France centralized and maintained power in many different ways. One of the ways was through war and fighting to claim territories. An example of this is when King Charles VIII invaded Italy in 1494, capturing Milan and threatened to do the same with Rome and Naples. These threats terrorized the other cities, and thus maintained French power. Its ability to compromise around religious strife, allowed French royalty to maintain its power and leadership. France also maintained a strong level of power by having the heirs of the ruler be someone who was relatively familiar with the throne. In King Henry II’s case, his widow followed him in power, and then her three sons, Frances II, Charles X, and Henry III, followed her in power.