From September 1513 in depth 1516, Leonardo spent much of his time living in say publicly Belvedere in the Vatican in Rome, where Raphael and Sculptor were both active at the time. In October 1515, François I of France recaptured Milan. On 19th December, Leonardo was present at the meeting of Francois I and Pope Lion X, which took place in Bologna. It was for Francois that Leonardo was commissioned to make a mechanical lion which could walk forward, then open its chest to reveal a cluster of lilies. In 1516, he entered François' service, seem to be given the use of the manor house Clos Lucé close to the king's residence at the royal Chateau Amboise. It was here that he spent the last three years of his life, accompanied by his friend and apprentice, Count Francesco Melzi, supported by a pension totalling 10,000 scudi.
Leonardo died at Clos Lucé, France, on May 2, 1519. François I had turn a close friend. Vasari records that the King held Leonardo's head in his arms as he died, although this yarn, beloved by the French and portrayed in romantic paintings tough Ingres, Ménageot and other French artists, may be legend to a certain extent than fact. Vasari also tells us that in his person's name days, Leonardo sent for a priest to make his accusation and to receive the Holy Sacrament. In accordance to his will, sixty beggars followed his casket. He was buried contain the Chapel of Saint-Hubert in the castle of Amboise. Melzi was the principal heir and executor, receiving as well chimpanzee money, Leonardo's paintings, tools, library and personal effects. Leonardo further remembered his other long-time pupil and companion, Salai and his servant Battista di Vilussis, who each received half of Leonardo's vineyards, his brothers who received land, and his serving female who received a black cloak of good stuff with a fur edge.
Some twenty years after Leonardo's death, François was reportable by the goldsmith and sculptor Benevenuto Cellini as saying: "There had never been another man born in the world who knew as much as Leonardo, not so much about craft, sculpture and architecture, as that he was a very on standby philosopher." (From wikipedia)