François Ier
King of France · 1515-1547 · born on 12 September 1494, died on 31 March 1547
Victor of Marignano as early as 1515, Francis I embodied the Renaissance: a lavish patron, he attracted Leonardo da Vinci, had Chambord built and Fontainebleau renovated, and collected masterpieces, the harbinger of the Louvre.
His rivalry with Charles V, who dominated Europe, occupied his reign: captured at Pavia (1525), he signed the Treaty of Madrid for his release, then resumed the struggle. In 1516 he obtained the Concordat of Bologna, which gave him a decisive role in ecclesiastical appointments in France.
The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts (1539) imposed the use of French in judicial and notarial acts: the French language became that of the administration. Francis I also supported explorations, notably those of Jacques Cartier in Canada. His reign sealed the lasting alliance between the monarchy and the arts.
Key dates
- 1515: Victory of Marignano
- 1519: Construction of the Château de Chambord begins
- 1539: Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts