Henry IV (December 13, 1553 to May 14, 1610) was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France. His parents were Queen Jeanne III of Navarre and King Antoine Bourbon of Navarre. Henry is one of the most fascinating monarchs in all of French history. He is complex and attractive and finally, he is important. His personal choice to convert to Roman Catholicism in order to unite his divided nation is one of the great acts of political courage. His very brief reign follows sixty years of religious wars. He brings France together and for that he is honored still as one of the greatest kings in French history.
RECOMMENDED READING
Henri IV of France: His Reign and Age,
Johns Hopkins University Press (January 19, 2012),
ISBN 1421405784