CHARLES

charles, called the good (le bon), or the dane (c. 1084-1127), count of flanders, only son of st canute or knut iv., king of denmark, by adela, daughter of robert the frisian, count of flanders, was born about 1084. after the assassination of canute in 1086, his widow took refuge in flanders, taking with her her son. charles was brought up by his mother and grandfather, robert the frisian, on whose death he did great services to his uncle, robert ii., and his cousin, baldwin vii., counts of flanders. baldwin died of a wound received in battle in 1119, and, having no issue, left by will the succession to his countship to charles the dane. charles did not secure his heritage without a civil war, but he was speedily victorious and made his position secure by treating his opponents with great clemency. he now devoted himself to promoting the welfare of his subjects, and did his utmost to support the cause of christianity, both by his bounty and by his example. he well deserved the surname of _le bon_, by which he is known to posterity. he refused the offer of the crown of jerusalem on the death of baldwin, and declined to be nominated as a candidate for the imperial crown in succession to the emperor henry v. he was murdered in the church of st donat at bruges on the 2nd of march 1127. see j. perneel, _histoire du regne de charles le bon, precede d'un resume de l'histoire de flandres_ (brussels, 1830). charles i. (c. 950-c. 992), duke of lower lorraine, was a younger son of the frankish king louis iv., and consequently a member of the carolingian family. unable to obtain the duchy of burgundy owing to the opposition of his brother, king lothair, he went to the court of his maternal uncle, the emperor otto the great, about 965, and in 977 received from the emperor otto ii. the duchy of lower lorraine. his authority in lorraine was nominal; but he aided otto in his struggle with lothair, and on the death of his nephew, louis v., made an effort to secure the frankish crown. hugh capet, however, was the successful candidate and war broke out. charles had gained some successes and had captured reims, when in 991 he was treacherously seized by adalberon, bishop of laon, and handed over to hugh. imprisoned with his wife and children at orleans, charles did not long survive his humiliation. his eldest son otto, duke of lower lorraine, died in 1005. charles ii. (d. 1431), duke of lorraine, called the bold, is sometimes referred to as charles i. a son of duke john i., he succeeded his father in 1390; but he neglected his duchy and passed his life in warfare. he died on the 25th of january 1431, leaving two daughters, one of whom, isabella (d. 1453), married rene i. of anjou (1409-1450), king of naples, who succeeded his father-in-law as duke of lorraine. charles iii. or ii. (1543-1608), called the great, duke of lorraine, was a son of duke francis i. (d. 1545), and a descendant of rene of anjou. he was only an infant when he became duke, and was brought up at the court of henry ii. of france, marrying henry's daughter claude in 1559. he took part in the wars of religion in france, and was a member of the league; but he was overshadowed by his kinsmen the guises, although he was a possible candidate for the french crown in 1589. the duke, who was an excellent ruler of lorraine, died at nancy on the 14th of may 1608. he had three sons: henry (d. 1624) and francis (d. 1632), who became in turn dukes of lorraine, and charles (d. 1607), bishop of metz and strassburg. charles iv. or iii. (1604-1675), duke of lorraine, was a son of duke francis ii., and was born on the 5th of april 1604. he became duke on the abdication of his father in 1624, and obtained the duchy of bar through his marriage with his cousin nicole (d. 1657), daughter of duke henry. mixing in the tortuous politics of his time, he was in continual conflict with the crown of france, and spent much of his time in assisting her enemies and in losing and regaining his duchies (see lorraine). he lived an adventurous life, and in the intervals between his several struggles with france fought for the emperor ferdinand ii. at nordlingen and elsewhere; talked of succouring charles i. in england; and after the conclusion of the treaty of westphalia in 1648 entered the service of spain. he died on the 18th of september 1675, leaving by his second wife, beatrix de cusance (d. 1663), a son, charles henry, count of vaudemont (1642-1723). charles v. or iv. (1643-1690), duke of lorraine, nephew of duke charles