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Henry IV of France

Also known as Henry the Great (epithet)

Château de Pau, 23 Dec 1553 – Paris, 14 May 1610

15 facts3 sources

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About Henry IV

Henry IV of France: The First Bourbon King

AI-assisted · edited

The collection records Henry IV’s birth in 1553 at the Château de Pau. His parents were Antoine of Navarre and Jeanne d’Albret. The collection also records his death in Paris in 1610. 1234

Henry became king of France in 1589 and ruled until 1610. From 1572, he was also monarch of Lower Navarre, where he was known as Henry III. He was therefore a ruler of two kingdoms whose reigns overlapped for more than two decades. 567

Henry IV was the first French monarch from the House of Bourbon, a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. His rule is associated with the French Wars of Religion and the Edict of Nantes. The evidence describes his political approach as a pragmatic balancing of Catholic and Protestant interests in France and among European states. 8910

Drafted with AI and edited against the collection. Open a citation to see the record, its sources and how certain it is.

Facts and their sources

  • Born23 Dec 1553, Château de Paunot verified1 source
  • Titlecount of Foix, 1572–1589or French co-prince of Andorra, 1572–1610 · Monarch of Lower Navarre, 1572–1610 · King of France, 1589–1610not verified1 source
  • TitleMonarch of Lower Navarre, 1572–1610or count of Foix, 1572–1589 · French co-prince of Andorra, 1572–1610 · King of France, 1589–1610not verified1 source
  • TitleFrench co-prince of Andorra, 1572–1610or count of Foix, 1572–1589 · Monarch of Lower Navarre, 1572–1610 · King of France, 1589–1610not verified1 source
  • TitleKing of France, 1589–1610or count of Foix, 1572–1589 · French co-prince of Andorra, 1572–1610 · Monarch of Lower Navarre, 1572–1610not verified1 source
  • EventFrench Wars of Religionor Edict of Nantesnot verified1 source
  • EventEdict of Nantesor French Wars of Religionnot verified1 source
  • Died14 May 1610, Parisnot verified1 source
  • MotherJeanne d'Albretnot verified1 source
  • FatherAntoine of Navarrenot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 23 Dec 1553

    Born in Château de Pau

  2. 1572–1589

    Count of Foix

  3. 1572–1610

    Monarch of Lower Navarre

  4. 1572–1610

    French co-prince of Andorra

  5. 1589–1610

    King of France

  6. 1594–1609

    14 children are born

  7. 14 May 1610

    Dies in Paris, aged 56

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 14

During his lifetime

He lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Château de Pau.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1550s · Henry IV is born in Château de Pau

In the news1545–1552

Plague epidemics devastate the region

Between 1545 and 1552, plague outbreaks caused extreme hardship, leading to deserted towns and citizens walling up infected homes.

At the table

Bread and soup were dietary staples

Ordinary families based their daily diet on bread, often eaten as soup by soaking pieces in water or bouillon, alongside cereal porridges or cakes. This was frequently accompanied by a companage, which was a variety of accessible foods like vegetables, legumes, cheese, or eggs.

What people wore

Servant girl's market clothing

A servant girl in Paris in 1586 wore a bonnet covered with a long cloth hood and a bodice that was laced at the front and trimmed with black velvet.

Getting around

Common ways of traveling during the Renaissance

Until the mid-16th century, common travel methods included walking, riding a mule, or, for the wealthy, riding a horse.

What it cost

Agricultural worker daily wage

By 1550, an agricultural worker earned 1 livre per day.

Music

Weekly court balls and dances

At the French court under Henry III, balls were held at least twice a week, featuring dances such as the pavane, the dynamic gaillarde, and the volte, where the dancer helped his partner perform an aerial leap.

Daily life

Segregated elementary schooling

While private tutors served noble families, elementary schools for others were church-run and segregated by gender; a 1554 decree specifically prohibited boys and girls from studying together.