v42_0496 - NAVARRE-BEARN - HENRY III Quart d'écu de Navarre

NAVARRE-BEARN - HENRY III

(1572-1589)

Henri de Navarre (1553-1610), grandson of Henri d'Albret, was the son of Antoine de Bourbon and Queen Jeanne de Navarre. The child is brought up in the Reformed denomination by his mother. His father died at the siege of Rouen in 1562 and his mother died on June 4, 1572 just before the marriage of Henri and Marguerite de Navarre (1553-1615), on August 18, 1572. The young Henri escaped the massacre of Saint- Barthélemy, August 24, but remains a prisoner at the Court of France until February 1576. Henri flees, becomes the leader of the Protestant party, then heir to the throne after the death of François. Henry III was assassinated on August 2 and Henry II of Navarre became Henry IV of France. He will still take ten years to conquer his kingdom before the Edict of Nantes of April 13, 1598 which puts an end to the Wars of Religion.