Renaissance: France
Last Updated    12/22/2007       12/17/2007

French Invade Italy
1494, French invade Italy during the reign of Charles VIII.
He led 30,000 troops over the Alps.
He had no trouble taking Florence.
Savonarola was in charge after deposing the Medici family.
He went through Milan and the Papal States
The French destroyed the Neoploitan army at Naples.
The French control all of Italy.
Late in 1494, Charles VIII dies.



Francis I
French Invade Italy Again
1515, Francis crosses the Alps with 40,000 men.
He carried out the plans of his predecessor, Carles VIII.
He sneaks by the Swiss army.
In the Battle of Margingnano the French and Swiss fought for two days.
French get reinforced and defeat the Swiss.
16,500 men died.
Swiss are no longer invincible.

1525, Francis invades Italy again and besieged and took Pavia.
The Italian Imperial army then besieged the besiegers.
After 3 weeks when supplies were running low they attacked.
The French were surprised.
8000 French were killed, compared to 700 dead Spanish soldiers.
King Francis I was captured.

1528, France attacks Italy again.
They were stooped by disease and treason at Naples.
1528 August 3, Peace of Cambrai.

1536, Francis decided to attack Milan.
The Pope advanced into France.
1538, Truce of Nice.

Charles V
1500, Charles born.
1516, inherted the crown of Aragon.
1519-1556, Charles V was the Holy Roman Emperor.
1544, Charles V attacks France.
1544 September, Peace of Crepy.

1555, Charles V abdicates
1559, Philip II resumes war,
1559 April 3, Treaty of Cuteau-Cambresis.
Civil War breaks out between Protestants and Catholics.


Renaissance France
French kings show an interest in Italian architecture, art, and fashions.
In the 1500s, King Francis I arranged for Italian artists to work in France.
Chateauxs were designed for the king and nobles.
1515-1547, reign of Francis .
1547-1559, reign of Henry II.
1515-1559, the high point of the French Renaissance was during their reigns.

Humanism
French authors modeled there work after Italian authors.
Rabelais was a doctor and a monk.
He believed humans could do whatever they wanted.

Notable Developments
Beginning of absolutism.
The spread of Humanism.
Early exploration of the "New World" by Verranzano and Cartier.
The importing of new techniques in printing, architecture, painting, sculpture, music, science, and literature.

Bibliography
"Charles V, Holy Roan Emperor." Wikipedia On Line Encyclopedia. 22 Dec. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor.

"French Renaissance." Wikipedia On Line Encyclopedia. 17 Dec. 2007.  22 Dec. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Renaissance.

Greenblatt, Miriam, and Lemmo, Peter. Human Heritage A World History. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill, 2001.

"Italian Wars." A Journey Through the Renaissance. 22 Dec. 2007 http://library.thinkquest.org/C005356/e-italian.htm.