Gaston de Foix, Duke of Nemours

The nephew of King Louis XII of France, de Foix would take command of his uncle’s forces in Italy at the tender age of 21. Despite his youth, he rapidly proved himself to be a truly exceptional commander. Descending on Italy like a thunderbolt, thus earning his name, he led the embattled French forces to a series of lightning-fast victories. Less than a year later, at the height of his ascendency, he was shot and killed leading a charge at the Battle of Ravenna. His star burned briefly, but incredibly brightly, and his career had he survived is one of the great ‘what-ifs’ of the Italian Wars.