I
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 (1547–59).
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 (1493–1567). 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 Philip II of Spain; during the festivities he was hit in the head by a lance, and he died from the wound.
II
known as Henry of Anjou or Henry Plantagenet
born 1133, Le Mans, Maine
died July 6, 1189, near Tours
Duke of Normandy (from 1150), count of Anjou (from 1151), duke of Aquitaine (from 1152), and king of England (from 1154).
The son of Matilda and grandson of Henry I , he gained vast territories in France by marrying Eleanor of Aquitaine (1152). He invaded England, and, in settlement of the war, King Stephen named Henry as heir (1153). As king, Henry extended his holdings in northern England and western France, strengthened royal administration, and reformed the court system. His attempt to assert royal authority at the expense of the church (see Constitutions of Clarendon ) led to a quarrel with the archbishop of Canterbury, his former close friend St. Thomas Becket , which ended with Becket's murder and Henry's subsequent penance at Canterbury (1174). His reign was plagued by disputes among family members, especially struggles for precedence among his sons, including {{link=Richard">Richard I (the Lionheart) and John (Lackland). Richard allied with Philip II of France to drive Henry from the throne in 1189.
III
or St. Henry German Heinrich
born May 6, 973, Albach?, Bavaria
died July 13, 1024, near Göttingen, Saxony; canonized 1146; feast day July 13
Duke of Bavaria (as Henry IV, 995–1005), German king (1002–24), and emperor (1014–24), the last of the Saxon dynasty.
He led a series of military campaigns against Poland before making peace in 1018. He asserted German authority in northern Italy and was crowned emperor by Pope Benedict VIII on Feb. 14, 1014. To protect the papacy he fought Greeks and Lombards in Italy (1021). He fostered cooperation between church and state and established the German bishops as secular rulers as well as ecclesiastical princes and established a reputation for religious piety.