Vendôme, an ancient county of France, erected into a duchy by Francis I., for behoof of Charles de Bourbon, through whom it fell to his grandson, Henry IV., who again conferred it upon César, the eldest of his sons by Gabrielle d'Estrées. César's eldest son, Louis, Duke of Vendôme, married Laura Mancini, one of Mazarin's nieces, and had by her three sons, the eldest of whom was the famous soldier, Louis-Joseph, Duke of Vendôme, called till his father's death the Duc de
Penthèvre. He was born at Paris, July 1, 1654, and saw his first service in the Dutch campaign of 1672. He next served with distinction under Turenne in Germany and Alsace, again in the Low Countries under Luxembourg, in Italy under Catinat, and received in 1695 the command of the army in Catalonia. He shook off his indolence, and closed a series of brilliant successes by the capture of Barcelona (1697). After five years of sloth and sensuality he superseded Villeroi in Italy, much to the delight of the soldiers. He fought an undecided battle with Prince Eugene at Luzzara (15th August), then burst into the Tyrol, returning to Italy to check the united Savoyards and Austrians. On 16th August 1705 he fought a second indecisive battle with Prince Eugene at Cassano, and at Calcinato he crushed the Austrians (19th April 1706). That summer he was recalled to supersede Villeroi in the Low Countries, under nominal command of the Duke of Burgundy. The defeat at Oudenarde (11th July 1708) cost him his command, but in 1710 he was sent to Spain to aid Philip V. His appearance turned the tide of disaster; he brought the king back to Madrid, and defeated the English at Brihuega, and next day the Austrians at Villavieja. After a month of gluttony beyond even his wont, he died at Tinaroz in Valencia, June 11, 1712. Saint-Simon hated Vendôme, and has gibbeted to all eternity his sloth, his gluttony, and his shameless debauchery.