I
French François
born Sept. 12, 1494, Cognac, France
died March 31, 1547, Rambouillet
King of France (1515–47).
The cousin and son-in-law of Louis XII , Francis succeeded to the throne in 1515. Soon after his coronation he rode off to the Italian Wars (1515–16) and recovered the Duchy of Milan. He was a Renaissance patron of the arts, a humanist, and a popular king who traveled throughout France, curtailing abuses by nobles and providing games and processions for the people. All this ended with the election in 1519 of Charles V as Holy Roman emperor. Charles was already king of Spain, and his lands now encircled France. Francis vainly sought an alliance with Henry VIII on the Field of Cloth of Gold , then waged a series of wars with Charles from 1521. Francis was taken captive in 1525 and languished in prison, refusing to accede to Charles's exorbitant demands, until in 1526 the French ambassadors concluded a treaty. The war with Charles resumed in 1536, and one of Francis's last diplomatic achievements was an alliance with the Turks against the emperor.
Francis I, portrait by Pierre Dumonstier, after a drawing by Jean Clouet; in the ...
Courtesy of the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
II
German Franz
born Dec. 8, 1708, Nancy, Duchy of Lorraine
died Aug. 18, 1765, Innsbruck, Austria
Holy Roman emperor (1745–65).
The son of the duke of Lorraine, he succeeded to the duchy in 1729 (as Francis Stephen). In 1736 he married Maria Theresa , heiress to Emperor Charles VI , who agreed to the marriage on the condition that Francis cede Lorraine to Stanislaw I of Poland, in compensation for which Francis was granted Tuscany (1737). He served with Maria Theresa as coregent (1740–45) and was elected emperor during the War of the Austrian Succession . He was overshadowed by his wife during his rule but was remembered for his cultural interests.