Henry II of France

Henry II (Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder brother Francis in 1536. As a child, Henry and his elder brother spent over four years in captivity in Spain as hostages in exchange for their father. Henry pursued his father's policies in matters of art, war, and religion. He persevered in the Italian Wars against the Habsburgs and tried to suppress the Protestant Reformation, even as the Huguenot numbers were increasing drastically in France during his reign. Under the April 1559 Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis which ended the Italian Wars, France renounced its claims in Italy, but gained certain other territories, including the Pale of Calais and the Three Bishoprics. These acquisitions strengthened French borders while the abdication of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in January 1556 and division of his empire between Spain and Austria provided them with greater flexibility in foreign policy.

Issue

 * 1) François of France (later King François II) (19 January 1544 – 5 December 1560) married Mary, Queen of Scots but had no issue.
 * 2) Élisabeth of France (2 April 1545 – 3 October 1568) married Philip II of Spain and had issue.
 * 3) Claude of France (12 November 1547 – 21 February 1575) married Charles III, Duke of Lorraine and had issue.
 * 4) Louis of France, Duke of Orléans  (3 February 1549 – 24 October 1550) died in infancy.
 * 5) Charles of France (later King Charles IX) (27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) married Elisabeth of Austria and had issue.
 * 6) Henri of France (later King Henri III) married Louise of Lorraine but had no issue.
 * 7) Marguerite of France (14 May 1553 – 27 March 1615) married Henry IV of France but had no issue.
 * 8) François of France, Duke of Anjou (18 March 1555 – 10 June 1584) never married.
 * 9) Jeanne of France born and died 24 June 1556)
 * 10) Victoire of France (24 June 1556 – 17 August 1556) died young.