Notwithstanding some disposition on the part of the emperor to relax the terms of the treaty of Madrid, the negoeiations terminated in a delaration of war on the part of France and England. Charles accused his rival of perjury, to which Francis replied by a challenge to single combat.
In February 1523, the imperial army, wasted by the disease conse quent on its excesses, was with difficulty dragged off from the mise rable city on which it had preyed for ten mouths. Lautree followed them, and sat down before Naples ; but the French army were in their turn attacked by disease, and finally reduced to a wretched remnant, which surrendered to the Prince of Orange at Averse. Andrew Doria, disgusted with the conduct of the French, renounced their alliance, and liberated Genoa, while Antonio de Leyva ruined the Freooli army in the Milanese as completely as the l'rince of Orange had ruined that which besieged Naples. The success of the Turk In Hungary, and the progress of the Reformation. inclined the emperor to peace, and the treaty of Cambrey was concluded by the negoci atioos of Margaret of Austria and Louisa of Savoy (August 5, 1529). Charles agree t not to urge his claim on Burgundy, while Francis renounced the sovereignty of Flanders, abandoned Italy, and bound himself to pay 2,000,000 crowns as the ransom of his sons. In conse quence of a treaty between the pope and the emperor, Florence was restored to the Medici, and Clement allowed himself to be guided by the wishes of Charles as to the divorce of Catherine of Aragon front Henry VIII. lie met however with eagerness a proposal on the part of Francis for the marriage of his vises, Catherine de' ,Medici, to the Duke of Orleans, afterwards Henri II.
The dissensions in the empire manifested by the diet of Augsburg (1530) and the league of Schmalkaldeo, induced the French king to encourage.that relisious party iu Germany which he persecuted in his own dominions. During the absence of Charles in Africa (1535) he advanced into Italy under pretext of punishing Sforza, now returned to his duchy, for the execution of his ambassador, and seized the territory of Savoy. It wag not until the spring of 1536 that the emperor was able to take active measures against him. Sforza died,
and the imperial troops drove the French out of Savoy and advanced to the frontiers of Provence, The French had laid waste the whole of Dauphiny ; and although Arles and Marseille were besieged, Mont morency, a second Fabius, kept his troops under the walls of Avignon and refused to risk a battle. This polioy succeeded so well, that at the end of two months the imperial army was compelled to retreat in a miserable state. After an attack by the French on the side of Flanders, a cessation of arms was at length agreed on through the mediation of the two sisters, the queens of lluugary and France. The exhausted state of his treasury, and the fear of an alliance between Francis and the Turk, induced Charles to consent to a cessation of arms io Piedmont also, which was followed by a truce for ten years, concluded at Nice.
Charles then embarked for Barcelona, but being detained by con trary winds ou the coast of Provence, Francis proposed a personal interview. The French king went on board the emperor's galley, and the latter returned his visit at Aigues Mortes. Thus after years of the bitterest hostility and enmity, after accusations of perjury on the one baud and of murder on the other, and after a challenge to mortal combat, these two princes preeented the singular spectacle of apparent reliance on each other'? good faith and honour. The marriage of James V. of Scotland with 3iagdaleu of France, and afterwards with Mary of Guise, tended greatly to estrange Henry of England from the French court, while a better understanding seems to have followed the Interview of Charles and Francis. A proposal made by the citizens of Ghent to deliver their town into the hands of the latter, was not only rejected, but the designs of the malcontents were be trayed to the emperor (1539). Charles put the sincerity of his new friendship to a more severe test, by asking permission to prase through France on his way from Spain to the Low Countries. Francis met him at Chatellerault and received him as his guest in Paris. A pro wise was made of investing the duke of Orleans with the duchy of Milan; but all demauds for its fulfilment out the part of the ambas sadors of Francis were evaded by the emperor.