Francis, Count of Enghien

François de Bourbon
Count of Enghien
Portrait by Corneille de Lyon
Born	23 September 1519 La Fère, Kingdom of France
Died	23 February 1546 La Roche-Guyon
Father	Charles, Duke of Vendôme
Mother	Françoise d'Alençon

François de Bourbon, Count of Enghien (23 September 1519 – 23 February 1546) was a French prince du sang from the House of Bourbon-Vendôme, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon (itself a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty). He was the son of Charles de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme and Françoise d'Alençon.

Given command of the French army in Italy by Francis I of France during the Italian War of 1542, he was the French commander at the successful Franco-Ottoman Siege of Nice in 1543, and he led it to victory at the Battle of Ceresole in a year later in 1544.

His early death at the age of 26 was caused by an accident – specifically by the falling of a heavy chest – in the castle La Roche-Guyon. He was succeeded as Count of Enghien by his younger brother John (Jean), who was also the Count of Soissons.

Coat-of-arms for François de Bourbon.

Sources

• Knecht, R. J. (1994). Renaissance Warrior and Patron: The Reign of Francis I. Cambridge University Press.
• Williams, Hugh Noel (1912). The Love-affairs of the Condés: (1530–1740). Charles Scribner's Sons.