Insatiable Facts About Henry IV Of France, History's Messiest King
Henry IV Of France, History's Messiest King
King Henry IV of France was called “Henry the Great”, but this monarch certainly wasn’t good. This bloodthirsty, grade-A hedonist had the messiest personal life Europe had ever seen—the infamous Tudors included. Believe me: King Henry IV has secrets, and I’m here to expose them.
1. He Had A Messy Home Life
The notorious King Henry VIII gets a lot of bad press, but he has nothing on King Henry IV of France.
Born Henry of Navarre, this French royal came from powerful stock. His mother was the formidable Queen Joan of Navarre—but drama also ran in his family. His father Antoine of Bourbon constantly flaunted his many mistresses in front of his wife. And when Joan got her revenge, little Henry was right in the middle.
2. His Mother Abandoned Him
As Henry grew up, his parents’ issues got worse, particularly after Joan converted to Protestantism while his father stayed Catholic. Fed up, Joan carted a seven-year-old Henry to the nearby French court and intended to stay for a good, long while.
So when Antoine ordered his queenly wife back to Navarre, Joan was even more annoyed—so much so that while she did return, she left Henry behind in France for four years. Yep, Henry’s mother abandoned him to make a perverse point. Is it any surprise Henry turned out so maladjusted?
3. His Bride-To-Be Was Stunning
In 1572, Henry’s mother decided it was high time her 19-year-old son looked for a bride. In response, the infamous Catherine de Medici, the Queen Mother in France, put forth her daughter Margaret of Valois as an option.
Margaret was around Henry’s age, a renowned beauty, and from an equally influential family, seeing as her brothers were Kings of France. Easy peasy matchmaking, right? Except it turned into a total nightmare.
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4. He Had A Controversial Romance
One of Margaret’s many admirers described her as “more divine than human, she is made to damn and ruin men rather than to save them". Well, there were some definite signs ruin was on the way.
For one thing, while Henry was a Protestant like his mother, Margaret was a staunch Catholic and swore she would never convert.
This was a huge obstacle. Even the Pope himself weighed in, warning he would never sanction Henry and Margaret’s marriage. When they continued anyway, cruel karma struck.
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