Charles de Lannoy, 1st Prince of Sulmona

Charles de Lannoy (c. 1487 – 23 September 1527) was a soldier and statesman from the Low Countries in service of the Habsburg Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V.

Engraving of Charles de Lannoy (between 1692 and 1694)

Early life

He was a member of the noble House of Lannoy. Charles de Lannoy was born the younger son of Jean IV de Lannoy, Lord of Mingoval, himself nephew of Jean III de Lannoy. His mother was Philipotte de Lalaing (c. 1487).

Career

In 1526, he became the first count of Lannoy and Mayordomo mayor to the Emperor.

He took service with the Emperor Maximilian I and won distinction for bravery and leadership. He was appointed member to the council of Charles of Burgundy; later Emperor Charles V and his Caballerizo mayor in 1515. He was appointed knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1516. He became governor of Tournai in 1521. He served as viceroy of Naples from 1522 to 1523. He became chief of Imperial armies in Italy upon the death of Prospero Colonna at the end of 1523.

His main experience was that of Imperial lieutenant^[1] during the Italian war of 1521-1525 and the War of the League of Cognac. He commanded the Battle of the Sesia (1524), and the siege of Marseille (1524) and Pavia (1525).

Personal life

In 1509, he married Francoise de Montbel (d. c. 1545), a daughter of Jacques de Montbel, Count d'Entrémont and Jeanne de Saint-Maur. Together, they had several children, including:

• Philip de Lannoy, 2nd Prince of Sulmona (1514–1553), who married Isabella Colonna, widow of Louis "Rodomonte" Gonzaga, in 1534.
• Ferdinand de Lannoy, Count de La Roche (1520–1579), who married Marguerite Perrenot de Granvelle, a daughter of Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle (a close adviser to Emperor Charles V).
• Georges de Lannoy, 2nd Duke of Boiano, who married Julia Diaz Carlon, a daughter of Antonio Diaz Carlon, 3rd Count of Alife, and Cornelia Piccolomini.
• Clemente de Lannoy, Baron of Prata, who married Ippolita Branai Castriota Scanderbegh, a daughter of Ferrante Castriota, Marquess of Città Sant'Angelo and Camilla Branai Castriota Scanderbegh.

He died of a sudden illness in Naples on 23 September 1527. He was succeeded by his son Philip.