sons as hostages for his good faith. Francis at last signed a treaty on these conditions, but at the same time caused a secret protest against them to be drawn up, and was liberated March 17, 1526, his sons taking his place at Madrid. Ho at once demanded and obtained from the popo absolution from his oath to fulfil the treaty, and, gracefully thanking the English king for his sympathy and alliance, sent forth armies again to Italy. If, say French historians, ho was guilty of perjury, then was every man in France his accomplice. Charles, overreached, and now opposed by all Italy as well as France and England, sent Bourbon with an army of mercenaries against tho pope. Coach Outlet Store Online Rome was sacked with unparallelled barbarity, and the pope was imprisoned. A French Coach Outlet army, meanwhile, under Lautrec, hastened to avenge the insulted pontiff, but after a series of triumphs was destroyed by disease before Naples. Peace, an obvious necessity for all the belligerents, was concluded at Cambrai by the mother of Francis Coach Factory Outlet Online and the aunt of Charles (Margaret of Austria) in July, 1529. The king of France retained Burgundy, surrendered his Italian claims, and paid 2,000,000 crowns ransom for his sons. The French courtiers vied with each other in supplying the ransom money. Francis at the same time married Queen Eleanor; but no pledges
could secure peace. In 1533 the duke of Milan put to death an agent of the king of France, charged with murder. Seizing this as a pretext for war, Francis took up arms again, and in 1535 overran Savoy. Charles in the spring of 153C marched upon Provence, and the French troops hurried again to the defence of that region. Charles lost half his army through famine and disease, tho country having been laid waste purposely by the French commander, and with the remainder fled before the light troops of tho province. At tho same time the, prince of Nassau, who had invaded the north of France, was compelled to retreat. Soon after those events, tho eldest son of Francis died, poisoned. The crime was laid to the charge of the emperor, probably without any foundation; but the circumstance carried the exasperation of tho two sovereigns to the extreme of decency. Francis attacked the Low Countries, and even formed an offensive alliance with the Turkish sultan Solyman ; but the pope and the queen of Hungary interposing with offers of mediation, a truce of 10 years was concluded at Nice (1538). The rivals exchanged visits and embraced; and on tho occasion of a second visit Canada Goose Sale Charles promised to invest a Coach Outlet Online son of the French king with Coach Factory Outlet the sovereignty of Milan, but tho promise was never fulfilled, Charles giving the duchy instead to his son Philip. War again broke out in 1542, and Francis sent 5 armies against various Canada Goose Jackets quarters of tho imperial dominions, and gained a great battle at Cerisolles (1544), hut without important consequences. After a short and bootless invasion of France by Henry VIII. and Charles in alliance, peace was again concluded; and no further military events took placo during tho reign. Tho king's health had been hopelessly ruined some years before in consequence of one Canada Goose Outlet of his many amours, and death at length ensued. Francis was an unhesitating libertine, though during the
latter years of his life his attention was given to wiser thoughts; and notwithstanding his vices and his cruelty to the Protestants, admiration cannot bo withheld from many gallant and noble traits of character, which might have been blessings to his country had he been content with any other than military glory. Ho Canada Goose Coats introduced into France striking improvements of art and learning. He was gifted with remarkable elegance and grace. In youth he was the magnusApollo of his comrades, " tho courtier's, scholar's, soldier's eye, tongue, sword." Canada Goose Cheap Of his munificence many monuments remain; as the imperial library of Paris, tho imperial college, the original Louvre, Fontainobleau, and Chambord. By his first wife ho had 7 children; by tho second none. To his son Henry II. he bequeathed a treasury with a surplus of 400,000 crowns.FRANCIS II., king of France, born in Fontaineblcan, Jan. 19, 1543, died in Orleans, Dec, 5, 15C0. He was tho eldest son of Henry II. and Catharine do' Medici. His father, more bravo than wise, more devoted to amours and chiva