Francis III, Duke of Brittany

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Francis III (

On 15 March 1526, the exchange took place at the border between Spain and France. Francis almost immediately repudiated the treaty[3] and the eight-year-old Dauphin and his younger brother Henry spent the next three years as captives of Charles V, a period that scarred them for life.^[4]

During his confinement in Spain, the Dauphin displayed a notably subdued demeanor compared to his more aggressive brother and seemed "to have accepted the rationale for his imprisonment reasonably well."^[5] Nevertheless, the experience led him to become somewhat isolated, favoring black attire (like a Spaniard) and exhibiting a contemplative disposition seen as more Spanish than French.^[5][6]

Marriage arrangements

As the first son and heir of the King of France, the Dauphin was a marriage pawn for his father. There were several betrothals to eligible princesses throughout the Dauphin's life. The first was when he was an infant, to the four-year-old Mary Tudor (later

In 1524, the Dauphin inherited the Duchy of Brittany on his mother's death, becoming Duke Francis III, although the Duchy was actually ruled by officials of the French crown.^[8] In 1532, after much discourse with the Breton deputies, demands were laid before the French crown.^[8] The Dauphin was to arrive at Rennes as duke and owner of the duchy, King Francis would be granted usufruct and management of it and, after the union with France, the Dauphin would sign an oath that respects the duchy's rights and privileges.^[8] Francis agreed to these demand and passed an edict annexing the duchy of Brittany to France. On August 14 1532, the Dauphin was crowned Duke Francois III in Rennes Cathedral.^[8][9][1]

Upon Henry's succession to the French throne in 1547, the Duchy and the crown were effectively merged, the Breton estates having already tied the succession of the Duchy to the French crown.^[8]

Death

The Dauphin Francis died at the Château de Tournon on 10 August 1536, at the age of eighteen. The circumstances of his death seemed suspicious, and it is believed by many that he was poisoned. However, there is ample evidence that he died of natural causes, possibly tuberculosis.^[1]

After playing a round of tennis at a jeu de paume court "pré[s] d'Ainay", the Dauphin asked for a cup of water, which was brought to him by his secretary, Count Montecuccoli. After drinking it, Francis collapsed and died several days later. Montecuccoli, who was brought to the court by Catherine de' Medici, was accused of being in the pay of Charles V, and when his quarters were searched a book on different types of poison was found. Catherine de' Medici was well known to have an interest in poisons and the occult. Under torture, Montecuccoli confessed to poisoning the Dauphin and was executed.^[1]

In an age before

References

Sources

• Bietenholz, Peter G. (1986). "Francis, dauphin of France". In Bietenholz, Peter G.; Deutscher, Thomas Brian (eds.). Contemporaries of Erasmus: A Biographical Register of the Renaissance and Reformation. Vol. 2. University of Toronto Press. pp. 52–53.
• Glenn, Richardson (2014). The Field of Cloth of Gold. New Haven. pp. 6, 189.
  OCLC 862814775.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
  )
• Knecht, Robert (2007). The Valois: Kings of France, 1328-1589. Hambledon Continuum.
  ISBN 9781852855222
  .
• ISBN 9780026097000
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• Baumgartner, Frederic J (1988). Henry II, King of France, 1547–1559.
  ISBN 9780822307952
  .
• Williams, H. Noel (1910). Henry II: His Court and Times.
  ISBN 9785518683754
  .