Born a hunchback, the fifth son of Charles de Bourbon, Duc de Vendome, was brought up among Huguenots. In 1551 he married Eleonore de Roye, also a Huguenot, and they became the parents of eight children. Brave though deformed, light-hearted though extremely poor for his rank, he was destined from an early age for a military career. He served with distinction in the armies of Henri II in the campaigns of 1551-1557, but received no recognition since the Bourbons were looked on with suspicion at the French court. 

He became the military leader of the Huguenots even though they disapproved of his licentious way of life. In March 1560 he was involved in the "Tumulte d'Amboise", which was designed to force the 
king, Francois II, to give recognition to the reformed religion. For this he was condemned to death and only the timely death of the king saved him. He was then used as a counter-balance to the Guise family. 
After the massacre of the Huguenots at Vassy in March 1562, he occupied Orleans and marched on Paris but was defeated and captured by Francois de Guise. For the next three years he tried to restrain the Huguenots and collaborated with the government although he was much occupied with his love affairs. His wife died in 1564 and, in 1565, he married Francoise d'Orleans, Mademoiselle de Longueville.

He became alarmed at the government's dealings with Spain and again left the court in July 1567 to lead the Huguenots in another unsuccessful attack on Paris. From then on he was constantly at war with the Catholics until his death. On 13 March 1569 at the battle  of Jarnac when he charged the whole Catholic army with only 400 horsemen, he was captured and shot through the head on the spot. 
 

Source: Leo van de Pas