbon to a duchy-peerage.[7] By 1331, Clermont was restored to him since he was part of Philip VI's small circle of trusted advisors.[8] Louis continued to be an integral part of French crusading plans until 1336, when Pope Benedict XII cancelled Philip VI's crusade.[4]

Duke Louis is reported to have been somewhat mentally unstable, in particular having nervous breakdowns. The trait is believed to have been hereditary, with his granddaughter Joanna of Bourbon, her son, King Charles VI of France, and Charles' grandson, King Henry VI of England, all displaying similar symptoms.[citation needed]

He was buried in the now-demolished church of the Couvent des Jacobins in Paris.

Family and children

In 1310, Louis married Mary of Avesnes,[9] daughter of John II of Avesnes, Count of Hainaut and Holland by Philippa of Luxembourg. They had:

With Jeanne de Bourbon-Lancy, dame de Clessy, Louis had several illegitimate children:

References

  1. ^ a b Viard 1937, p. 223.
  2. ^ Verbruggen 2002, p. 56.
  3. ^ Verbruggen 1997, p. 202.
  4. ^ a b Georgiou 2018, p. 39.
  5. ^ Georgiou 2018, p. 38.
  6. ^ a b Topping 1975, p. 115-116.
  7. ^ Henneman 1995, p. 138.
  8. ^ Desmond 2018, p. 248.
  9. ^ Warner 2016, p. 12.
  10. ^ Heers 2003, Bourbon table.
  11. ^ Nicolle 2004, p. 65.
  12. ^ a b Topping 1975, p. 132.
  13. ^ Thompson 1909, p. 527.
  14. ^ Sumption 1999, p. 479.
  15. ^ Boehm & Fajt 2005, p. xvi.
  16. ^ Boudet 1900, p. 16.

Sources

Preceded byRobert Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis 1317–1327 VacantRoyal domain New title Duke of Bourbon 1327–1342 Succeeded byPeter I VacantTitle last held byCharles the Fair Count of La Marche 1327–1342 VacantRoyal domain Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis 1331–1342

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