The Tree of Europe · Person

Henry IV of France

«the Great»

The first Bourbon king of France and previously King of Navarre. He brought much of the French Wars of Religion to an end and rebuilt royal authority after decades of conflict.

1553 – 1610King of France · King of Navarre as Henry IIIBourbon · ES

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Historical portraitHenry IV in armourFrans Pourbus the Younger · 1610Public domain · PD-Art / PDM 1.0 · Source

Biography

Life of Henry IV of France

A Huguenot prince

The son of Antoine of Bourbon and Jeanne III d’Albret, Queen of Navarre, he was born in Pau in 1553 and brought up in the Reformed faith. King of Navarre from 1572, that year he married Margaret of Valois, Charles IX’s sister. The wedding preceded the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre by a few days; he escaped by abjuring his faith and remained detained at court.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Heir to France

He escaped in 1576, returned to Protestantism and became leader of the Huguenot party. The death of the king’s younger brother in 1584 made him heir to Henry III, which the Catholic League, supported by Philip II, refused to accept. After Henry III’s assassination in 1589, he had to conquer his kingdom by force of arms.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Paris is worth a mass

In 1593 he abjured Protestantism, and in 1594 he entered Paris. The Edict of Nantes in 1598 granted the Huguenots limited freedom of worship and fortified places of security; the Peace of Vervins ended war with Spain. With Sully he rebuilt the treasury and the country after decades of civil war.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

The end

After his first marriage was annulled, in 1600 he married Marie de’ Medici, the mother of Louis XIII. While preparing a campaign against the Habsburgs, he was assassinated in Paris by François Ravaillac in May 1610. Popular memory turned him into “Good King Henry”.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

This complete profile is available in English. Bibliographic titles retain their original language. Links marked ES open the Spanish edition.

Historical profile

Key details

Birth: 13 December 1553 Documented

Death: 14 May 1610 Documented

Role: King of France · King of Navarre as Henry III

Other recorded names: Henry the Great · Henry III of Navarre · Good King Henry

Dynasty: Bourbon · ES

Territories: Navarre (ES) · France (ES) · Béarn (ES) · Foix (ES) · County of Bigorre (ES) · Albret (ES)

Recorded governments and reigns

King · Navarre · Reign Pending review1572–1610Branch ruleFrom 1512 the two lines did not effectively govern the whole of the former kingdom.

King · France · Reign Pending review1589–1610Effective rule

Viscount · Béarn · Viscounty Documented1572–1610Effective ruleSovereign lord of Béarn; union with France came under Louis XIII in 1620.

Count · Foix · County Documented1572–1607Effective ruleHe incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.

Count · County of Bigorre · County Documented1572–1607Effective ruleHe incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.

Duke · Albret · Duchy Documented1572–1607Effective ruleHe incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.

Family network

Recorded relationships

Parents

Antoine of BourbonPending reviewJoan III of NavarrePending review

Partners

Margaret of Valois · ESDocumentedMarie de’ Medici · ESDocumented

Children

César, Duke of Vendôme · ESLouis XIII of FranceElisabeth of France · ESChristine of France · ESGaston of Orléans · ESHenrietta Maria of France · ES

Crowns and unions

Their titles over time

Follow the changing territories and offices of Henry IV of France. Each title retains its own status.

Period

Governments in 1589

NavarreKing
View titles and jurisdictions
- Navarre · ESKing · Branch rule · Albret-Bourbon dynasty; Lower Navarre after the conquest1572–1610 · From 1512 the two lines did not effectively govern the whole of the former kingdom.
FranceKing
View titles and jurisdictions
- France · ESKing · Effective rule1589–1610
BéarnViscount
View titles and jurisdictions
- Béarn · ESViscount · Effective rule1572–1610 · Sovereign lord of Béarn; union with France came under Louis XIII in 1620.
FoixCount
View titles and jurisdictions
- Foix · ESCount · Effective rule1572–1607 · He incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.
County of BigorreCount
View titles and jurisdictions
- County of Bigorre · ESCount · Effective rule1572–1607 · He incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.
AlbretDuke
View titles and jurisdictions
- Albret · ESDuke · Effective rule1572–1607 · He incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.

