Henry II
King of France, Count of Provence (more...)
Reign	31 March 1547 – 10 July 1559
Coronation	25 July 1547, Reims
Titles	Duke of Orléans (– 1536) Duke of Brittany (1536 – 1559) Dauphin of Viennois: as Dauphin of France (10 August 1536 – 31 March 1547)
Born	31 March 1519 (1519-03-31)
Birthplace	Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Died	10 July 1559 (aged 40)
Place of death	Paris, France
Buried	Saint Denis Basilica, France
Predecessor	Francis I
Successor	Francis II
Consort	Catherine de' Medici (1519 – 1589)
Issue	Francis II of France (1544 – 1560) Elisabeth, Queen of Spain (1545 – 1568) Claude, Duchess of Lorraine (1547 – 1575) Charles IX (1550 – 1574) Henry III (1551 – 1589) Margaret, Queen of Navarre and France (1553 – 1615) Hercule François, Duke of Anjou (1555 – 1584)
Royal House	Valois Dynasty
Father	Francis I (1494 – 1547)
Mother	Claude of France (1499 – 1524)

Henry II (French: Henri II) (March 31, 1519 – July 10, 1559), of the House of Valois and the son and successor of Francis I, was King of France from March 31, 1547, until his death. The precise style of French Sovereigns varied over the years Currently there is no French sovereign three distinct traditions (the Legitimist the Orleanist and the Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Reims (alternative English spelling Rheims; riːmz in English and /ʁɛ̃s/ in French) is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne région of northern The Counts of Albon ( Comtes d'Albon) were minor French nobles in south-eastern France in the Rhône Alps region The Dauphin of France (Dauphin de France—strictly Dauphin of Viennois ( Dauphin de Viennois)—was the title given to the Heir apparent of the Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor For treaties with this name see Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (disambiguation Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the western This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Basilica of Saint Denis ( French: Basilique de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is the burial site of almost all the French This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 Francis II (François II (19 January 1544 &ndash 5 December 1560 King-consort of Scotland (1558&ndash1560 and King of France (1559 &ndash 1560 was born Catherine de' Medici (April 13 1519 &ndash January 5 1589 was born in Florence, Italy as Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de' Medici. Francis II (François II (19 January 1544 &ndash 5 December 1560 King-consort of Scotland (1558&ndash1560 and King of France (1559 &ndash 1560 was born Élisabeth of Valois ( April 2 1545 &ndash October 3 1568) was the eldest daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Charles IX (27 June 1550 &ndash 30 May 1574 born Charles-Maximilien, was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death Henry III of France (Henri III Henryk ( September 19 1551 – August 2, 1589) Marguerite de Valois ( May 14, 1553 &ndash May 27, 1615) " Queen Margot " ( La reine Margot) was Queen of Hercule François Duke of Anjou and Alençon, often simply referred to as "the Duke of Alençon" ( March 18, 1555 &ndash June 19 See also France in the Middle Ages, Early Modern France Unexpected inheritance The Capetian dynasty seemed secure both during and Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. See also France in the Middle Ages, Early Modern France Unexpected inheritance The Capetian dynasty seemed secure both during and Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 List of Queens and Empresses of France Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor

Early years

Henry was born in the Royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude de France and the grandson of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany. The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a French royal Palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 Louis XII ( June 27, 1462 – January 1, 1515) called "the Father of the People" (Le Père du Peuple was the thirty-fifth king Anne of Brittany ( 25 January, 1477 &ndash 9 January, 1514) also known as Anna of Brittany ( Anne de Bretagne; With his brother, he spent three years in Spain as a hostage to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, as surety for his father, who had been captured at the Battle of Pavia. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Henry married Catherine de' Medici (13 April 1519–January 5, 1589) on 28 October 1533, when both were fourteen years old. Catherine de' Medici (April 13 1519 &ndash January 5 1589 was born in Florence, Italy as Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de' Medici. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine

The following year he became involved with the thirty-five-year-old, recently widowed, Diane de Poitiers, who became his most trusted confidante and for the next twenty-five years wielded considerable influence behind the scenes, even signing royal documents. Diane de Poitiers ( September 3, 1499 - April 25, 1566) was a noblewoman and a fixture at the courts of Francis I and Henri II Extremely confident, mature and intelligent, she left Catherine powerless to intervene.

