Louis XII

(1462-1515)

   king of France

   Born in Blois, the son of charles of orléans and Marie of Cleves, Louis (reigned 1498-1515) was imprisoned for a number of years (1487-90) for rebelling against King charles v III. Earlier, he had been forced by King louis xi to marry jeanne de france, whom the king believed to be sterile, thereby insuring the extinction of Louis's line. on ascending the throne, Louis XII had this marriage annulled and married anne of brittany, widow of Charles VIII. As king, he showed a rare sense of clemency toward former adversaries, but he soon became involved in the wars in Italy (1499-1515), in which he sought to enforce his claims on various inheritances and pursue a policy of French aggrandizement. After the Battles of Milan and Naples, a coalition of powers expelled the French (1504), and by the terms of the Treaty of Blois, Louis had to give as part of his daughter's dowry to her fiancé, the future emperor Charles V, territory in Italy, Burgundy, and Brittany. The treaty, however, was nullified by the Parlement of Tours. This was followed by a period of further military activity, which brought some victories (Ravenna), but ended with the defeat of the French by the Swiss at Novara and by the English at Guinegatte, and Louis's forces were forced to withdraw. The reign ended with further military setbacks, despite a peace signed with England in which Louis married Mary of England, the sister of King Henry VIII. On the domestic level, Louis XII was a popular king, and his various judicial and financial reforms as well as the fairness of his rule earned him the epithet Father of the People (under the administration of Cardinal amboise, the judicial systems was reformed and traditional laws were codified in the ordinances of 1499). Not having a son, Louis XII was succeeded by his son-in-law, the future francis i.