Christopher Hare 
Charles De Bourbon, High Constable of France, the Great Condottiere [PDF ebook] 

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. His eldest son Louis followed in his steps and greatly distinguished himself in the service of Louis XII. Was wounded at the siege of Capua and died in the prime of his noble youth. His younger brother, Charles, thus became the male heir of the Bourbon line; a position doubly assured to him later by his marriage with Suzanne de Bourbon, the heiress of the elder branch of the family. From his mother Chiara Gonzaga of Mantua, the young Prince inherited the warlike spirit and genius of a race of Condottieri at the early age of seventeen he followed Louis XII. To the siege of Genoa and already showed signs of the courage and skill which were to make him so famous in later days. At the height of his greatness and glory, we find Charles de Bourbon scarcely second in position to the King himself; holding his own Court and Parliament in the Capital of his great dominions, and so splendid in his magnificence that, at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, Henry VIII. Is said to have exclaimed: If that noble were a subject of mine his head would not remain long upon his shoulders. The Duc de Bourbon was at the very summit of his pride and prosperity when he was smitten from his high estate, and there came upon him that great and terrible downfall – one of the most striking tragedies of history.