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Charles-Emmanuel de Savoie
3rd Duc de Nemours
(1567–95)

Biographical

3rd Duc de Nemours 1585–95†
2nd Duc de Genevois 1585–95†
Prince de Genevois
Marquis de Saint-Sorlin 1585–95†
Baron de Faucigny 1585–95†
Seigneur de Beaufort-sur-Doron 1585–95†
Knight of the Holy Annunciation [Italy]

Governor of Lyonnais 1588
Governor of Forez 1588
Governor of Beaujolais 1588
Colonel general in the French cavalry 1585

Charles-Emmanuel first held the title of prince of Genevois. Devoted to the house of Lorraine, to which he was allied, by reason of his mother's first marriage, he made his military debut at the battle of Vimaury in 1587. He was arrested at the domains of Bloîs on the same day his half-brother, Henri de Guise, was murdered in December 1588. Three weeks later, he escaped when he was transferred to Amboise, reached Paris and joined his collaborators; in February 1588, he was confirmed in the office of governor of Lyon, which the king had granted him on the death of Mandelot. Towards the end of that year he brought a strong division of light cavalry to Paris. After having witnessed the battle of Ivry, he received from the Duke of Mayenne, his brother, the command of the capital with orders to put up a bold resistance in May 1590. He kept his word: together with the Chevalier d'Aumale, who had been his deputy, and with the Committee of Sixteen, he took all the necessary measures to supply and reinforce the garrison; as for the inhabitants, whom famine soon decimated by the thousands, he punished those who were bold enough to ask for peace. It was not long before misunderstanding broke out between the two brothers. Charles-Emmanuel, who believed Mayenne to be jealous of the services he had rendered during the siege of Paris, withdrew, in a moment of vexation, to Lyons. He believed that he would enjoy sovereignty there, and over the surrounding areas, those being Lyonnais, Forez, Beaujolais, Màconnais and Dauphiné. But although he had paid court to the lowest populace in Paris, he had neither affection nor consideration for the people; he gave himself to be a disciple of Machiavelli, whose writings he constantly studied. He had abolished in Lyon the authority of the legitimate magistrates, and he had replaced them by a council of men almost all foreigners sold to him. He had refused to send deputies to the States of Paris or to be represented there in any way, and he seemed to take pleasure in explaining his contempt for the authority of his brother. The latter took umbrage at his encroachments, and in 1593 had him imprisoned in the chateau of Pierre-Encise, where the Archbishop of Lyons, Pierre d'Espinac, took him. Charles-Emmanuel escaped on July 26, 1594, dressed as his servant, went to Franche-Comte, and there sought to drag the Constable of Castile against the Lyonnais, from whom he wanted to draw resounding vengeance. He, however, died suddenly the following year, never having married.

Place of birth: Nanteuil
Place of death: Annecy

Son of Jacques de Savoie-Nemours and Anna d'Este.

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