Charles VIII of France

NAME Charles VIII Of France

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Charles VIII, also known as "Charles the Affable," was the King of France from 1483 until his death in 1498. He is primarily known for his invasion of Italy in 1494, which marked the beginning of the Italian Wars and significantly altered the balance of power in Europe. 

BIRTH Charles VIII was born on June 30, 1470, at the Château d'Amboise in France.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Charles was the only son of King Louis XI of France and Charlotte of Savoy. His father, Louis XI, was a shrewd ruler known as the "Universal Spider" for his complex web of alliances and political maneuvering, while his mother belonged to the noble House of Savoy.

CHILDHOOD Charles' childhood was marked by his father's strict upbringing and his mother's early death. He spent much of his youth being prepared for the role of king.

Charles became king at the age of 13 following the death of his father in 1483. His early reign was dominated by regency rule under his sister, Anne of Beaujeu, who acted as his guardian and regent until he reached adulthood.

EDUCATION Charles' education was overseen by his sister, Anne of Beaujeu. He was taught in the arts of governance, diplomacy, and the military, although his education was often overshadowed by his frequent ill health and physical limitations.

CAREER RECORD Charles VIII's reign was marked by his ambition to assert French power in Italy. In 1494, he led a military expedition into Italy, capturing several territories, including Naples, though he was ultimately forced to withdraw due to the League of Venice, a coalition formed against him.

APPEARANCE Charles VIII was known for his rather unattractive physical appearance: According to contemporary accounts, including that of Venetian diplomat Zaccaria Contarini, Charles was described as "small and ill-formed," with an unattractive pale face, large, lusterless eyes, an enormous aquiline nose, thick lips, and a stutter, He walked with a crouch and a limp, and had twitching movements in his hands and feet.

Portrait of King Charles VIII of France wearing the Collar of the Order of Saint Michael

FASHION Charles was known for his extravagant and luxurious fashion sense. He favored elaborate and expensive clothing, often adorned with jewels and precious metals.

Charles VIII promoted a distinctive fashion for men's shoes with square tips, resembling a duck's beak, to hide the fact that he had six toes on one foot. This style became popular at the end of the 15th century.

CHARACTER Charles was often characterized as impulsive, indecisive, and easily influenced by others. He was seen as lacking in both physical and mental vigor. Descriptions of him painted a picture of a king who was not particularly intelligent or charismatic, and whose leadership abilities were often questioned.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Charles VIII's reign was marked by serious political and military undertakings, leaving scant information about his lighter side.

RELATIONSHIPS  Charles married Anne of Brittany in an elaborate ceremony at the Château de Langeais on December 6, 1491. Anne was 14 years old at the time, while Charles was 21.

This marriage was controversial and technically illegal at first, because Anne had already been married by proxy to Maximilian of Austria. Pope Innocent VIII had to annul Anne's previous marriage and provide a dispensation for her marriage to Charles, as they were related within the fourth degree of consanguinity.

The marriage was part of Charles VIII's strategy to annex the Duchy of Brittany to France. The marriage contract stipulated that if Charles died without male heirs, Anne would marry his successor.

Anne brought her entire army to the wedding ceremony as a clear sign of her objection to the match. She also reportedly brought two separate beds to the ceremony, indicating her reluctance.

Charles forbade Anne from using her title of Duchess of Brittany after their marriage, insisting she only use the title Queen of France. This was a source of contention between them.

Despite living apart for much of their marriage and having separate beds, Charles and Anne had seven pregnancies together. However, none of their children survived early childhood.

The marriage was often strained. Anne had limited roles in both France and Brittany during their marriage. 

Marriage to Anne of Brittany at the Château de Langeais. By Tango7174 Wikipedia

MONEY AND FAME Charles VIII's Italian campaigns drained the French treasury. He amassed considerable debt to fund his military ambitions, leading to economic strain in France.

FOOD AND DRINK As a king, Charles VIII would have had access to a wide variety of foods, including fresh meats, game, fish, fruits, vegetables, and baked goods.Meals for royalty during this time period often included multiple courses with a variety of dishes.

Wine was likely a common beverage at meals.

