Henry IV, also known by the epithet Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch of France from the House of Bourbon, a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. He was assassinated in 1610 by François Ravaillac, a Catholic zealot, and was succeeded by his son Louis XIII.
The son of Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme and Jeanne d'Albret, the Queen of Navarre, Henry was baptised as a Catholic but raised in the Protestant faith by his mother. He inherited the throne of Navarre in 1572 on his mother's death. As a Huguenot, Henry was involved in the French Wars of Religion, barely escaping assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. He later led Protestant forces against the royal army.
Henry and his predecessor Henry III of France were direct descendants of King Louis IX. Henry III belonged to the House of Valois, descended from Philip III of France, elder son of Saint Louis; Henry IV belonged to the House of Bourbon, descended from Robert, Count of Clermont, younger son of Saint Louis. As Head of the House of Bourbon, Henry was "first prince of the blood". Upon the death of his brother-in-law and distant cousin Henry III in 1589, Henry was called to the French succession by the Salic law.
He initially kept the Protestant faith (the only French king to do so) and had to fight against the Catholic League, which denied that he could wear France's crown as a Protestant. After four years of stalemate, he converted to Catholicism to obtain mastery over his kingdom (reportedly saying, "Paris is well worth a mass"). As a pragmatic politician (in the parlance of the time, a politique), he promulgated the Edict of Nantes (1598), which guaranteed religious liberties to Protestants, thereby effectively ending the French Wars of Religion.
An active ruler, Henry worked to regularise state finance, promote agriculture, eliminate corruption and encourage education. During his reign, the French colonization of the Americas truly began with the foundation of the colonies of Acadia and Canada at Port-Royal and Quebec, respectively. He is celebrated in the popular song "Vive le roi Henri" (which later became an anthem for the French monarchy during the reigns of his successors) and in Voltaire's Henriade.
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Some of their strengths
King of France Henri IV has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Generous, Practical, Energetic, Intelligent, Diplomatic, Exacting, and Adventurous.
Adventurous and Independent
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, King of France Henri IV is someone who is an adventurous, independent, and energetic person, who is insightful, imaginative, generous, and honest. A person who is known for being a good communicator.
Passionate and Intense
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know King of France Henri IV well know them as someone who can be passionate, proud, and intense, like the sun or a blazing fire.
Methodical and Exacting
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe King of France Henri IV as someone who is careful, methodical, and a perfectionist.
A person who forms successful business partnerships, who appreciates the variety the world has to offer, who takes a frugal approach to life and tends to be a workaholic, and who engages in things that let them express their opinion.
Emotionally Intelligent and Intuitive
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, King of France Henri IV is someone who tends to have strong emotional intelligence and intuition, and who can be a catalyst of change for others.
They are also someone who is intuitive, imaginative, and an agent of change, and who is always dreaming of life's great possibilities and partnering with people to try to achieve those possibilities.
Optimistic and Quick-witted
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, King of France Henri IV tends to be someone who is optimistic and spontaneous, and who has a clear and analytical mind. Who can be witty, with a happy-go-lucky- nature that makes others cheerful, and who possesses an adventurous zest for life.
Some of King of France Henri IV's challenges
While King of France Henri IV has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, King of France Henri IV can be Impulsive, Careless, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Sensitive, Critical, and Unemotional.
Impulsive and Careless
One of King of France Henri IV's key challenges is that they are someone who can be impulsive and careless.
Sensitive and Critical
King of France Henri IV is someone who can be insecure, critical, and pessimistic, who can have difficulty relaxing, can be possessive and jealous, and who can have difficulty listening to others' opinions and perspectives and make hasty decisions.
Irritable and Callous
Finally, King of France Henri IV also can be short-tempered, childish, insensitive, and careless at times.
