Charles II of Albret
Encyclopedia
Charles II d'Albret was a French
magnate, administrator, and soldier.
He was the son of Charles d'Albret
and Marie de Sully. His father died in 1415 at the Battle of Agincourt
, leaving the younger Charles as lord of Albret
and titular Count of Dreux, titular count since after Agincourt the lands of the county of Dreux were in English
hands. As a member of the Armagnac
faction, Charles was a supporter of the Dauphin Charles, future Charles VII of France
.
His links to the Armagnacs were strengthened by his marriage in 1417 to Anne of Armagnac
, daughter of Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
and Bonne of Berry, from whom the faction took its name.
Charles served on the royal council of Dauphin Charles and in 1427 joined with Richemont and Yolande of Aragon
in removing the Dauphin's unpopular favourite Pierre de Giac. De Giac was soon afterwards executed by drowning. He took part in the campaigns of Joan of Arc
, and was named lieutenant of the province of Berry
. He was confirmed in possession of the county of Dreux in 1441 by King Charles VII.
On his death Albret passed to his grandson Alain
(called Alain the Great), Jean's son, but he left the county of Dreux to his third son, Arnaud Amanieu. Alain, however, seized control of the county. His fourth son, Charles, was executed for treason in 1472.
Charles and Anne had seven children;
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
magnate, administrator, and soldier.
He was the son of Charles d'Albret
Charles d'Albret
Charles d'Albret was Constable of France from 1402 until 1411, and again from 1413 until 1415. He was also the co-commander of the French army at the Battle of Agincourt where he was killed by the English forces led by King Henry V....
and Marie de Sully. His father died in 1415 at the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
, leaving the younger Charles as lord of Albret
Albret
The lordship of Albret , situated in the Landes, gave its name to one of the most powerful feudal families of France in the Middle Ages...
and titular Count of Dreux, titular count since after Agincourt the lands of the county of Dreux were in English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
hands. As a member of the Armagnac
Armagnac (party)
The Armagnac party was prominent in French politics and warfare during the Hundred Years' War. It was allied with the supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans against John the Fearless after Charles' father Louis of Orléans was killed at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407...
faction, Charles was a supporter of the Dauphin Charles, future Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
.
His links to the Armagnacs were strengthened by his marriage in 1417 to Anne of Armagnac
Anne of Armagnac
Anne of Armagnac, Dame d'Albret, Countess of Dreux was a French noblewoman and a member of the powerful Gascon Armagnac family which played a prominent role in French politics during the Hundred Years War and were the principal adversaries of the Burgundians throughout the Armagnac-Burgundian...
, daughter of Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac was the Count of Charolais, Count of Armagnac, and Constable of France. He was the son of John II and Jeanne de Périgord. He succeeded in Armagnac at the death of his brother, John III, in 1391...
and Bonne of Berry, from whom the faction took its name.
Charles served on the royal council of Dauphin Charles and in 1427 joined with Richemont and Yolande of Aragon
Yolande of Aragon
Yolande of Aragon, , was a throne claimant and titular queen regnant of Aragon, titular queen consort of Naples, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Provence, and regent of Provence during the minority of her son...
in removing the Dauphin's unpopular favourite Pierre de Giac. De Giac was soon afterwards executed by drowning. He took part in the campaigns of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
, and was named lieutenant of the province of Berry
Berry (province)
Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790....
. He was confirmed in possession of the county of Dreux in 1441 by King Charles VII.
On his death Albret passed to his grandson Alain
Alain I of Albret
Alain I of Albret , called "The Great", was a powerful French aristocrat. He was 16th Lord of Albret, Viscount of Tartas, the 2nd Count of Graves, and the Count of Castres. He was the son of Catherine de Rohan and Jean I of Albret...
(called Alain the Great), Jean's son, but he left the county of Dreux to his third son, Arnaud Amanieu. Alain, however, seized control of the county. His fourth son, Charles, was executed for treason in 1472.
Charles and Anne had seven children;
- Jean d'Albret(1420–1468)
- Louis d'Albret,Cardinal(1422–1465)
- Arnaud Amanieu d'Albret, d.1463
- Charles d'Albret, d.1473
- Gilles d'Albret, d.1479
- Marie d'Albret, d.1486
- Jeanne d'Albret, d.1444