Louis << LOO ee or lwee >> XII (1462-1515) became king of France in 1498 after the death of his cousin King Charles VIII. Louis was born on June 27, 1462, in Blois, France. During his reign, Louis became known as the “father of his people” because he reformed the system of justice in France and kept taxes low. Louis defined the powers of the courts, and he appointed judges from nobles of lower rank who had no involvement in royal politics. 
Louis’s foreign policy, however, was reckless and unsuccessful. After gaining the throne, he claimed the Italian duchy (territory of a duke or duchess) of Milan and, later, the Kingdom of Naples. French forces took both territories but were driven from Italy completely in 1512. Louis died on Jan. 1, 1515.
