Leonie Frieda - Francis I: The Maker of Modern France

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LEONIE FRIEDA is the author of a bestselling biography of Catherine de Medici and The Deadly Sisterhood: A Story of Women, Power and Intrigue in the Italian Renaissance. She lives in London.

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Catherine de Medici

The Deadly Sisterhood

FRANCIS I . Copyright 2018 by Leonie Frieda. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Originally published in Great Britain in 2018 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, an imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd

FIRST U.S. EDITION

Cover Design by Milan Bozic

Cover Photograph: Francois I (14941547) (Oil on Panel), Clouet, Jean (1485/901540) / Louvre, Paris, France / Bridgeman Images

Digital Edition APRIL 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-287140-4

Print ISBN: 978-0-06-156309-6

Version 03052018

For Ion Trewin

19432015

Beloved teacher and friend

(Superstock / The Art Archive)

(Shutterstock / Jose Ignacio Soto)

(PVDE / Bridgeman)

(Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool / Bridgeman)

(Pushkin Museum, Moscow / Bridgeman)

(Bibliothque Nationale, Paris / Bridgeman)

(Metropolitan Museum of Art / H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs H. O. Havemeyer, 1929)

(Royal Collection Trust Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2017 / Bridgeman)

(Prado, Madrid / Bridgeman)

(World History Archive / Alamy)

(Muse Cond, Chantilly / Bridgeman)

(Palazzo Vecchio, Florence / Bridgeman)

(De Agostini Picture Library / G. Dagli Orti / Bridgeman)

(Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence / De Agostini Picture Library / Bridgeman)

(Chteau de Versailles, France / Bridgeman)

(Kiev Victor / Shutterstock)

FRANCE ROYAL FAMILY OF VALOIS-ANGOULME

The Angoulme belonged to the second branch of the royal house of Valois-Orlans. At the time of Franciss birth, the House of Valois-Orlans was led by Louis II, Duke of Orlans.

Francis I, King of France, born Francis of Angoulme, prince of the blood. Count of Angoulme after his fathers death; elevated to Duke of Valois on becoming heir presumptive. He was Duke of Brittany by marriage to Claude of France and declared his right to the title Duke of Milan through his ancestress Valentina Visconti

Marguerite of Angoulme, also known as Duchess of Alenon, the kings sister and close adviser

Charles Orlans, Count of Angoulme and the kings father

Louise of Savoy, the kings mother

Claude of France, Queen Consort of France, daughter of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany

Francis of France, Duke of Brittany, Franciss eldest son; the dauphin

Henri of France, Duke of Orlans, Franciss second son and later Henri II

Madeleine of France, Franciss favourite daughter, married to James V of Scotland

Charles of France, Franciss youngest and favourite son, Count of Clermont

Marguerite of France, Duchess of Berry, Franciss youngest daughter

Eleanor of Austria, Franciss second wife, Queen Consort of France, sister of Charles V and Dowager Queen of Portugal

FRANCE PREDECESSORS

Louis XI of France, known as The Cunning or The Spider King

Anne of France, eldest daughter of Louis XI and permitted to play a role in carrying out his policies; she continued her fathers work after his death and at the same time, with her husband Peter of Beaujeu, Duke of Bourbon, was her brother Charles VIIIs guardian

Charles VIII of France, known as Charles the Affable

Louis XII, also known as Louis of Orlans; the only Valois-Orlans King of France

Jeanne of France, Duchess of Berry and Louis XIIs first wife; sister of Anne of France and Charles VIII

Anne of Brittany, Sovereign Duchess of Brittany, wife of Emperor Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor; Charles VIII and Louis XII

FRANCE LEADING LIGHTS

Charles III, Duke of Bourbon-Montpensier (prince of the blood); Bourbons many titles included Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche. Constable of France. This office, as well his own personal possessions, made the duke the most powerful man in the country aside from the king.

Anne, Duke of Montmorency and Constable of France

Philippe of Chabot, Seigneur of Brion and Admiral of Brion

Antoine Duprat, Chancellor of France throughout Franciss reign and Archbishop of Sens

Robert de La Marck, Seigneur of Fleuranges and Marshal of France; a close friend of Francis

Pierre Terrail, Seigneur of Bayard, also known as Chevalier de Bayard or The Good Knight

Pierre de Rohan, Seigneur de Gi, governor to the young Francis

Anne dHeilly, Duchess of tampes. The so-called Madame dtampes was the most significant of all Franciss mistresses.

Franoise de Foix, Countess of Chteaubriant, the kings first matresse en titre

Diane de Poitiers, Grand Seneschal of Normandy, mistress and mentor to Henri II

OVERSEAS RULERS

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, also King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy; Franciss greatest nemesis

Henry VIII, King of England, occasional ally to both Francis and Charles