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Francis I of France, Photo by Oakenchips.

Top 10 Amazing Facts About Francis I

Francis I, French François, born Sept. 12, 1494in France, he became King of France from the year 1515 to 1547. Francis succeeded to the throne in 1515 from the cousin and son-in-law of Louis XII. He died on the 31^st of March 1547, where he automatically left the throne. Soon after his coronation he rode off to the Italian Wars. He was a Renaissance patron of the arts, a humanist, and a popular king who traveled throughout France. Francis vainly sought an alliance with Henry VIII and then waged a series of wars with Charles from 1521 after the election of Charles V as the Royal emperor.

1.Francis taken into captivity

Photo by Humberto Portillo on

Francis was taken captive in 1525 and languished in prison after refusing to accede to Charles’s exorbitant demands, he was later released in until in 1526 after the French ambassadors concluded a treaty. This was however no the end of the war it resumed in 1536. Francis was later known for his diplomatic achievements against the emperor Charles.

2.Francis rivalry with Charles V

Francis vainly sought an alliance with Henry VIII on the Field of Cloth of Gold, and then waged a series of wars with Charles from 1521 after the election of Charles V as the emperor. The rivalry can also be attributed to the competition in becoming the Holy Roman Emperor. Francis however fails in this quest and Charles becomes the Holy Roman Emperor.

3.Francis traded his two sons’ freedom for his release

Francis made a concession with Charles to be released for the exchange of his two young sons who were of the age of 7 and 6. He was also to marry Eleanor of Austria who was Charles sister. The two sons were sent to captivity in Spain where they would stay for 4 years. This defeat tainted his reputation in France.

4.Francis as a patron of the arts

A prodigious patron of the arts, he promoted the emergent French Renaissance by attracting many Italian artists to work for him, including Leonardo da Vinci, who brought the Mona Lisa with him, which Francis had acquired. Francis’ reign saw important cultural changes with the growth of central power in France. Other major artists to receive Francis’ patronage included the goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini and the painters Rosso Fiorentino, Giulio Romano, and Primaticcio, all of whom were employed in decorating Francis’ various palaces.

5.Francis efforts in developing the French language

For his role in the development and promotion of the French language, he became known as le Père et Restaurateur des Lettres (the ‘Father and Restorer of Letters’). He was also known as François au Grand Nez (‘Francis of the Large Nose’), the Grand Colas, and the Roi-Chevalier (the ‘Knight-King’) for his personal involvement in the wars against his great rival Emperor Charles V, who was also King of Spain. He later made French the official language in France in the year 1539.

6.Appointment as an Emperor

Portrait of Francis I of France (1494-1547) photo by Web Gallery of Art.

Following the policy of his predecessors, Francis continued the Italian Wars. The succession of Charles V to the Burgundian Netherlands, the throne of Spain, and his subsequent election as Holy Roman Emperor, meant that France was geographically encircled by the Habsburg monarchy.

In his struggle against Imperial hegemony, Francis sought the support of Henry VIII of England at the Field of the Cloth of Gold. When this was unsuccessful, he formed a Franco-Ottoman alliance with the Muslim sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, a controversial move for a Christian king at the time. Francis reign was a mix of success and failure

7.Francis’s rise to the throne at the age of 20

Portrait de François Ier (1494-1547), roi de France. photo by Jean Clouet.

By the time he ascended the throne in 1515, the Renaissance had arrived in France, and Francis became an enthusiastic patron of the arts. At the time of his accession, the royal palaces of France were ornamented with only a scattering of great paintings, and not a single sculpture, either ancient or modern. Over the years there were several improvements in the Palace due to his unmatched interest in arts and poetry. 

8.Francis changes to the Chateau de Fontainebleau

chateau de fontainebleau, Photo by Ivy Mukherjee on

The emperor can be attributed to the making tremendous changes to the original fortress or the hunting lodge. The fortress dates back to the 1134, and is surrounded by a lot of deer and other game, making it the largest attraction for royalty. In honor of his achievements to the fortress he carved his initial everywhere.

9.Francis organized tennis

The sport was first officiated by Francis in 1527. He codified the rules and built tennis courts and encouraged participation of the sport in France. Tennis can now be regarded as a famous sport due to his influence. The invention of the sport can be attributed to Francis.

10.Francis as the man of letters

Francis was not only known for his support of the arts but also his interests in poems. During his reign he supported many writers and also wrote some poems himself. From this interest he worked really hard in the improvement of the royal library. He appointed several agents to preserve books in the library. The size of the library greatly increased during this time.

Francis can be attributed to several tremendous improvements during his reign in France. His vast interests in both arts and poetry greatly benefited the history of France till date. He can be attributed to the innovation of Tennis as a sport and also the declaration of French in being a national language. However his reign can also be attributed to some failures, that his defeat in the Holy Royal Emperor and his defeat by Charles V.