The French involvement in the affairs of the Italian states dated back several decades. A succession of Popes had enlisted French support to further their own objectives. Eventually, French armies proved very successful – too successful. Soon Pope Julius II realized he needed to find allies and combine forces against France's domination of the region! Ah, such was Italian politics…
While Henry VIII could not take his war to Italy, he could cross the Channel and attack France. In 1512, an expedition to reconquer Aquitaine from the French turned into
