France Prepares for Covert Conflict Against Charles V (December 1520)

In December 1520, King Francis I of France cautiously initiates preparations for war against Emperor Charles V, taking careful measures to avoid openly violating the fragile peace enforced by Henry VIII of England. Henry had previously declared his readiness to intervene militarily against whichever party first breached the tenuous peace between the major European powers.

To circumvent this obstacle, Francis opts for covert military actions rather than a formal declaration of war. He orchestrates carefully concealed incursions against Imperial and Spanish territories, employing indirect means to mask French involvement.

One such assault, intended to destabilize Imperial holdings, is entrusted to Robert de la Marck, who is instructed to lead an attack along the strategically vital Meuse River. Concurrently, Francis coordinates a simultaneous military advance in the south, leveraging an allied French-Navarrese army tasked with reconquering the fortress town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and subsequently launching an offensive through Navarre, thereby exerting pressure on Spanish holdings and further complicating Charles's strategic position.