Italian War of 1536–1538 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Italian War of 1536–1538 |
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| Part of the Italian Wars | |||||||||
 The truce of Nice, 1538, between Francis I and Charles V, and mediated by Pope Paul III. Painting by Taddeo Zuccari. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Holy Roman Empire Spain |
 Kingdom of France.svg){kind=small} Ottoman Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Emp. Charles V |
 King Francis I Anne de Montmorency Suleiman the Magnificent |
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The Italian War of 1536–1538 was a fight between King Francis I of France and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who was also King of Spain. They both wanted control over lands in Northern Italy, especially a small state called the Duchy of Milan. During this war, French armies went into Northern Italy, and Spanish armies invaded France.
The fighting ended with something called the Truce of Nice, signed on June 18, 1538. This agreement left the city of Turin in French hands. However, it didn't change the map of Italy much. Overall, Spain gained more power in Italy, which meant that many Italian states lost their independence. This war also made the Spanish and French dislike each other even more. It also made the friendship between France and the Ottoman Empire stronger, as the Ottomans had helped Francis I against Charles V.
Contents
Why the War Started
Long-Term Reasons
Long before this war, in 1500, King Louis XII of France and King Ferdinand II of Spain made a deal. They agreed to split the Kingdom of Naples after removing its ruler. This agreement was called the Treaty of Grenada. Many people, including a famous thinker named Niccolò Machiavelli, didn't like this decision.
When Charles V became a powerful ruler in 1519, he gained more influence in Italy. He brought Spain and the Holy Roman Empire together under his rule.
Immediate Causes
The war started in 1536 because of the death of Francesco II Sforza. He was the ruler of the Duchy of Milan. Francesco died in 1535 without any children. Because he had no heirs, Charles V took over the Duchy of Milan. Charles V's niece was Francesco's wife. No one in Italy protested when Charles V took control.
This change of power was a big deal for France. King Francis I sent Jean de la Foret as an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was important because it had many goods to trade and a strong army. Foret and Francis I made an alliance with the Ottomans. This gave France a powerful army ready to attack places like Marseille and Piedmont, which were close to Genoa in Italy.
Key Events of the War
When Charles V's son Philip was supposed to inherit the Duchy of Milan, Francis I of France decided to invade Italy. In March 1536, a French general named Philippe de Chabot led his army into Piedmont. They captured the city of Turin the next month. However, they couldn't take Milan.
In response, Charles V invaded Provence, a region in France. He reached Aix-en-Provence and took the city in August 1536. But the French army stopped his advance towards Marseilles. After this, Charles V went back to Spain instead of attacking the well-defended city of Avignon. There's even a story that French troops purposely left rotten fruit on trees. They hoped Charles V's soldiers would get sick from eating it.
While Charles V was fighting in France, Francis I's armies in Piedmont got many more generals, soldiers, and horses. They were marching towards Genoa. France had made a strong alliance with the Ottoman Empire in 1536. This was thanks to the efforts of Jean de La Forêt, France's ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.
By the end of 1536, a combined French and Turkish fleet was in Marseille. They planned to attack Genoa from the sea at the same time French troops attacked by land. But when they arrived in Genoa in August 1536, the city's defenses had been made much stronger. So, the troops instead marched into Piedmont and captured many towns there. In 1537, a famous Ottoman admiral named Barbarossa raided the Italian coast. He also tried to capture Corfu, but this didn't help the French much.
Since Charles V wasn't winning battles and was caught between the French and the Ottomans, he and Francis I finally agreed to make peace. They signed the Truce of Nice on June 18, 1538.
What Happened After the War
The Truce of Nice, signed on June 18, 1538, officially ended the war. Turin stayed under French control, but the map of Italy didn't change much. The Truce of Nice was special because Charles V and Francis I hated each other so much that they refused to be in the same room. Pope Paul III had to go back and forth between their rooms to help them reach an agreement.
The tension from this war led Charles V to fight against the Ottomans later that year. However, he lost a big naval battle called the Battle of Preveza on September 28, 1538.
Overall, Spain gained a lot of control over Italy. This Italian War meant that many Italian states lost their independence. Most of the Italian peninsula would now be ruled or strongly influenced by foreign kings. Italy was divided and couldn't unite against France and Spain. This made it easy for other European countries to get involved and invade. More Italian wars happened because of this conflict, like the Italian War of 1542-1546. Also, parts of Italy suffered a lot of damage to their land, cities, and buildings. Sometimes, armies would rob cities and kill people in the countryside.
This war made the bad feelings between Spain and France even stronger. They continued to fight for control over land and power in Europe. For example, even after Francis I died in 1547, his son and successor, Henry II, kept fighting against Charles V and Spain. The war also cost both countries a lot of money. The Italian War of 1536–38 also made the alliance between the Ottomans and the French much stronger. It showed that only by working together could they make Charles V want peace and avoid fighting on two fronts.
See also
In Spanish: Guerra italiana de 1536-1538 para niños
