I.

Introduction

Francis I of France (1494-1547), King of France from 1515 to 1547, remembered for his rivalry with the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, for his patronage of arts and letters, and for his governmental reforms.

Born at Cognac, France, on September 12, 1494, Francis represented the Angoulême branch of the Valois dynasty, succeeding Louis XII, the last of the Orléanist branch, in 1515. His mother, Louise of Savoy, and his elder sister, Margaret of Navarre, influenced his upbringing and remained close to him during his reign. His first wife was Louis XII's daughter Claude.