Charles VIII of France

Reign: 1483 – 1498
Life: 1470–1498

In a remarkable stroke of audacity, Charles married Anne of Brittany in 1491 after she had already been married by proxy to the Habsburg heir Maximilian I in a ceremony of questionable validity. Preoccupied by the problematic succession in the Kingdom of Hungary, Maximilian failed to press his claim. Upon his marriage, Charles became administrator of Brittany and established a personal union that enabled France to avoid total encirclement by Habsburg territories. To secure his rights to the Neapolitan throne that René of Anjou had left to his father, Charles made a series of concessions to neighbouring monarchs and, due to his revolutionary artillery, conquered the Italian Peninsula without much opposition.

During Charles VIII of France's reign, Bayezid II ruled Ottoman Empire, Henry VII of England ruled England, and Ferdinand II of Aragon ruled Spain.

The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

Meanwhile in history

One “meanwhile in history” story each week: who ruled where, and what was happening on thrones across the world.

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