Antique French Renaissance (1494 - 1610) Repousse Copper 38" Round Francois 1er Portrait Rondel Wall Plaque Francis I, French Francois, (born Sept. 12, 1494, Cognac, France?died March 31, 1547, Rambouillet), King of France (1515?47). The cousin and son-in-law of Louis XII, Francis succeeded to the throne in 1515. Soon after his coronation he rode off to the Italian Wars (1515?16) and recovered the Duchy of Milan. He was a Renaissance patron of the arts, a humanist, and a popular king who traveled throughout France, curtailing abuses by nobles and providing games and processions for the people. The king played a major role in the development of the French Renaissance. He supported artists, assembled an impressive collection of paintings, built Italian-style palaces, and encouraged humanist1 learning. During the 1500s he was commonly referred to as "the great king Francis."