Annual dates: overlap within one year does not prove that two offices were held on the same day. Regencies and co-rulerships retain their labels.

Documentation

Sources for this profile

Biographical and contextual references in their original language. Sources and methodology.

Evidence for this profile

12 recorded claims · 4 without a claim-specific source. Context references do not by themselves verify every fact.

Dates (2/2 with a precise source)

BirthDocumented
13 December 1553
The authority record gives the birth as 1553-12-13.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND · Heinrich IV., Frankreich, König · Vital data: birth date
Reviewed on 2026-10-17 by El Árbol de Europa ·
DeathDocumented
14 May 1610
The authority record gives the death as 1610-05-14.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND · Heinrich IV., Frankreich, König · Vital data: death date
Reviewed on 2026-10-17 by El Árbol de Europa ·

Family and relationships (2/4 with a precise source)

FatherPending review
Antoine of Bourbon
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·
MotherPending review
Joan III of Navarre
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·
Marriage or partnershipDocumented
Margaret of Valois
The authority record identifies Margaret of Valois (GND 118577700) as spouse.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND · Heinrich IV., Frankreich, König · Relationships: spouse → GND 118577700
Reviewed on 2026-10-17 by El Árbol de Europa ·
Marriage or partnershipDocumented
Marie de’ Medici
The authority record identifies Marie de’ Medici (GND 118577778) as spouse.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND · Heinrich IV., Frankreich, König · Relationships: spouse → GND 118577778
Reviewed on 2026-10-17 by El Árbol de Europa ·

Governments (4/6 with a precise source)

GovernmentPending review
King · Navarre · 1572–1610
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·
GovernmentPending review
King · France · 1589–1610
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·
GovernmentDocumented
Viscount · Béarn · 1572–1610
Sovereign lord of Béarn; union with France came under Louis XIII in 1620.
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana · Bearn · De facto sovereignty of the viscounty in the sixteenth century; Henry III of Navarre (IV of France) preserved its administrative autonomy in 1607. In 1620 Louis XIII proclaimed the edict of union with France at Pau.
Reviewed on 2026-10-19 by El Árbol de Europa ·
GovernmentDocumented
Count · Foix · 1572–1607
He incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana · Comtat de Foix · Gaston IV (1436); his grandchildren Francis Phoebus and Catherine, monarchs of Navarre; Henry (II of Navarre), Jeanne (III) and Henry IV of France, who incorporated the domains into the French crown in 1607.
Reviewed on 2026-10-19 by El Árbol de Europa ·
GovernmentDocumented
Count · County of Bigorre · 1572–1607
He incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana · Bigorra · In 1425 John I of Grailly, Count of Foix, received the county from Charles VII. Thereafter it was ruled by the counts of Foix; Henry IV incorporated it into his kingdom in 1607.
Reviewed on 2026-10-19 by El Árbol de Europa ·
GovernmentDocumented
Duke · Albret · 1572–1607
He incorporated it into the French crown in 1607.
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana · Albret · Alain the Great (1440–1522), guardian of his grandson Henry II of Navarre; Jeanne III; duchy created in 1556 and incorporated into the crown by Henry IV in 1607.
Reviewed on 2026-10-19 by El Árbol de Europa ·

Biographical and contextual references (3)

Editorial history

2026-10-12 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-08 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-03 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-09-30 · The duchy is limited to Dijon and Autun; each other fief now enters the map only under its dated ruler. John III of Namur and the Nevers/Rethel branch were added. The previous shape combined later counties and unrelated lands as if all belonged to the duchy from 1363.
2026-09-28 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.

Follow this person through history

Story · Spanish original

A crown between two creeds

Catherine de’ Medici, the Huguenots and the Catholic League

Start reading

Keep exploring

More paths from Henry IV of France

Life of Henry IV of France

A Huguenot prince

Heir to France

Paris is worth a mass

The end

Key details

Recorded relationships

Their titles over time

Governments in 1589

Sources for this profile

Evidence for this profile

Follow this person through history

A crown between two creeds

More paths from Henry IV of France

Family

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