Henri II 1519-59
King of France

Born at St Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, he was the son of Francis I. In 1533, as Duke of Orl�ans, he married Catherine de M�dicis, by whom he had seven surviving children, three of whom became kings of France (Francis II, Charles IX and Henri III). He became heir to the throne in 1536 on the death of his brother, the Dauphin Francis, and king in 1547. Dominated by his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, and by Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France, he introduced reforms to curb extravagance at court and regularize the country's disordered finances. Through the influence of the Guises he formed an alliance with Scotland, declared war on England, and captured Boulogne (1550) and Calais (1558). He continued the war against the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, in alliance with the German Protestant princes, gaining Metz, Toul and Verdun, but his ambitions in Italy and the Low Countries were thwarted when he suffered reverses, including the annhilation of his army at St Quentin (1557), leading to the Treaty of C�teau-Cambr�sis (1559). At home he began the persecution of Huguenots that would lead to the Wars of Religion (1562-98). He died of wounds received in a tournament, and was succeeded by his son as Francis II, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Bibliography: Frederic J Baumgartner, Henry II, King of France, 1547-1559 (1988)