30 May 2025
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An attractive stamp enables Chris West to draw parallels between King Francis I of France and King Henry VIII of England.
Who Was King Francis I of France?
King Francis I of France (1494–1547), was an almost exact contemporary of Henry VIII (1491–1547). Both men were ‘larger than life’, although François only married twice.
Like Henry, he grew up not expecting to become king but did so when young. Henry’s elder brother died in 1502, and a complicated series of events put François on the throne aged 21. He seized the opportunity with enormous energy.
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What Legacy Did King Francis I Leave Behind?
In a final parallel, both men died in the same year, 1547. Despite his pointless and unsuccessful dispute with Charles V, François is still celebrated in France. At his peak, he embodied much of the best in that nation: intelligence, love of culture, a general joie de vivre. This handsome stamp, issued in 1967 featuring a portrait by court painter Jean Clouet, suits him.
How Did King Francis I Influence the French Renaissance?
He was already well educated and became a patron of the arts. French royal palaces had been rather dingy places in the 15th century: the new king filled them with beautiful artefacts.
Not just French: among the creators he encouraged to come to Paris were the goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini and Leonardo da Vinci. The latter bought a picture called the Mona Lisa with him.
François filled his palaces with books, too, having agents who scoured foreign countries for rarities to add to his libraries. He supported writers like the bawdy satirist François Rabelais. He wrote poetry (though apparently it wasn’t very good).
His court was a place of intellectual curiosity and intelligent conversation. He encouraged humanist thinkers and resisted attempts by the church to make him clamp down on religious dissent.
What Palaces Did Francis I Build?
He also built new palaces. The Chateau de Chambord is the most magnificent: it has 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, 84 staircases and 11 different types of tower. Others include the Palace of Fontainebleau, where his ‘official’ mistress resided.
What Made King Francis I a 'People’s King'?
An intellectual, he was also physically vigorous. As a young man, he loved hunting, and as a monarch, he toured round France, meeting his subjects (and keeping an eye on local aristocrats and officials to make sure they weren’t exploiting their positions).
His predecessors had not done this, remaining remote from the masses in their castles. He was a natural ‘people person’.
Was King Francis I a Successful Military Leader?
If this all sounds too good to be true – his strengths could also be weaknesses. His optimistic view of life extended to an excessive opinion of his skill as a military leader. This resulted in a long war with the colder but shrewder Hapsburg Emperor, Charles V.
What Happened at the Field of the Cloth of Gold?
It was as part of this war that he met with Henry VIII at the ‘Field of the Cloth of Gold’ near Calais (you might have seen a sign to the site off the A26 autoroute). This was an extraordinary event, where the two bombastic near contemporaries (Henry was three years older) built elaborate pop-up courts to impress one another.
There was much feasting and jousting, but Henry was not lured into an alliance with François against Charles – which had been the point of it all.
How Did Francis I's Military Ambitions Lead to His Downfall?
François’ military aims ended up ruining – or at least damaging – him. In 1525, he was captured at the Battle of Pavia. Charles demanded an exorbitant ransom, which François insisted not be paid. He remained imprisoned in a Madrid castle until he was swapped for his two sons (not an uncommon practice at the time). They were released several years later.
How Did Francis I Change in His Later Years?
After this, François lost some of his swagger, becoming moodier and more cautious. This is another parallel with Henry, whose character was radically changed by physical misfortune – in the Englishman’s case, a jousting accident in 1536. (Henry suffered a much more serious personality change, becoming a tyrant.)
How can I keep my stamp collection safe?
Stamp collectors can keep their stamp collection safe in stamp albums known as a stamp collection book, these are perfect for keeping your collection secure and accessible.
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