Biography of Francis I of France
European expansion
12 September 149431 March 1547
Francis I of France was born in Cognac, France, on 12 September 1494. His parents were count Charles of Valois Angoulême and Louise of Savoy. His father Carlo dies prematurely, so his mother Louise should raise her children alone, educating them with the help of the Confessor Christopher numar of Forli. Francis, in 1514, joined in marriage to Claudia, the daughter of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany. The following year, as Louis XII has no heirs male, ascends to the throne as Regent of the Kingdom of France. One of his first goals is to conquer the city of Milan, since it treats it as a family possession, as the wife Claudia is related to Valentina Visconti. On 13 September of the same year the French King, driving a powerful French and Venetian army, he began his descent into Italy.
His army clashes at Marignano, near Milan, with the Swiss army that defends and helps the Sforza of Milan. After a fierce and bloody battle, gets to France the city of Milan. After this important victory obtained thanks to the Concordat of Bologna between the French Chancellor and Pope Leo X, the control of Piacenza and Parma. Also with this important agreement waived the pragmatic sanction of Bourges of 1438 which is abolished and the consent to appoint bishops and Abbots that then would have the spiritual blessing of the Pope. In 1519 Emperor Maximilian of Austria dies; Charles I of Spain and Francis I of France both are proposed as the Emperor's successors to the throne of Austria. Here is the challenge from Charles I that same year was elected Emperor of Austria under the name of Charles v. the latter represents a big threat to the Kingdom of France, because it has great expansionist especially in some territories that were conquered by France and which before were under the control of the Empire, namely the Burgundy , the Dauphiné, the northern France and Provence. Meanwhile, the following year, Francis I meet in Flanders the English King Henry VIII with the explicit aim of wanting to tighten with him a strong alliance so as to curb the expansionist ambitions of its arch-enemy Charles V.
His plan fails, however, because the English King squeezes instead an alliance with the emperor. The French Kingdom is surrounded by vast Empire controlled by the French King Charles V, but decides to continue his conquests in Italy rather than thinking about the strengthening the northern and eastern borders of the realm. Between the two starts a conflict that would have lasted for years. In 1524-1525 battle of Pavia is disastrous and decrees the clear victory of the imperial troops in Spain. The France loses the battle and his King becomes a prisoner of the Spanish Empire. The following year he signed the Treaty of Madrid, which establishes the renunciation by the Kingdom of France to Italian territories and the French loss of the Burgundy region. In the same year he allied with Pope Clement VII, participating on 22 May to the League of Cognac together with Genoa, Florence, Venice and Francesco Sforza. The goal of the League of Cognac is to conquer the Kingdom of Naples, one of the possessions belonging to the Spanish Crown.
Under the agreement, Francis I send for two armies, one in Northern Italy and the other in southern Italy. However does not respect for the deal, because he wants the release of children who were taken prisoner soon after following the French defeat at the battle of Pavia. Charles V's Imperial Army soon arrived in Rome, putting the town under siege, in 1527, is sacked by mercenaries. The allies of the League of Cognac suffer a great defeat and on this occasion the French King, realizing the grave situation, decides to intervene with his army.
The year after Milan was recaptured and returned to the Sforza family; at this point decides to leave towards southern Italy to the conquest of Naples. In city Bell, however, many French army men lose their lives because of the plague. Two years later signed the peace of Cambrai with which Francis I decides to give up Milan and the Kingdom of Naples in Exchange for the liberation by the Spaniards of his children. Also married the sister of Charles V, Eleonora. The contrast between the two but is still dormant. Seven years after the French King signed a Treaty of friendship with the Turkish Sultan Suleiman. Shortly after you turn the rivalry between him and the Spanish sovereign. At the helm of the French army invades Savoy, getting the city of Turin. In response the whammy right away, Charles V decides to invade Provence that is burned to stop his rampage at Avignon, which seeks to besiege.
In Nice, thanks to the mediation of Pope Paul III, in 1538 a truce is reached and the King of France retains the city of Turin. In this same year allows the emperor to cross French territory to quell a revolt in Flanders. Two years later two French ambassadors who treat the relations between France and the Ottoman Empire were killed by order of King Charles v. Francis I is furious about the incident and his army again, four years later, the hostilities. This time the theatre of battle are the Netherlands and Piedmont. The France conquers France and Spain Luxembourg, Ceresole Alba, gets the menacing outside Paris and its ally English besieging Boulogne. Now Francis I calls for an end to hostilities. Two years after the Kings signed to Crepy the peace treaty. The Spain France Italy and the waiver of Boulogne. Francis I of France died on 31 March 1547 in the Château de Rambouillet, at the age of 52 years, due to septicemia.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.