Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
"When twenty-year-old Francis I acceded to the French throne in 1515, he brought fresh ambition to the court. Francis was a cultured humanist, destined to win renown as a patron of Renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Benvenuto Cellini. But the young ruler was also eager to prove his worth on the battlefield. . . . In alliance with Venice, Francis's aim was to wrest the prosperous duchy of Milan from Swiss control. . . . The turning point was the arrival, on the second morning, of mercenary cavalry somewhat tardily sent by Venice. Faced with these fresh forces, the Swiss quit the field and Francis basked in the glory of military triumph." [Furtado: 1001 Days]