Italian War of 1551–1559

The Italian War of 1551 (1551–1559), sometimes known as the Habsburg-Valois War, began when Henry II of France, who had succeeded Francis I to the throne, declared war against Charles V with the intent of recapturing Italy and ensuring French, rather than Habsburg, domination of European affairs. An early offensive into Lorraine was successful, with Henry capturing the three episcopal cities of Metz, Toul, and Verdun, but the French invasion of Tuscany in 1553, in support of Siena attacked by an imperial‐Tuscany army, was defeated at the Battle of Marciano by Gian Giacomo Medici. Siena fell in 1555 and eventually became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany founded by Cosimo I de' Medici.

The Treaty of Vaucelles was signed on February 5, 1556 between Philip II of Spain and Henry II of France. Based on the terms of the treaty, the territory of Franche-Comté was relinquished to Philip. However, the treaty was broken shortly afterwards.

After Charles' abdication in 1556 split the Habsburg empire between Phillip II of Spain and Ferdinand I, the focus of the war shifted to Flanders, where Phillip, in conjunction with Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, defeated the French at St. Quentin. England's entry into the war later that year led to the French capture of Calais, and French armies plundered Spanish possessions in the Low Countries. Nonetheless, Henry was forced to accept a peace agreement in which he renounced any further claims to Italy.

Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis (1559)

The Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis was signed between Elizabeth I of England and Henry II of France on April 2 and between Henry II and Philip II of Spain on April 3, 1559, at Le Cateau-Cambrésis, around twenty kilometers south-east of Cambrai. Under its terms, France restored Piedmont and Savoy to the Duke of Savoy, and Corsica to the Republic of Genoa, but retained Saluzzo, Calais and the bishoprics of Metz, Toul, and Verdun. Spain retained Franche-Comté, but, more importantly, the treaty confirmed its almost complete influence over Italy, both directly (through control of Milan, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and the State of Presidi) and indirectly (through dominance of the rulers of Tuscany, Genoa, and other minor states of northern Italy). The Pope was also their natural ally. The only truly independent entities on the Italian peninsula were Savoy and the Republic of Venice. Spanish control of Italy lasted until the early eighteenth century.

Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy married Margaret of France, Duchess of Berry, the sister of Henry II of France. Henry II of France died during a tournament when a sliver from the shattered lance of Gabriel Montgomery, captain of the Scottish Guard, pierced his eye and entered his brain.

ee also

*States of Italy in 1559