[MR] Wikipedia: Birth of Charles the Bad, The King You Love to Hate

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1332 Charles the Bad, later both Count of Évreux and King
of Navarre, was born in Évreux, northern France.

Charles eventually inherited Évreux and other territories in Normandy. Upon
the death of his mother in 1349, he also inherited the throne of Navarre, a
small country wedged between France and Spain. He had never been to
Navarre, did not speak the language, and after his coronation rarely
visited the place. He considered Navarre a backwater and beneath both his
dignity and his ambitions.

During the Hundred Years War between England and France, John switched
sides frequently in efforts to better his position. He became known as
Charles the Faithless. Because of his many murders, he is generally known
to history as Charles the Bad.

Charles was a notorious poisoner, a reputation he bore proudly. He claimed
to have offed some 70 victims, including a cardinal. The total and the
cardinal were probably self-promotion. However, he is known to have
poisoned one of his own generals with a deadly candied pear, watching
gleefully as the man died in agony.

Charles had a weak claim to the throne of France partly through his mother,
one not recognized by his cousins in the House of Valois, especially King
John II (aka John the Good). The House of Valois clung to Salic law which
did not recognize female descent. So he did the next best thing and married
Joan of France, the King's daughter. Still not good enough.

In 1361 the young Duke of Burgundy, Philip of Rouvres, died of the plague
without any living male relatives. Both Charles and King John had a claim
on the ducal throne. John's case proved the better by a hair so he acquired
the title. This gave little Chuckie even more reason to hate his
father-in-law, the King.

King John was captured at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356, and was held by
the Black Prince in England for several years (treated more like a royal
guest than a prisoner). Eventually John was paroled back to France to raise
his ransom. During the last year of his life John was a very sick man, with
symptoms that some modern doctors have suggested could have been arsenic
poisoning. He died back in English custody in 1364. Although history is mum
on this, who had more to gain, and who bragged of his poisoning prowess,
than Charles himself? If true, then the deed was done through a traitor in
John's household, as this was one murder Charles didn't crow about.

Charles went from one betrayal and crime after another, but somehow managed
to escape the consequence of his evil deeds. By late 1386 Charles was
suffering from various maladies. His doctor had ordered him wrapped up like
a mummy in bandages soaked in "spirits of wine" (brandy). When a clumsy
serving girl accidentally knocked over a candle, Charles went up like a
human flambé. He hung on for two agonizing weeks before finally dying of
his burns on 1 January 1387. His end was seen by many as divine retribution.

More about Charles the Bad is found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_Navarre .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.