He was the son of Charles IV de Bourbon, Duc de Vendome (1489-1537) and his wife, formerly Francoise d'Alencon (-1550).
On 20 October 1548 at Moulins he married Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre, daughter of Henri d'Albret (Henri II of Navarre) and his wife Margaret of Angoulême.
They were the parents of King Henri IV of France (1553-1610).
He died at Andelys, Eure