Henry II of France
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| Image:Henri2-1.jpg |
Henry II (French: Henri II) (March 31 1519 – July 10 1559), a member of the Valois Dynasty, was King of France from July 31, 1547 until his death.
Born in the Royal Château at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, the son of François I and Claude de France and the grandson of Louis XII of France and Anne de Bretagne, his marriage was arranged to Catherine de Medici (April 13 1519 - January 5 1589) on October 28 1533 when both were 14 years old. His long-running affair with Diane de Poitiers lasted throughout his married life.
He was crowned King on July 25 1547 in the cathedral at Reims. His reign was marked by wars with Austria, and the persecution of the Protestant Huguenots. Henry II severely punished them, burning them alive or cutting out their tongues for speaking their Protestant beliefs. Even someone suspected of being a Huguenot was imprisoned for life.
Henry II was an avid hunter and participant in jousting tournaments. On July 1 1559, 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's eye was pierced by a sliver that penetrated the brain, from the shattered lance of Gabriel Montgomery, captain of the King's Scottish Guard. 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.
He was succeeded by his son, François II. For the next forty years following Henri II's death, France was filled with turbulence as his sons and other claimants to the French crown fought for power.
Marriage and Issue
On October 28 1533, he married Catherine of Medici (April 13 1519 - January 5 1589)
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francis II, King of France | January 19 1544 | December 5 1560 | Married Mary, Queen of Scots (1542 - 1587) in 1558. Had no issue. |
| Elizabeth, Princess of France | April 2 1545 | October 3 1568 | Married Philip II, King of Spain (1527 - 1598) in 1559. Had issue. |
| Claude, Princess of France | November 12 1547 | February 21 1575 | Married Charles III, Duke of Lorraine (1543 - 1608). Had issue. |
| Louis, Prince of France | February 3, 1549 | October, 1549 | Died young. Had no issue. |
| Charles IX, King of France | June 27 1550 | May 30 1574 | Married Elizabeth of Austria (1554 - 1592) in 1570. Had issue. |
| Henry III, King of France | September 19 1551 | August 2 1589 | Married Louise of Lorraine in 1575. Had no issue. |
| Margaret, Princess of France | May 14 1553 | March 27 1615 | Known as Margot. Married Henry IV, King of France. Divorced and had no issue. |
| Hercules, Prince of France | March 18 1555 | June 19 1584 | Later known as Francis, Duke of Alencon and Anjou. |
| Joan, Princess of France | June 24 1556 | June 24 1556 | Twin with Victoria, Princess of England. Died young. Had no issue. |
| Victoria, Princess of France | June 24 1556 | August 1556 | Twin with Joan, Princess of England. Died young. Had no issue. |
Henry II also had three illegitimate children:
- By Filippa Duci: Diane, Duchesse d'Angoulême (1538-1619). Some sources have stated that the little girl was the natural daughter of Henri's long-time mistress, Diane de Poitiers. This is probably not the case since Henry had Filippa Duci monitored closely throughout her pregancy, 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 lfe. 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 Jane Fleming (née Jane Stewart) (1508-1563), herself an illegitimate daughter of James IV of Scotland: Henri de Valois (1551- June 1586). He was legitimized and became governor of Provence.
- By Nicole de Savigny: a son, Henri, whom Henry did not legitimize because he was unsure about his paternity. He gave him the title of Comte de Saint-Rémy.
Prophecy
Template:Infobox Francekstyles Nostradamus, the French astrologer known for his prophecies, first became famous when he predicted the death of King Henry II, as follows:
CI, Q 35 The young lion will overcome the older one,
on the field of combat in single battle,
He will pierce his eyes through a golden cage,
Two wounds made one, then he dies a cruel death.
The Italian astrologer Luca Gaurico, a contemporary of Nostradamus, is also said to have predicted the king's death.
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