Francis, Count of Enghien

François de Bourbon, comte d'Enghien was a French military commander, governor and prince du sang in the reign of king Francis I of France during the later Italian Wars. He was known by his title as the comte d'Enghien. A younger son of Charles de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme and Françoise d'Alençon, Enghien saw military service during the Italian War of 1542–1546. He first endeavoured to capture the city of Nice, in the Holy Roman Empire, by surprise in June 1543. This effort was foiled. Subsequently a new effort to seize Nice was launched in conjunction with the French ally, the Ottoman Empire. Though this new attempt succeeded in capturing the city of Nice, the citadel held out, and the French were forced to withdraw before it could be gained.