Charles was born in
Naples, the son of King
Robert of Naples and
Yolanda of Aragon, in 1298. Little is known of his early life, so one can assume that he spent his early years at the court of his grandfather. In 1309, Charles' grandfather died and his father became King Robert the Wise. It was then that he became
Duke of Calabria and was created Vicar-General of the Kingdom of Sicily (Naples). His father intended him to lead the force sent to aid
Florence in 1315, but was constrained by time to send his uncle,
Philip I of Taranto, instead. The Florentine-Neapolitan coalition was badly beaten at the ensuing
Battle of Montecatini. The victory of
Castruccio Castracani at
Altopascio in 1325 led the Florentines to elect Charles
signore (lord) of the city for ten years in 1326. At the time, he was unsuccessfully attempting to seize
Sicily from his first cousin
Frederick III, and sent
Walter VI of Brienne as his deputy until he could arrive, where Walter made a favorable impression. While Charles' arrival checked Castruccio, he exacted onerous taxes from the Florentines, until he was recalled to Naples in December 1327 due to the advance of
Emperor Louis IV into Italy. There he died on 9 November 1328. He left as heir his eldest surviving daughter,
Joanna Ι; a posthumous daughter,
Marie, was born in 1329. Charles was buried in the church of
Santa Chiara in Naples. ==Marriages and issue==