Became King in 1515, Francis I of France reaffirms his claim to the Duchy of Milan. After protecting his kingdom, the King announced his departure at the end of June 1515.
In Lyon, He finds an army of 9,000 cavalrymen, 30,000 infantrymen and a beautiful artillery of 72 guns and 300 small pieces which, in Marignan, will make all the difference.
To counter the Swiss, who were defending the Mont-Cenis and the Alpine passes, the French army chose to pass into Italy further south, in order to bypass the enemy, by opening a new pass.
At the beginning of August 1515, on a path worn out by the goatherds, 3,000 sappers open a passable road to get the army through in 4 days. Defeated, the Swiss withdrew to the Milanese.
