Why did he feel the need to hand over significant lands to the French royal family as part of a marriage contract?
He had been the subject of many marriage plans – into the English royal family, with the Farnese in Italy, with Jeanne d’Albret of Navarre - but was very keen for an independent principality that the treaty provided. Threatened by the Ottomans’ growing influence, Charles V led a massive Holy League against the Ottoman city of …
As Pope Clement VII commented, most Italians did ‘not wish the eagle to land in Italy or the cock to crow there’. He feared the Habsburg dominance over Italy and was determined to protect his own interests and those of his family, the Medici. and appreciating all that Europe has to offer. There was both an open treaty and a secret treaty. However, this betrothal marked only the first step towards the actual wedding ceremony, as Margaret was only seven. He hoped to bring about a lasting settlement of the Habsburg – Valois conflict by using marriages and concessions, thus creating an all-embracing dynastic alliance.
He objected to these terms, believing that too much was gained by his younger brother and that this would cause family divisions in the future. This battles list includes any Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor battles, conflicts, campaigns, wars, skirmishes or military engagements of any kind.
In some ways it was the end of an era. In Florence, the republican faction took advantage of the Pope’s plight to banish Alessandro de’ Medici and his cousin Ippolito, who had been residing in the Medici palace, and declare a new republic. Luckily for Alessandro, the hearings and debates did not prompt Charles to take action. Clement VII took refuge in the Castel Sant’Angelo, where he was held hostage by the imperial troops for over six months. The Italian states and their ruling families would then be concerned about Habsburg control of Italy. Later, in the mid-1540s, as part of the Treaty of Crepy, Charles agreed to an understanding about the marriage of Francis’ youngest son, Charles, Duke of Orleans and a related territorial settlement. Long sieges and the devastation of the countryside had a major impact on food supplies. The ambitious twenty-two year old Duke of Orleans, affable and popular at the French court, was undoubtedly his father’s favourite.
Far from subduing the Pope, this devastating battle made Clement even more reluctant to bow to Charles’ superior strength. At the time he had control in Italy and the upper hand in the Low Countries. This was formed specifically to drive the Habsburg influence out of Italy.
Both had laid claim to lands in Italy; Charles wished to regain Burgundy, lost to the French in 1477; rights in Flanders and Artois were disputed; and in the Pyrenees the kingdom of Navarre was a bone of contention.
Growing instability encouraged existing ducal families and more recent condottiere (mercenary commanders) to attempt to carve out territories for themselves and their families.
By this point, the emperor’s troops were underpaid and decided to mutiny and march on Rome. Charles V, king of France from 1364 who led the country in a miraculous recovery from the devastation of the first phase of the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453), reversing the disastrous Anglo-French settlement of 1360.