fɹˈænsɪs aɪ wʌz lˈʊkɪŋ fɔːɹ ˈælaɪz ɪn sˈɛntɹəl jˈʊɹɹəp tə kɹiːˈeɪt ɐ bˈæləns ɐɡˈɛnst ðə pˈaʊɚɹ ʌv hˈæbsbɜːɡ ˈɛmpɚɹɚ tʃˈɑːɹlz vˈiː. kwˈiːn bˈoʊnə ˈɛsfˈɔːɹzə, ðɪ ɪtˈæliən wˈaɪf ʌv sˈɪdʒɪsmˌʌnd, wʌz ˌɪnstɹəmˈɛntəl ɪn pɹəmˈoʊɾɪŋ ðɪ ɐlˈaɪəns, wɪððɪ ɑːbdʒˈɛktɪv ʌv ɹᵻkˈʌvɚɹɪŋ sˈɑːvɚɹˌɪnti ʌv mɪlˈæn.
Francis I was looking for allies in Central Europe to create a balance against the power of Habsburg Emperor Charles V. Queen Bona Sforza, the Italian wife of Sigismund, was instrumental in promoting the alliance, with the objective of recovering sovereignty of Milan.