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Accession of Francis II
On 10 July 1559 Henry II of France died from a jousting accident, and his 15-year-old son Francis II succeeded him;…
Timeline
- 1559Paris · FranceHenry II was pierced through the eye by a lance during a tournament celebrating the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis and died on 10 July after days of failed treatment; the throne passed to his eldest son Francis II.
- 1559Reims · FranceFrancis II was crowned King of France at Reims Cathedral; due to his youth, real power was shared by his mother Catherine de' Medici and the Guise brothers (especially François de Guise), while Queen Mary Stuart also held significant influence.
- 1559–1560France · FranceDuring Francis II's reign the Guise family dominated the privy council, intensified persecution of the Huguenots, and provoked the Amboise conspiracy (1560), sharply escalating France's religious tensions and sowing the seeds of the coming Wars of Religion.
Sources
- Francis II https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francis-II-king-of-France
- Henry II https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-II-king-of-France