Why did Francis I form an alliance with the Ottoman Empire?

Francis I formed an alliance with the Ottoman Empire primarily to counter the geopolitical dominance of the Habsburg dynasty. During his reign, the vast territories held by Charles V—which included Spain, the Netherlands, and parts of Italy and Germany—effectively encircled France.12

By fostering an alliance with the Ottomans, Francis I sought to maintain pressure on Habsburg defenses in southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean, thereby relieving military strain on France's own eastern frontiers. This strategic partnership was formalized through the Capitulations treaty of 1536, which granted French merchants significant commercial privileges, religious liberty, and legal autonomy within the sultan’s dominions. While Christian historians have often characterized this as a cynical move to encourage Ottoman expansion, the alliance was a pragmatic diplomatic tool used by France to navigate the intense dynastic rivalries of 16th-century Europe.123