Henry II of France
A vigorous warrior-king whose fatal jousting accident plunged France into decades of religious civil war.
1519–1559 (age 40)·King of France from 1547 to 1559·Birthday: March 31
Biography
Henry II of France ascended the throne in 1547, inheriting a kingdom deeply in debt from his father's wars but also a fierce rivalry with the Habsburg Empire. A robust and athletic man, he preferred physical pursuits and the company of his powerful mistress, Diane de Poitiers, over the minutiae of governance, which he largely left to the constable Anne de Montmorency. His reign was defined by continued conflict, most notably the final phase of the Italian Wars, which ended with France's defeat at Saint-Quentin. Domestically, his policies intensified the persecution of French Protestants, or Huguenots, laying the kindling for the Wars of Religion that would erupt after his death. His life ended with shocking suddenness during a tournament to celebrate peace treaties; a splinter from a broken lance pierced his eye, leading to a gruesome death days later. This tragic accident created a power vacuum, leaving the kingdom to his young and sickly sons and his formidable widow, Catherine de' Medici, who struggled to control the spiraling religious violence.
#1 When Henry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1519
Henry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1519Born
1524Started school
1532Became a teenager
1535Could drive
1537Could vote
1540Turned 21
1549Turned 30
1559Turned 40
Key Achievements
- Established the Château de Fontainebleau as a major center of French Renaissance art and architecture.
- Formally annexed the bishoprics of Metz, Toul, and Verdun, securing them for France from the Holy Roman Empire.
- Founded what would later become the French Academy of Sciences.
- Oversaw the continuation of the Louvre's construction, adding the Lescot Wing.
Did You Know?
He was married to Catherine de' Medici at age 14, but his lifelong romantic companion was Diane de Poitiers, who was 20 years his senior.
His royal monogram intertwined his initial 'H' with Diane's 'D' on buildings and artifacts.
The prophecy of Nostradamus, who served at his court, is often linked to Henry's fatal jousting wound.
He instituted the first standardized postal system in France.
“I will maintain the laws and customs of my kingdom, and the authority of my crown.”
