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Henry Valois

Henri III
Anjou 1570louvre.jpg
Henry, Duke of Anjou
(by François Clouet)
King of Poland
Grand Duke of Lithuania
Reign 16 May 1573 – 12 May 1575
Coronation 22 February 1574, Wawel
Predecessor Sigismund II Augustus
Successor Anna and Stephen
Interrex Jakub Uchański
King of France
Reign 30 May 1574 – 2 August 1589
Coronation 13 February 1575, Reims
Predecessor Charles IX
Successor Henry IV
Born (1551-09-19)19 September 1551
Château de Fontainebleau
Died 2 August 1589(1589-08-02) (aged 37)
Château de Saint-Cloud
Burial Basilica of St Denis
Spouse Louise of Lorraine
House Valois-Angoulême
Father Henry II of France
Mother Catherine de' Medici
Religion Roman Catholicism
Signature Henri III's signature

Henry III (19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589; born Alexandre Édouard de France, Polish: Henryk Walezy, Lithuanian: Henrikas Valua) was King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1573 to 1575 and King of France from 1574 until his death. He was the last French monarch of the House of Valois.

As the fourth son of King Henry II of France, he was not expected to inherit the French throne and thus was a good candidate for the vacant throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he was elected King/Grand Duke in 1573. During his brief rule, he signed the Henrician Articles into law, recognizing the Polish nobility's right to free freely elect their monarch. Aged 22, Henry abandoned Poland-Lithuania upon inheriting the French throne when his brother, Charles IX, died without issue.

France was at the time plagued by the Wars of Religion, and Henry's authority was undermined by violent political parties funded by foreign powers: the Catholic League (supported by Spain), the Protestant Huguenots (supported by England and the Dutch) and the Malcontents, led by Henry's own brother, the Duke of Alençon, which was a party of Catholic and Protestant aristocrats who jointly opposed the absolutist ambitions of the king. Henry III was himself a politique, arguing that a strong and religiously tolerant monarchy would save France from collapse.


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