When his older brother Francis died in 1536 after a game of tennis, Henry became heir to the throne; he succeeded his father on his 28th birthday, March 31, 1547 and was crowned King of France on July 25, 1547 at Reims. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Reims (alternative English spelling Rheims; riːmz in English and /ʁɛ̃s/ in French) is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne région of northern

Reign

Henry's reign was marked by wars with Austria, and the persecution of the Protestant Huguenots. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth Henry II severely punished them, particularly the ministers: burning them at the stake or cutting off their tongues for speaking their heresies. Even those suspected of being Huguenots could be imprisoned. The Edict of Chateaubriand (27 June 1551) called upon the civil and ecclesiastical courts to detect and punish all heretics and placed severe restrictions on Huguenots, including loss of one-third of property to informers, and confiscations. The Edict of Châteaubriant, issued from the seat of Anne duc de Montmorency in Brittany, was promulgated by Henri II of France, 27 June Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden It also strictly regulated the press by prohibiting the sale, importation or printing of any unapproved book. Freedom Constitutional or statutory protections pertaining to freedom of the press

The Italian War of 1551–1559, sometimes known as the Habsburg-Valois War, began when Henry declared war against Charles V with the intent of recapturing Italy and ensuring French, rather than Habsburg, domination of European affairs. The Italian War of 1551 ( 1551 – 1559) sometimes known as the Habsburg-Valois War, began when Henry II of France, who had succeeded Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was An early offensive into Lorraine was successful, with Henry capturing the three episcopal cities of Metz, Toul, and Verdun, but the attempted French invasion of Tuscany in 1553 was defeated at the Battle of Marciano. Lorraine (Lorraine Lothringen is a historical area in present-day northeast France. Metz (mɛs in French) is a city in the northeast of France, capital of the Lorraine région and Préfecture Toul is a historic fortified town of France, a Sous-préfecture of the Verdun (medieval Wirten official name before 1970 Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city and commune Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 The Battle of Marciano (also known as the Battle of Scannagallo) occurred in the countryside of Marciano della Chiana, near Arezzo, Tuscany

After Charles's abdication in 1556 split the Habsburg empire between Philip II of Spain and Ferdinand I, the focus of the war shifted to Flanders, where Phillip, in conjunction with Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, defeated the French at St. Quentin. Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor ( Alcalá de Henares (near Madrid) Kingdom of Castile (now Spain) 10 March 1503 &ndash Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Emmanuel Philibert (in Italian Emanuele Filiberto; 8 July 1528 &ndash 30 August 1580) was Duke of Savoy For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French The Spanish won a significant victory over the French in the Battle of Saint-Quentin ( 1557) during the Franco-Habsburg War ( 1551 England's entry into the war later that year led to the French capture of Calais, and French armies plundered Spanish possessions in the Low Countries; but Henry was nonetheless forced to accept the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis, in which he renounced any further claims to Italy. Calais (kaˈlɛ in English often kæˈleɪ traditional English pronunciation /ˈkælɨs/ Kales is a town in northern France. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt The Italian War of 1551 ( 1551 – 1559) sometimes known as the Habsburg-Valois War, began when Henry II of France, who had succeeded

The Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis was signed between Elizabeth I of England and Henry on April 2 and between Henry and Philip II of Spain on April 3, 1559, at Le Cateau-Cambrésis, around twenty kilometers south-east of Cambrai. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Le Cateau-Cambrésis is a commune in northern France, in the Nord département. Cambrai (Dutch Kamerijk; old spelling Cambray) is a French town and commune, in the Nord département, Under its terms, France restored Piedmont and Savoy to the Duke of Savoy, but retained Saluzzo, Calais and the bishoprics of Metz, Toul, and Verdun. Piedmont ( Piemonte; Piedmontese and Occitan: Piemont; French: Piémont) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French Saluzzo is a town and former principality in the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont region Italy. Calais (kaˈlɛ in English often kæˈleɪ traditional English pronunciation /ˈkælɨs/ Kales is a town in northern France. The Diocese of Toul was a Roman Catholic Diocese seated at Toul in present-day France The Bishopric of Verdun was also a state of the Holy Roman Empire; it was located at the western edge of the Empire and was bordered by France the Duchy of Luxembourg Spain retained Franche-Comté. Franche-Comté ( Franc-Comtois: Fràntche-Comté; Franco-Provençal: Franche-Comtât) the former "Free County" of Burgundy Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, married Margaret of France, Duchess of Berry, the sister of Henry II, and Philip II of Spain married Henry's daughter Elisabeth. Emmanuel Philibert (in Italian Emanuele Filiberto; 8 July 1528 &ndash 30 August 1580) was Duke of Savoy For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French Margaret of France Duchess of Berry ( June 5, 1523 &ndash September 14, 1574) was the daughter of Francis I King of France Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 Élisabeth of Valois ( April 2 1545 &ndash October 3 1568) was the eldest daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de'