Spices and seasonings were used liberally in royal cuisine to demonstrate wealth and status.

Fresh seasonal produce from royal gardens and estates was probably incorporated into meals.

MUSIC AND ARTS Charles VIII's court was influenced by Italian Renaissance culture, which he encountered during his campaigns in Italy. This exposure to Italian art and culture had a lasting impact on French art and architecture.

LITERATURE Charles VIII's reign was not particularly noted for literary achievements. However, his interest in Italy brought Italian literary and humanist influences to France.

Charles VIII's invasion of Italy and his relations with Pope Alexander VI are depicted in Robert Colburn's 2009 novel The Sultan's Helmsman.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Charles VIII enjoyed sports, particularly real tennis, which was popular among French nobility. It was on his way to watch a game of real tennis that he suffered the accident that led to his death.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY As King of France, Charles VIII was officially Catholic and the temporal leader of the Catholic Church in France.

He likely had a conventional Catholic faith typical of European monarchs of his time, though the depth of his personal devotion is unclear.

POLITICS Charles VIII's reign was heavily focused on foreign policy, particularly his ambition to establish a French presence in Italy. His Italian campaign initiated the Italian Wars, which would last for several decades and involve many European powers.

Charles VIII, the so-called "Affable," was a bit of a puzzle. On the one hand, he was a young man who ascended to the French throne at the tender age of thirteen. His sister, Anne, and her husband, Peter, duked it out with the great lords during his minority, a squabble known as the Mad War. It was a bit like a family reunion gone horribly wrong.

But then, Charles pulled off a real stunner. He married Anne of Brittany, who was already betrothed to the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian. It was like stealing a bride right out from under the nose of the most powerful man in Europe. Maximilian, busy with his own dramas in Hungary, blinked and missed his chance.

With Brittany under his belt, Charles turned his sights on Naples. He had a beef with the Anjou family over the throne there, and he was determined to settle it. With his fancy new artillery, he marched south and conquered the Italian peninsula like a kid in a candy store. The other European powers tried to stop him at a place called Fornovo, but they couldn't keep up with his fast-moving army.

Charles VIII was a bit of a contradiction. He was both affable and ambitious, a young king who made bold moves and faced down powerful enemies. He was a product of his time, a man shaped by the politics and power struggles of the late 15th century. And while his reign was relatively short, he left a lasting mark on European history.

SCANDAL Charles VIII's marriage to Anne of Brittany was a significant scandal. Anne had previously been betrothed to Maximilian I of Austria, and her marriage to Charles violated that agreement, leading to political tension.

MILITARY RECORD Charles VIII is most famous for his military campaign in Italy in 1494-1495, where he briefly captured Naples. However, his success was short-lived, and he had to retreat due to the formation of the League of Venice against him.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Charles VIII suffered from various physical ailments throughout his life. He had a noticeable stutter, a nervous twitch, and a malformed body, including a foot with six toes.

HOMES Charles VIII resided primarily at the royal Château d'Amboise and later at the Château de Langeais, where his marriage to Anne of Brittany took place.

TRAVEL Charles VIII's most notable travels were his military campaigns in Italy, which took him through the Italian Peninsula and exposed him to Italian Renaissance culture.

DEATH Charles VIII died on April 7, 1498, after striking his head on a lintel while on his way to watch a game of real tennis at the Château d'Amboise. He fell into a coma and died nine hours later.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Charles VIII has appeared in various historical accounts, books, and films about the French monarchy and the Italian Wars. His role in these stories often highlights his ambition and the consequences of his military campaigns. They include:

The 1671 English play Charles VIII of France by John Crowne depicts his reign.

In the 2011 Showtime series The Borgias, Charles VIII is portrayed by French actor Michel Muller.

In the 2011 French-German historical drama Borgia, Charles VIII is played by Simon Larvaron

ACHIEVEMENTS Charles VIII's most significant achievement was the temporary conquest of Naples and the initiation of the Italian Wars, which brought French influence into Italy and exposed France to Renaissance culture. His marriage to Anne of Brittany also played a crucial role in securing the union of Brittany with France.