Henry VIII and Francis I

the long version

"The aim of this book is to explore the neglected subject of the final war between France and England at the end of Henry VIII's and Francis I's reigns ... The perspective is a dual one, from both that of England and France, with equal weight given to the reasons for conflict and the effects of war on both (on land and sea, in France and Scotland). For England, the military effort of the period proved to be extremely damaging and long-lasting, and Henry VIII found himself facing his enemy without allies for a while. France found itself at war on two fronts for the first time since the early 1520s. The book therefore asks why Henry VIII opted for the imperial alliance in 1542, thus committing himself to war in the long term, and why Francis I and his advisers could not do more to win over the English alliance"--Page 4 of cover.