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Why did Francis I seek to conquer the Duchy of Milan?
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Francis I
King Francis I of France, portrait by Pierre Dumonstier, after a drawing by Jean Clouet; in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
Francis I sought to conquer the Duchy of Milan primarily to assert his dynastic claims and re-establish French control over the region, which had been lost to the Sforza family and their Swiss allies in 1513.12
Following his accession as the successor to Louis XII, Francis I was determined to recover the duchy, which had previously been held by the French crown. His campaign was part of the broader Italian Wars, a series of conflicts driven by competing European powers for dominance in Italy. By securing a victory at the Battle of Marignano in 1515, Francis I successfully forced the surrender of Massimiliano Sforza and reclaimed Milan for France.3142