Henry raised the young Queen Mary I of Scotland at his court, hoping to use her as a tool of Valois imperialism. On April 24, 1558, Henry's fourteen-year-old son Francis was married to Mary in a union intended to give the future king of France not only the throne of Scotland but a claim to the throne of England. Henry had Mary sign secret documents, illegal in Scottish law, that would ensure Valois rule in Scotland even if she died without heir (Guy 2004:91). Mary's claim to the English throne quickly became current when Mary I of England died later in 1558, Henry and his Catholic advisors regarding Elizabeth Tudor as illegitimate. Mary I (18 February 1516 &ndash 17 November 1558 was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death

Death

Henry II was an avid hunter and a participant in jousts and tournaments. On June 30, 1559, at the Place des Vosges in Paris, during a match to celebrate the Peace Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis with his longtime enemies, the Habsburgs of Austria and to celebrate the marriage of his daughter Elizabeth of Valois to King Philip II of Spain, King Henry was mortally wounded by a sliver from the shattered lance of Gabriel Montgomery, captain of the King's Scottish Guard. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper The Place des Vosges is the oldest square in Paris. It is located in Le Marais, and is part of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The Italian War of 1551 ( 1551 – 1559) sometimes known as the Habsburg-Valois War, began when Henry II of France, who had succeeded Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Élisabeth of Valois ( April 2 1545 &ndash October 3 1568) was the eldest daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 Gabriel Comte de Montgomery Seigneur de Lorges (c 1530 &ndash June 26 1574) was a lieutenant in King Henry II of France 's Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It penetrated the closed visor, pierced his left eye, penetrated the brain and came out via his ear. He suffered terribly, and, despite the efforts of royal surgeon Ambroise Paré, died on July 10, 1559 and was buried in a cadaver tomb in Saint Denis Basilica. Ambroise Paré (born in Bourg-Hersent near Laval, France, c 1510 &ndash Paris, December 20, 1590) was a French surgeon Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. A cadaver tomb (or " Memento mori Tomb " Latin for "reminder of death" is a Church monument or Tomb featuring The Basilica of Saint Denis ( French: Basilique de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is the burial site of almost all the French Prior to his death, Queen Catherine limited access to his bedside and denied his mistress (Diane de Poitiers) access to him, even though he repeatedly asked for her. Catherine de' Medici (April 13 1519 &ndash January 5 1589 was born in Florence, Italy as Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de' Medici. Diane de Poitiers ( September 3, 1499 - April 25, 1566) was a noblewoman and a fixture at the courts of Francis I and Henri II Following his death, Catherine sent de Poitiers into exile, where she was to live in comfort on her own properties until her death.

Henry was succeeded by his son, Francis II, who died the following year and was succeeded by his two brothers. Francis II (François II (19 January 1544 &ndash 5 December 1560 King-consort of Scotland (1558&ndash1560 and King of France (1559 &ndash 1560 was born Their mother acted as Regent. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor For the forty years following Henry II's death, France was filled with turbulence as Protestants and Catholics fought the bitter Wars of Religion. The French Wars of Religion (1562 to 1598 between French Catholics and Protestants ( Huguenots involved both civil infighting

