In 1528 the Genoese Admiral, Andrea Doria, after deserting in favour of Emperor Charles V, managed to break up the French siege of Naples; his efforts were helped by the plague, which decimated the French besiegers, among them General Odet of Foix, Viscount of Lautrec, who died on 15 August.[4] After his death, the French army was commanded by Giovanni Ludovico of Saluzzo, who, under the circumstances ordered his troops to withdraw on 29 August, but eventually the Imperial–Spanish forces led by Philibert of Châlon, Prince of Orange, caught up with them and decimated them.[4] Shortly after the whole French army in the south of Italy capitulated.[2]
Between August 1528 and June 1529, intense diplomatic activities between King Francis I of France and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V resulted in the Treaty of Barcelona.[4]
Battle
On 21 June 1529 King Francis I still had his troops stationed in Landriano, a region of Lombardy, near Pavia, scene of the decisive confrontation which resulted in a total French defeat in Italy.[2]
Hostilities continued however, although without any French participation, with the Imperial–Spanish army led by Philibert of Châlon, Prince of Orange, against the Republic of Florence and installing Alessandro de' Medici as the ruler of Florence.[6]
The Treaty made no reference to the Duchy of Burgundy, evening out with this silence the humiliating situation that was put to Francis in the Treaty of Madrid.[2][3]