Charles IV (Alençon)
Charles IV of Valois , (* 1489 ; † 1525 in Lyon ) was Duke of Alençon , Count of Le Perche from 1492 to 1525 and Count of Armagnac , Fézensac and Rodez from 1497 to 1525. He was the son of Duke René and Margarete of Lorraine-Vaudémont . He inherited the counties Armagnac, Fézensac and Rodez through the death of his great-uncle Karl .
He led his first campaign in Italy in 1507 under the command of King Louis XII. , where he took part especially in the siege of Genoa . In 1509 he accompanied him again, fought in the Battle of Agnadello , in the conquest of Bergamo , Caravaggio , Borromeo and Cremona .
In the same year he married Margarete von Angoulême , daughter of Karl , Count von Angoulême , and Luise von Savoyen , and older sister of the future King Francis I. The marriage remained childless.
After his brother-in-law ascended the throne, he again took part in an Italian campaign. He fought in the Battle of Marignano in 1515 and defended Champagne against the campaign of Emperor Charles V in 1521 .
He took part in the Battle of Pavia (1525) and took command of the French army after the king fell into captivity. He died shortly afterwards under the impression of defeat and the accusations of leaving the king alone. His widow Margarete remained Duchess of Alençon, thereby ousting Charles' sister Françoise from the succession.
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| René |
Duke of Alençon Count of Le Perche 1492–1525  |
Margaret of Angoulême |
| Charles of Armagnac |
Count of Armagnac Count of Rodez Count of Fézensac 1497–1525  |
Margaret of Angoulême |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Charles IV |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Valois, Charles IV of (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Duke of Alençon, Count of Le Perche, Armagnac, Fézensac and Rodez |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1489 |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1525 |
| Place of death | Lyon |