January 14 - Treaty of Madrid

This Day in History: 14 January 2020

 

14 January 1526

 

494 years ago, today, the Treaty of Madrid was signed, between the Hapsburg emperor, Charles V, and his prisoner, Francis I, King of France, who had been captured during the Battle of Pavia almost a year earlier. Charles V had lacked the funds necessary to pay for the war, and so decided to not marry into the House of Tudor, despite the fact he had promised Henry VIII, and so wanted to marry Isabella of Portugal, as she would bring a larger dowry. As a result, the Duke of Bourbon and Henry planned to invade and partition France.

 

The King of France gave over his lands in Italy, Flanders, Artois and Tournai, as well as parts of France to Charles V, and contracted the marriage of his sister to Charles. The final signing was completed in Madrid on this day, and Francis was released, and thus was allowed to return to France. As he was crossing the border, he announced his refusal to ratify the treaty, and so entered the League of Cognac, with the intent to dethrone Charles. In May, the War of the League of Cognac was launched by Francis and the Pope in an attempt to reclaim the lost French territory, and Henry VIII would not join until 1527. This war was unsuccessful, but Francis and his successor, Henry II, continued to assert their claims to Milan through the Italian Wars.

 

Want to find out more about the Treaty of Madrid, and the Italian War that it was part of? Clickhere for more details.