French Henri orig. duc (duke) d'Orléans
born March 31, 1519, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, Fr.
died July 10, 1559, Paris
King of France (154759).
The second son of Francis I , he had strong differences with his father, accentuated by the rivalry between their mistresses and by Henry's support of the constable Anne, duc de Montmorency (14931567). Though he continued many of his father's policies, Henry raised the Catholic House of Guise to favour, and he vigorously suppressed Protestantism within his kingdom. He made a number of administrative reforms. In foreign affairs Henry continued his father's warfare against Emperor Charles V until 1559, when he signed the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis . The treaty was to be cemented by the marriage of Henry's daughter to Philip II of Spain; during the festivities he was hit in the head by a lance, and he died from the wound.