Ancestors

Henry's ancestors in three generations

Marriage and Issue

Detail from portrait plaque, enamel and gilding on copper

On October 28, 1533, he married Catherine de' Medici (April 13, 1519 - January 5, 1589). John of Orléans Count of Angoulême and of Périgord ( French: Jean d'Orléans comte d'Angoulême) 1399 &ndash 30 April 1467, younger son Charles of Orléans Count of Angoulême ( French: Charles d'Orléans Comte d'Angoulême) (1459 &ndash 1 January 1496) was a member of the French Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 Philip II ( February 5 1438 &ndash November 7 1497) surnamed the Landless was the Duke of Savoy for the brief reign from Louise of Savoy ( September 11, 1476 &ndash September 22, 1531) was the mother of Francis I of France. Margaret of Bourbon (1438-1483 was the daughter of Charles I Duke of Bourbon (1401-1456 and Agnes of Burgundy (1407-1476 who was the daughter of John the Charles of Valois Duke of Orléans ( November 24, 1394 &ndash January 5, 1465) became Duke of Orléans in 1407 following the murder Louis XII ( June 27, 1462 – January 1, 1515) called "the Father of the People" (Le Père du Peuple was the thirty-fifth king Marie of Cleves ( 19 September, 1426 - 23 August, 1487) was born in Prussia to Adolph I of Cleves and Marie of Burgundy. Francis II (in Breton Frañsez II, in French François II) ( June 23 1433 &ndash September 9 1488 Anne of Brittany ( 25 January, 1477 &ndash 9 January, 1514) also known as Anna of Brittany ( Anne de Bretagne; Marguerite de Foix, (c 1453 &ndash 15 May 1486, Nantes) was by marriage Duchess of Brittany from 1474 to 1486 Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Catherine de' Medici (April 13 1519 &ndash January 5 1589 was born in Florence, Italy as Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de' Medici. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. After initial problems in conceiving, they produced ten children:

Henry II also had four illegitimate children:

• By Catherine Michelle: Elaine de francias (1557)-(1635) Henry supposedly questioned wether or not to give her a title and it was not until his death bed that he admitted to her being his. Elaine de Francias, Comtesse de Montmorency (1557–1625 was the illegitimate daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine Michelle He gave her the title Countess de Montmorency. It is questioned as to why he was so secretive about this one daughter.
• By Filippa Duci: Diane, Duchesse d'Angoulême (1538-1619). Diane de France (1538 &ndash January 11, 1619) was the natural (illegitimate daughter of Henry II, King of France, and his Piedmontese Some sources have stated that the little girl was the natural daughter of Henry's long-time mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Diane de Poitiers ( September 3, 1499 - April 25, 1566) was a noblewoman and a fixture at the courts of Francis I and Henri II This is probably not the case since Henry had Filippa Duci monitored closely throughout her pregnancy, and there is a record of this. She gave birth to the baby in a convent and it appears that she remained there for the rest of her life. The younger Diane married (at the age of 14) Orazio Farnese, Duke of Castro. He died young in battle. Her second marriage was to François, Duc de Montmorency.
• By Lady Janet Stewart (1508-1563), herself an illegitimate daughter of James IV of Scotland: Henri de Valois (1551- June 1586). Janet Stewart Lady Fleming (or Jane, Jenny, Joan, Jean, or Johanna; c James IV ( 17 March 1473 &ndash 9 September 1513) was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death He was legitimized and became governor of Provence. Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France
• By Nicole de Savigny: a son, Henri (1557-1621), whom Henry did not legitimize because he was unsure about his paternity. He gave him the title of Comte de Saint-Rémy. One of his last descendants was to be Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, Comtesse de la Motte, famous for her role in the Diamond Necklace Affair. Jeanne de Valois, Jeanne de Saint-Rémy-de Luz, Comtesse de la Motte ( 22 July, 1756 – 23 August[[ 791]] was a French noblewoman

Prophecy

Monarchical Styles of King Henry II Par la grâce de Dieu, Roi de France
Reference style	His Most Christian Majesty
Spoken style	Your Most Christian Majesty
Alternative style	Monsieur Le Roi

Michel Nostradamus, the French astrologer known for his prophecies, is often said to have first become famous when one of his quatrains was construed as a prediction of the death of King Henry II:

CI, Q 35 The young lion shall overcome the older one,
on the field of combat in single battle,
He shall pierce his eyes in a golden cage,
Two forces one, then he shall die a cruel death. A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the List of Queens and Empresses of France Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below Michel de Nostredame (14 December 1503 or 21 December 1503 &ndash 2 July 1566 usually Latinized to Nostradamus, was a French Apothecary A quatrain is a Poem, or a Stanza within a poem that consists always of four lines

But in fact the link was first proposed in print only in 1614^[1], 55 years after the event and 48 after Nostradamus's death. The Italian astrologer Luca Gaurico, a contemporary of Nostradamus, is also said to have predicted the king's death. Luca Gaurico (in Latin Lucas Gauricus) ( March 12, 1476 &ndash 1558 was an Italian astrologer astronomer and mathematician

Notes

References

• Guy, John, My Heart is my Own, London, Fourth Estate, 2004, ISBN 0–00–71930–8