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Henry of Navarre's Escape from Court (1576)
On 3 February 1576 Huguenot leader Henry of Navarre (later Henry IV) fled the Louvre by night, ending his house arrest since 1572 and openly leading …
Timeline
- 1572–1576Paris · ParisAfter the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, Henry of Navarre was forced to convert to Catholicism and remain at the royal court, nominally a royal guest but actually under close watch and unable to freely return to his lands.
- 1576Louvre · ParisHenry left the Louvre on a night when the guards were lax and fled Paris along a prearranged route with a few attendants. Traditional accounts say he used a hunt or banquet as cover and quickly headed south, out of royal control.
- 1576Navarre · PyreneesUpon reaching Navarre, Henry openly resumed his Calvinist faith, gathered Huguenot nobles and troops, and became one of the most compelling military leaders of the Fifth War of Religion.
Sources
- Henry IV of France https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-IV-king-of-France
- Henry of Navarre: Henry IV of France — David Buisseret (1990)