RENAISSANCE MONARCHS AT WAR: The Battle of Pavia, 1525

1-252490

Examines the Battle of Pavia's decisive impact on Renaissance warfare, kingship, and European power politics. Traces the early reigns of Francis, of his great rival Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, and a number of their contemporaries. Shows why warfare was such an important aspect of kingship in the period, and how it interacted with diplomacy. Looks at how Francis's siege of the city of Pavia turned into an open battle, why the king of France fought in person, and the main events of the encounter. Reviews Francis's time as a prisoner in Spain and traces the complexity of international relations that provoked yet more war in the following decades, which drew in kingdoms as varied as Scotland, Tunisia, Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. Contains 35 mono illustrations.