Ancient history

Peace of the Ladies:the Treaty of Cambrai (August 3, 1529)


The Peace of the Ladies is a treaty signed in Cambrai on August 3, 1529 and which puts an end to the second Italian war which opposes two enemy cousins:François Ier and Charles Quint. The mother of the first, Louise of Savoy, and the aunt of the second, Marguerite of Austria, met in Cambrai on July 5, 1528 and signed the peace, therefore called “des Dames”, on August 3. François renounced Italy, Charles to Burgundy in exchange for a ransom of 2.5 million crowns paid by François, who married Charles's sister, Éléonore. This treaty confirmed, by the return of Burgundy, the integrity of the French territory and further removed the Italian mirage from the royal perspectives.

The context of the Peace of the Ladies

After the disaster at Pavia in February 1525, King Francis I was taken prisoner by his sworn enemy Emperor Charles V. A first treaty was fiercely negotiated and signed in January 1526 in order to free the king. But Charles V, not having confidence in him, demanded the imprisonment of his two sons against his release. The terms of the treaty mentioned the gift of some French provinces (including Burgundy) in favor of the emperor, as well as the marriage of François Ier with Eléonore the sister of Charles V. Finally, on March 17, 1526, the "exchange" between the king and his children took place on the Bidassoa.

François Ier will take his time, because he is not ready to cede Burgundy. For his part, Charles V, wanting to speed things up, attacks the two children by suppressing their servants and forbidding them any contact with the outside world. The two little ones are locked up in a lightless tower, near Segovia, and sleep on simple straw mattresses. It seems that they no longer even understand their native language (French). The European states are very surprised by this aggressiveness, even scandalized and move away from the emperor. Even the Italian provinces and the Holy See condemn the Treaty of Madrid which is dissolved in December 1527.

The serious situation of the children cannot go on any longer. This is how two great ladies will take care of solving this dreadful problem.

Louise of Savoy and Margaret of Austria enter the scene

On one side, Louise of Savoy, mother of Francis I, on the other Marguerite of Habsburg, aunt of Charles V. These two ladies know each other well:Marguerite had been engaged to Charles VIII at the age of 3, and had been brought up at the court of Anne de Beaujeu. Married several times and widowed each time too, she raised her nephew Charles V's children, her brothers and sisters, to replace their mother who had gone mad. Since then she has been regent of the Netherlands and Flanders, which she has administered perfectly for 20 years, like her ex-sister-in-law Louise de Savoie has ruled France during the absences of François 1er.

The whole court therefore met in Cambrai in the summer of 1529. Louise of Savoy moved to the Hôtel Saint-Paul while Marguerite moved opposite to the Abbey of Saint Aubert. They only have one street to cross, but soon a bridge is installed to facilitate their reunion. Louise meets Marguerite at her home, in a warm atmosphere surrounded by thick rugs, hangings, tapestries embroidered in gold, mirrors set in silver. Both were sensitive to painting, poetry and music.

For almost a month, they will discuss, refine, and finally reach a compromise. Neither of them supports the war, even less the incarceration of young children, even if they are future kings and must therefore learn the vagaries of their function. Point by point, they will "clean up"... Until the essential end:France does not want to cede Burgundy in any case and on the other side, Austria must not lose face after so many battles which have put the finances to dry.

Breaking the impasse:the Peace of Cambrai

After a month, they establish an agreement signed in Cambrai on July 13, 1529 (some speak of August 3) with the following conditions:François I cedes Hesdin but keeps the Burgundy, he renounces Artois, Flanders, the Duchy of Milan and the Kingdom of Naples, he pays 1,000,000 crowns in exchange for his two sons (a sum which currently represents 4 tons of gold)

To raise this sum, all the nobility put their hands in their pockets, Henry VIII also helped Francis I. The whole Court is jubilant, festivities are announced, the children will be freed in a short time ... yet these two ladies will soon disappear:Marguerite died at the end of November 1530 after a badly treated foot injury; Louise of Savoy will disappear in September 1531... The ladies disappeared, the war will start again from 1536.

To go further

- Francis I, by Didier le Fur. Perrin, 2015.

- Rivalry between Charles V and François I, by François-Auguste Mignet. FB Editions, 2015.