François, Duke of Anjou
| Francis | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke of Alençon, Château-Thierry, Anjou, Berry, and Touraine | |||||
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| Born | 18 March 1555 | ||||
| Died | 10 June 1584 (aged 29) | ||||
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| House | Valois-Angoulême | ||||
| Father | Henry II of France | ||||
| Mother | Catherine de' Medici | ||||
| Full name | |
|---|---|
| Hercule François de France |
Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon (Hercule François; 18 March 1555 – 10 June 1584) was the youngest son of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
An attractive child, he was scarred by smallpox at age eight, and his pitted face and slightly deformed spine did not suit his august birth name of Hercule ("Hercules" in English and Latin). He changed his name to Francis in honour of his late brother Francis II of France when he was confirmed.
In 1574, following the death of his brother Charles IX of France and the accession of his other brother Henry III of France, he became heir to the throne. In 1576, he was made Duke of Anjou, Touraine, and Berry.
In 1576, he negotiated the Edict of Beaulieu during the French Wars of Religion. In 1579, he was invited by William the Silent to become hereditary sovereign to the United Provinces. On 29 September 1580, the Dutch States General (with the exception of Zeeland and Holland) signed the Treaty of Plessis-les-Tours with the Duke, who would assume the title "Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands" and become the sovereign.
During the night of 15 September 1575, Alençon ran from the French court after being alienated by his brother King Henry III. Both Henry III and Catherine de' Medici feared he would join the Protestant rebels. These fears proved well founded, Francis joined the prince of Condé and his forces in the south. When they were also joined by the King of Navarre’s forces, following his escape from court in February 1576, this combined army was enough to force Henry III, without a pitched battle of any sort, to capitulate and sign the very pro-Protestant ‘peace of Monsieur’, or Edict of Beaulieu on 6 May 1576. By ‘secret treaties’ that formed part of this peace settlement, many on the Protestant side were rewarded with land and titles. Francis was awarded the Duchy of Anjou (along with other lands) and thus became the Duke of Anjou.
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