Louis de Bourbon, Prince-Bishop of Liège

Louis de Bourbon
Prince-Bishop of Liège (1456-1482)
Born	1438
Died	30 August 1482(1482-08-30) (aged 44) (Assassination)
Cause of death	Assassinated by William de la Marck
Occupation	Prince-Bishop of Liège
Years active	1456-1482
Predecessor	John of Heinsberg
Children	• Pierre de Bourbon, Bâtard de Liège • Louis de Bourbon, Bâtard de Liège • Jacques de Bourbon, Bâtard de Liège
Parent(s)	Charles I, Duke of Bourbon Agnes of Burgundy

Louis de Bourbon (1438 – 30 August 1482 in Liège) was Prince-Bishop of Liège from 1456 until his death.

He was the son of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon, and Agnes of Burgundy, sister of Philip the Good. His own sister Isabella was the second wife of Charles the Bold.

He was brought up and educated by his uncle Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, who let him study for ten years at the University of Leuven.

It has been said that Louis married, in secret in 1464, Catherine, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Gelderland; these claims date only from the seventeenth century and are now believed to be false. (

Louis' three children (all likely to have been born from a mistress) were:

Louis' eldest son, Pierre, founded the Bourbon-Busset family.

Philip secured for him in 1456 the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, by influencing Pope Callixtus III, and removing the 69-year-old John of Heinsberg. Given the strategic position of Liège almost enclosed by Burgundian possessions, Louis was a poor choice because his behavior quickly led to troubles, permitting French meddling.

The citizens rejected the new bishop and the Burgundian influence, which led to the Liège Wars. Louis was exiled to Maastricht.

Marc de Bade was put in place by the Liégeois, who fought under Raes van Heers, but military force from Burgundy prevailed, in 1465. The resulting Peace of Saint-Trond restored the bishop, but Liège lost its sovereignty. Another revolt in 1467 was crushed at the Battle of Brustem.