Louis XI and then Charles VIII strengthened their authority in Provence. They reorganised administration while accommodating local institutions and privileges. The French kings also inherited Angevin claims to the kingdom of Naples. Provence thus became an important base for their Italian policy.
Under Francis I, the Italian Wars brought the French monarchy into conflict with Charles V, king of Spain and emperor. Provence suffered two imperial invasions, in 1524 and 1536. Marseille resisted the siege of 1524; during the second campaign, supply difficulties contributed to the imperial army's withdrawal. These conflicts strengthened the region's strategic importance to the French crown.