FRANÇOIS II DE BOURBON. - Lot 113

FRANÇOIS II DE BOURBON. Born in Ham. 1491–1545. A letter signed “Francoys” addressed “To Monsieur de Vely, counselor and ambassador of the King in Florence” [Claude Dodieu, Sieur de Vely]. No place, no date [1528?]. 1 folio page. Address label. The top, bottom, and right edges of the letter have been reinforced on the reverse with old paper (traces of 18th-century handwriting). IMPORTANT LETTER FROM FRANÇOIS DE BOURBON TO THE AMBASSADOR IN FLORENCE DURING THE SEVENTH ITALIAN WAR, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WAR OF THE LEAGUE OF COGNAC.Background: Taken prisoner following the defeat at Pavia in February 1525, Francis I remained a prisoner of Charles V for one year. He was not released until March 1526, after signing the Treaty of Madrid, by which he agreed, among other things, to renounce all claims to Naples and the Duchy of Milan. But as soon as he was released, he renounced the treaty and allied himself with the League of Cognac against the empire of Charles V. He declared war on the emperor in January 1528 and sent an army to Italy under the command of Lautrec. François de Bourbon was born in Ham (Somme) in October 1491. The younger brother of Charles, the first Duke of Vendôme, he was the third son of Marie de Luxembourg. Holding the title of Count of Saint-Pol, he represented the Count of Champagne at the coronation of Francis I (January 1515), whom he immediately accompanied to Italy. Knighted at Marignan by Bayard, it seems, he received the Order of Saint Michael that same year. As early as 1518, the king granted him the barony of Mortagne, near Tournai. The following year, replacing his brother Charles, who had been appointed governor of Picardy, François was appointed lieutenant general of the city, provostship, and viscounty of Paris, of Île-de-France, of Soissonnais, and of Valois, as well as the bailiwicks of Senlis, Melun, and Vermandois.From 1520 to 1522, he undertook the campaign in Flanders and Artois, before joining the campaign in Milan in 1524.At Pavia (February 24, 1525), François de Bourbon, who had been wounded, was taken prisoner; however, nothing is known about this captivity. Presumably released, like Francis I, in March 1526, he soon reappeared as governor of the Dauphiné, with the king granting him a pension of 12,000 livres tournois.In 1528, François was once again commanding the royal troops in Italy, composed of Landsknechts, French adventurers, light cavalry, and men-at-arms. Several other documents signed by the king thus reveal that reinforcements, provisions, and ammunition—as well as large sums of money for the troops’ pay and the maintenance of the armies—were sent in his name....On February 9, 1535, he married Adrienne, Duchess of Estouteville, in Paris....I have received two letters you wrote to me on the 22nd of this month, through which—along with those you wrote to the King, and also what was written by the Lord of Fleurence— I have [...] understood the need for the army I am leading [...] to act with the utmost diligence... in order to prevent the …diversions along the route that the enemies threaten to carry out to lift the siege of Naples... François is requesting additional time to gather his troops: ...I earnestly beg you, Monsieur de Velly, to boldly assure the said lordship that I have done and am doing more than I can to act with the utmost diligence, and although I am still currently in this city to assemble my forces—without which I cannot carry out any worthwhile campaign, as you well understand. However, seeing that my forces are nearly assembled [...] I have decided to depart from this city no later than Tuesday or Wednesday and to act with such diligence that I shall soon find myself in a position to provide all the aid, support, and favor I can—not only for the King’s affairs, but generally for the entire League... Claude Dodieu, Sieur de Vely, a clergyman and diplomat, served as French ambassador to the court of Florence from June 1527 to August 1529. He was entrusted by Francis I with important diplomatic missions, particularly to Charles V in 1535. It was he who, on behalf of the King of France, accepted the Emperor’s challenge to settle their differences through a duel.