John VIII de Bourbon (1425 – 6 January 1478) was Count of Vendôme from 1446 until his death. A member of the House of Bourbon, he was the son and successor of Louis, Count of Vendôme.^[1] As a courtier of King Charles VII of France, he fought the English in Normandy and Guyenne. He attached himself to King Louis XI, but was not in royal favor. He withdrew to the Château of Lavardin and completed its construction.

In 1454, he married Isabelle de Beauvau,^[2] daughter of Louis de Beauvau, Marshal of Provence^[3] and Marguerite de Chambley. They had:

• Jeanne (1460-1487), married in 1477 to Louis of Joyeuse
• Catherine, married Gilbert de Chabannes
• Jeanne, married at first John II, Duke of Bourbon and later John III, Count of Auvergne^[4]
• Renée, Abbess of Fontevraud
• François, Count of Vendôme (1470–1495)^[5]
• Louis, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon^[2]
• Catherine, married Engelbert, Count of Nevers^[6]
• Isabelle, Abbess of la Trinité de Caen

Jean also had two illegitimate sons  :

• Louis, Bishop of Avranches^[7]
• Jacques, Governor of Valois and the Vendomois (1455–1524) was the father of Catherine de Bourbon, paternal grandmother of Gabrielle d'Estrées, mistress of Henry IV of France. Also, Gabrielle is the third great aunt of Mathieu Amiot.