Turning Points · 1610
Assassination of Henry IV of France
Rue de la Ferronnerie, Paris
What happened
On 14 May 1610 King Henry IV of France was assassinated in Paris by François Ravaillac, a fanatical Catholic. The king's carriage had been stopped by traffic on the narrow Rue de la Ferronnerie. Henry had become a Catholic in 1593 to help unite a divided country, and in 1598 he issued the Edict of Nantes, which gave Huguenots (French Protestants) limited rights.
Why it matters
The Edict of Nantes had ended the violence of the Huguenot wars. After Henry's death, tensions between Catholics and Protestants rose again, and the Huguenots increasingly saw their rights threatened.
What came next
Henry's widow, Marie de' Medici, became regent, ruling for their young son, who later became King Louis XIII.
Did you know?
Henry was nicknamed "Good King Henry".
Timeline
- 1593Henry becomes a Catholic.
- 1598Henry issues the Edict of Nantes.
- 14 May 1610Henry IV is assassinated in Paris.