Henry IV of France was the first Bourbon king of France. Formerly known as Henri of Navarre, he succeeded to the French throne with the extinction of House of Valois, at the death of Henry III of France. In 1584, Prince François, the youngest brother and heir presumptive of King Henry III, died. Following Salic law, Henry became the heir presumptive to the French throne, as the First Prince of the Blood (Prince du Sang in French). He was then the closest relative of the king in the legitimate male line, and as such the next senior-most representative of the House of Capet after the king himself. When Henry III died in 1589 without children, Henry succeeded him as king.
His descendants are varied and numerous. Some of his descendants are Juan Carlos of Spain, Franz, Duke of Bavaria, actress Brooke Shields, singer and actress Jane Birkin. He had six children with his wife Marie de' Medici and also had many illegitimate children through his many mistresses. This article deals with each of his children and their respective descendants.
Famous quotes containing the words descendants of, descendants, marie and/or medici:
“The descendants of Holy Roman Empire monarchies became feeble-minded in the twentieth century, and after World War I had been done in by the democracies; some were kept on to entertain the tourists, like the one they have in England.”
—Ishmael Reed (b. 1938)
“Not only does democracy make every man forget his ancestors, but also clouds their view of their descendants and isolates them from their contemporaries. Each man is for ever thrown back on himself alone, and there is danger that he may be shut up in the solitude of his own heart.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“In the case of news, we should always wait for the sacrament of confirmation.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (1694–1778)
“The said doctor can easily practise upon a page, and, if he does well, he can use his remedies on my son.”
—Catherine De’ Medici (1519–1589)