After this death at the age of 22, Suzanne's father grew concerned about the succession of the Bourbon lands, having no surviving sons or brothers.

Under Salic law, his heir presumptive was Louis de Bourbon-Montpensier, head of the Montpensiers, a cadet branch of the Bourbons.

The year 1498 saw Anne's brother King Charles VIII passed away unexpectedly, after hitting his head on a low doorway.

As no male heirs remained, the succession of France itself was now in question, for the closest agnatic dynast, Louis XII, was a second-cousin once removed to Charles VIII (and to Anne).

Having served as Charles' co-regents, the powerful couple held enough influence to hinder the succession of Louis XII.

To Anne's credit, when she handed over Bourbon lands to Louis XII, the last independent duchy in France was in good stead, being both prosperous and peaceful.

As the agnatic heir to the Bourbon lands, Louis II, Count of Montpensier, was a suitable young man, and as marriage with him would avert a struggle for the succession (quite inevitable otherwise), Suzanne's parents initially groomed him as their future son-in-law, despite the concession they had extracted from Louis XII regarding the succession.

An enraged Peter decided to betroth Suzanne to Charles IV, Duke of Alençon, a great favourite of Louis XII, and therefore likely to be able to protect the duchy against both Bourbon-Montpensier challenges and royal encroachment.

However, Peter prevailed and the contract of betrothal was signed on 21 March 1501 at Moulins, Alençon being eleven years old and Suzanne nine.

After the wedding, the duke and duchess of Bourbon made a tour through their domains along with Anne, something they would repeat many times during their rule.