King François I Photos

French King François I reigned 1515-1547. François I was a major patron of the arts, and attracted many Italian artists to his court including Leonardo da Vinci whom the King hosted in Amboise for the final years of Leonardo's life. A well educated man, he played an important role in the standardization of the French language, and declared French the language of the nation. François also saw the beginning of the French exploration and colonization of the New World. During his reign France was threatened by the Habsburg monarchy which encircled it. Along with military campaigns, François I struggled to find alliances, first, unsuccessfully, with England's King Henry VIII and then, successfully, with the Ottoman sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, the first occurrence of a Christian-Muslim alliance.

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See Also:	History of France Kings of France Amboise Chateau Blois Chateau Chambord Chateau


François I silver bust (before 1520) from Paris at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	François I portrait painting (c1530) from the studio of Joos Van Cleve at Carnavalet Museum. Paris, France.	François I painting (17thC) at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Portrait of François I painting (late 16th-early 17thC) in Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. Azay-le-Rideau, France.

Portrait of François I of France at Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations. Marseille, France.	Bust of François I in Cupbearer's Room in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	François I portraits bust (1850) by Alfred-Jean-Baptiste Halou & relief (before 1861) after Benvenuto Cellini at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Statue of Le Connétable Anne de Montmorency (1886), an immensely wealthy & powerful 16thC advisor & friend to François I & subsequent Kings by Paul Dubois at Château de Chantilly. Chantilly, France.

François I painting on faience bowl (1881) by Ulysse Besnard at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	François I Dubbed a Knight by Bayard at 1515 Battle of Marignan painting detail (1817) by Louis Ducis at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	François I & Holy Roman Emperor Charles V visiting tombs of Church of St.-Denis in 1540 painting (1811) by Antoine Jean Gros at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	François I confers reward on painter & artist Rosso Fiorentino painting (1865) by Isidore Patrois at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.

Royal lodgings of Blois Chateau above Place Victor Hugo. Blois, France.	External spiral staircase of François I Renaissance wing (1515-18) at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Carved throne with crest of François I in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Renaissance fireplace detail of François I salamander & Queen Claude de France ermine crests in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.

Renaissance wall decoration in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Renaissance door header decoration with François I salamander & initials in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Renaissance fireplace decorated with François I salamander & initials in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Renaissance door header decoration with François I salamander & initials in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.

Front facade of Chambord Chateau. Chambord, France.	Main floor room serves as reminder that Chambord Chateau was built as hunting lodge for François I. Chambord, France.	François I hunting wild boar bronze sculpture (1843) Théodore Gechter by at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	François I kills a Wild Boar painting (1827) by Alexandre Menjaud at Chambord Chateau. Chambord, France.

Salamander stone carving symbol of François I at Chambord Chateau. Chambord, France.	Bedroom in royal apartment of François I at Chambord Chateau. Chambord, France.	Bedroom in royal apartment of François I at Chambord Chateau. Chambord, France.	Double spiral staircase prob. conceived by Leonardo da Vinci means visitors climbing one set of stairs will not meet those on the other spiral at Chambord Chateau. Chambord, France.

Northern riverside facade of Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Original sculpted embrasure (15thC) of ermine tail emblem of Queen Anne of Brittany & her daughter Claude of France, wife of François I & Fleur de Lys of the Kings of France in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	King's bedchamber used by François I, Henri II & Catherine de Medici in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Death of Leonardo da Vinci painting (1781) by François-Guillaume Ménageot over Henri II style table & Renaissance chairs in King's bedchamber in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.

Death of Leonardo da Vinci in the Arms of François I painting by François-Guillaume Ménageot in King's bedchamber in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Detail of Death of Leonardo da Vinci in the Arms of François I painting as conceptualized by Ménageot in King's bedchamber in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Francois I at the death bed of Leonardo Da Vinci painting at Château de Clos Lucé. Amboise, France.	François I at deathbed of Leonardo de Vinci painting (1818) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres at Petit Palace Museum. Paris, France.

St Hubert's Chapel (1493) atop walls of Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Tomb of Leonardo Da Vinci who died in Amboise in 1519 in St Hubert's Chapel at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Red brick trimmed with white tufa façade of Château de Clos Lucé. Amboise, France.	Bedroom of Marguerite de Navarre, elder sister of François I, at Château de Clos Lucé. Amboise, France.

François I gallery (1528-30) in Fontainbleau Palace by the Italian painters Rosso & Primatice. Fontainbleau, France.	Carved door of entrance to François I gallery at Fontainbleau Palace. Fontainbleau, France.	Detail of carved head on doorway to François I gallery at Fontainbleau Palace. Fontainbleau, France.	Sculpted cherubs in François I gallery in Fontainbleau Palace. Fontainbleau, France.

Oval painting of naked nymph with two dogs in François I gallery in Fontainbleau Palace. Fontainbleau, France.	Lescot wing (1552-3) built under François I facing square courtyard (cour carrée) of Louvre Palace. Paris, France.	Lescot wing (1552-3) built under François I facing square courtyard (cour carrée) of Louvre Palace seen from above. Paris, France. Architect: Pierre Lescot.	Reflecting iron plate with royal salamander symbol of French King, François I in Cartier's bedroom at Jacques Cartier Manor House Museum. St Malo, France.

Salamander emblem of François I in enamel tile in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Wooden panel with carving of salamander, emblem of François I in Council Chamber in Royal Lodge at Chateau Royal of Amboise. Amboise, France.	Decorative carving of Salamander & ermine representing François I & his queen, Claude of France on Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. Azay-le-Rideau, France.	Carving of salamander surrounded by flames representing François I on Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. Azay-le-Rideau, France.

Salamander emblem of King François I (an animal reputed to go through fire & survive) plaque at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Salamander carvings from Blois symbolic of King François I salvaged at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Salamander carving with flames from Blois symbolic of King François I salvaged at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Salamander head carving from Blois symbolic of King François I salvaged at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.

Initial F with crown & knots carving from Blois symbolic of King François I salvaged at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Renaissance ceiling beams decorated with François I salamander & initials in François I Renaissance wing at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Renaissance fireplace with François I salamander & Queen Claude de France ermine crests in Louis XIV's drawing room at Chenonceau Chateau. Chenonceau, France.	Renaissance fireplace detail of François I salamander & Queen Claude de France ermine crests in Louis XIV's drawing room at Chenonceau Chateau. Chenonceau, France.

Bust of Claude de France, wife of François I at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Wounded swan stone carving of Claude de France salvaged at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Wounded swan emblem of Claude de France wife of François I (a symbol of purity) plaque at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Carving of ermine, representing Claude of France, on Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. Azay-le-Rideau, France.

Claude de France painted on ceramic planter (1874) at Blois Chateau. Blois, France.	Resurrection Reliquary (2nd half of 15thC), first owned by Claude of France in Amboise, in 1547 given by Henri II to Reims Cathedral in Tau Palace Museum. Reims, France.	Funeral urn of King François I (1556) by Pierre Bontemps at St-Denis Basilica. St Denis, France.