Renaissance Lives – ‘Francis I The Knight-King’

26th January, 2026

Thursday 19 March 2026

5.30pm – 7pm

Register to attend

Glenn Richardson (St Mary’s University Twickenham) in conversation with Penny Roberts (University of Warwick)

Francis I of France led one of the most colourful and influential courts of the sixteenth century. Known as the ‘knight–king’, he was a chivalric warrior, a strong ruler and a passionate patron of the arts and of the French nobility. While he faced setbacks and took significant risks, Francis left his successor a kingdom that was larger, better governed and more stable than before.

This concise biography paints a vivid portrait of Francis, exploring his achievements, challenges and enduring legacy. It captures his role in shaping the French Renaissance, blending engaging storytelling with insights drawn from extensive primary research. Cogent and lively, this book provides a clear narrative of Francis’s reign and explains why he is celebrated as France’s great Renaissance monarch.

Renaissance Lives is a series of biographies published by Reaktion Books as well as a series of conversations discussing the ways in which individuals transmitted or changed the lives of traditions, ideas and images.

ATTENDANCE FREE WITH ADVANCE BOOKING