ABSTRACT
During the last decade of the Italian Wars, imperial and Spanish hegemony in Italy was under challenge from the French, whose forces had the upper hand in Piedmont, extended their base in central Italy from Mirandola to Parma, became entrenched in Sienese territory, and attacked the kingdom of Naples. Charles V lacked the energy to respond adequately to these threats, and gradually handed over the government of his Italian lands and oversight of Italian affairs in general to his son Philip. But Charles found it hard to let go, and Philip had to struggle for the control and direction of the resources needed to combat the French in Italy. In the event, it was the outcome of the war on the northern frontier of France that put an end to the French challenge in Italy, and to the Italian Wars.
