Henry II of France

Henry II Of France

Henry II (31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. Henry II's reign was dominated by war against the House of Habsburg, chiefly in Italy. He suffered an untimely death in a jousting tournament held to celebrate the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis at the conclusion of the conflict. During Henry's reign, Protestantism became an important minority religion in France, in spite of his efforts to suppress it. His death led to a weakening of French royal authority that helped spur decades of religious violence between Protestants and Catholics.