King of France (born 1494) who reigned from 1515 until his death in 1547. Known as the 'Father and Restorer of Letters,' the cultured and well-read Francis, himself a poet, ushered in the Renaissance in France with generous support for a number of writers and ambitious construction projects. Exceptional LS in French, signed “Francoys,” one page both sides, 8.5 x 12.25, November 3, 1546. Letter to M. Mesnage, his ambassador to the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. In part (translated): "I wrote you the day of last month by a horseman that I had sent you by express and answered what you had written me. And because the ambassador of the Emperor, my good brother, came to see me yesterday and gave me to understand the good state of his affairs in Germany, and the hope he had that they would soon bring good results, and then he began to tell me about the strong wish that my good brother had to enter into closer friendship with me. And the desire he had that the matters…That this is a matter in which one would find him well disposed, always in general terms without entering into any particulars. I wanted to do so very much, as he told me he would write to his master the honest reply that I would give him, of which this dispatch is to notify you of the answer I gave him, which is that he had well known what I sent my cousin the admiral and the company which he brought to him. In which duty I placed myself, that is, that it was necessary…with the honesty which I had employed to let myself be guided in this. And that if he had wanted to gather the intention of my good will, I think that his affairs would be even better off than they were before. And he would be the same Emperor he was before, and I the same King, at least I only see lost time.
Now that one would find me always so willing to understand all reasonable matters, as I always will. But also, if one disdains my good will, God and the world are witnesses of the duty in which I have always placed myself, and I want you, Monsieur Mesnage, to thank the Emperor on my part for the news which he has imparted me through his ambassador. And tell him that this matter, from which I derive much pleasure, and which I have often had from him and ordinarily have good reports in several places, where I find people speaking to his advantage and always make his cause better. But I think that which comes from him is truthful; may he ask me my desire as often as he can. And besides, if he comes to talk to you about that which my court says, speak to him as ambassador in the same language which I instructed you to, and inform me on what you can extract from him on this and all other things which you will learn. I have given orders to the horseman to take the…of the ambassador to the Emperor to the village, to which you will hold him responsible and continue to inform me on the success of all matters." In fine condition, with an old repair to paper loss on the left edge.
The rivalry between Francis I and Charles V had its roots in 1519, when Charles succeeded Maximilian I as Holy Roman Emperor. Charles, who was already King of Spain, now encircled France with his possessions, and had as his principal objective a universal monarchy. With Francis I as his chief obstacle, a mortal hatred emerged, leading to 27 years of savage warfare, interrupted by truces that were invariably violated. With the close of hostilities in the Italian Wars by the Treaty of Ardres, signed in June 1546, a brief peace finally settled over the region. Francis would pass away only months after sending this letter on March 31, 1547.
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