CHARLES


Meaning of CHARLES in English

n.

born June 30, 1470, Amboise, France

died April 7, 1498, Amboise

King of France (1483–98).

He abandoned claims to parts of present-day France and Spain, and he consolidated French ownership of Brittany, in preparation for his grand enterprise, an expedition to Italy to assert his inherited right to the kingdom of Naples. This inaugurated wars with Italy that lasted more than 50 years and gained little in return for vast outlays. Charles was crowned in Naples in 1495, but his opponents rallied against him and he lost his conquests. He died while preparing another expedition.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.