François Ier 1494 - 1547.

François was the son of Charles of Orléans, Count of Angoulême and Louise of Savoy who was granddaughter of Valentine, Duke of Milan. François Ier was born in a stable at a castle which is today the home of Otard Cognac.

He claimed Milan and defeated the Swiss at Marignano forcing the reigning duke, Maximilan Sforza, to relinquish sovereignty. On the death of Maximilian, François was one of the competitors for the empire, but the prize went to Charles of Austria, grandson of Maximilan who became Emperor Charles V. The two became bitter rivals and continually made war on each another.

François tried to gain an alliance with England and invited the reigning King of England, Henry VIII, to a meeting near Calais in June 1520. The meeting took place between the towns of Guînes and Ardres at ‘the Field of the Cloth of Gold’, so-called because of the magnificent splendour of the occasion.

1521 saw war break out yet again between Emperor Charles V and François Ier and in 1525 François was taken prisoner at Pavia. To secure his release, he had to renounce his claim to the regions of Naples, Milan, Genoa and Asti, the sovereignty of Flanders, and Artois. He also had to promise to cede the Duchy of Burgundy and some other French fiefs. He was a member of the ‘Holy League’, an alliance of England, France, the Republic of Venice, and the Duke of Milan, Pope Clement VII and many other Italian powers with the sole objective of stopping the advance of the Emperor.

1527 saw Rome sacked by the Constable of Bourbon. Italy was devastated, but the luckless François gained next to nothing. Peace was arranged in 1529, but war broke out again in 1535 when François took over Savoy.

Although he seemed a warmonger, François Ier was chivalrous and had, by all accounts, an enterprising nature. He was also a keen leader of learning.