Francis II of France
Encyclopedia
Francis II (19 January 1544 – 5 December 1560) was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II
, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560. He was also King consort of Scotland (1558–1560) as the husband of Queen Mary I.
He was born at the Royal Chateau at Fontainebleau, the son of Henry II, King of France
(31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) and Catherine de' Medici
(13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589).
He was the grandson of King Francis I of France
, and of Claude of France
, and the brother of King Charles IX of France
, and of King Henry III of France
. He was also the first husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
, Mary I was crowned Queen of Scots in Stirling Castle
on 9 September 1543, at the age of nine months. The marriage between the Queen of Scots and the Dauphin of France, was arranged by Henry II of France
in 1548, when Francis was just four years old. Once the marriage agreement had been formally ratified, the now six-year-old Mary was sent to France, to be raised in the royal court until the marriage.
Despite the fact that Mary was tall for her age (eventually reaching , making her almost a giant in the sixteenth century) and fluent in speech, while Francis was abnormally short and stuttered, Henry II commented that "from the very first day they met, my son and she got on as well together as if they had known each other for a long time".
On 24 April 1558, the fourteen-year-old Dauphin was married to the Queen of Scots in a union that could have given the future kings of France the throne of Scotland and also a claim to the throne of England
through Mary's great-grandfather, King Henry VII of England
. However, Mary and Francis were to have no children during their short lived marriage, possibly due to Francis' illnesses or his undescended testicles.
and Charles of Guise may have held the real power in that period. There was a two year difference between them.
Francis II, who had always been a sickly child, died on 5 December 1560 in Orléans
, Loiret, at the age of sixteen, when an ear infection worsened and caused an abscess
in his brain. He is buried in Saint Denis Basilica
.
He was succeeded by his brother, Charles IX
(27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574).
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560. He was also King consort of Scotland (1558–1560) as the husband of Queen Mary I.
He was born at the Royal Chateau at Fontainebleau, the son of Henry II, King of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
(31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) and Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
(13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589).
He was the grandson of King Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, and of Claude of France
Claude of France
Claude of France was a princess and queen consort of France and ruling Duchess of Brittany. She was the eldest daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany....
, and the brother of King Charles IX of France
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
, and of King Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
. He was also the first husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
King consort of Scots
Following the death of her father, James V, King of ScotsJames V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
, Mary I was crowned Queen of Scots in Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
on 9 September 1543, at the age of nine months. The marriage between the Queen of Scots and the Dauphin of France, was arranged by Henry II of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
in 1548, when Francis was just four years old. Once the marriage agreement had been formally ratified, the now six-year-old Mary was sent to France, to be raised in the royal court until the marriage.
Despite the fact that Mary was tall for her age (eventually reaching , making her almost a giant in the sixteenth century) and fluent in speech, while Francis was abnormally short and stuttered, Henry II commented that "from the very first day they met, my son and she got on as well together as if they had known each other for a long time".
On 24 April 1558, the fourteen-year-old Dauphin was married to the Queen of Scots in a union that could have given the future kings of France the throne of Scotland and also a claim to the throne of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
through Mary's great-grandfather, King Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
. However, Mary and Francis were to have no children during their short lived marriage, possibly due to Francis' illnesses or his undescended testicles.
King of France
A year after his marriage, Francis' father, Henry II, died, and Francis, only fifteen years old, was crowned king at Reims. The crown was so heavy that nobles had to hold it in place for him. His mother, Catherine de' Medici, was appointed regent, but it is considered that Mary's uncles Francis, Duke of GuiseFrancis, Duke of Guise
Francis de Lorraine II, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Duke of Aumale , called Balafré , was a French soldier and politician.-Early life:...
and Charles of Guise may have held the real power in that period. There was a two year difference between them.
Francis II, who had always been a sickly child, died on 5 December 1560 in Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, Loiret, at the age of sixteen, when an ear infection worsened and caused an abscess
Abscess
An abscess is a collection of pus that has accumulated in a cavity formed by the tissue in which the pus resides due to an infectious process or other foreign materials...
in his brain. He is buried in Saint Denis Basilica
Saint Denis Basilica
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The abbey church was created a cathedral in 1966 and is the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Denis, Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy...
.
He was succeeded by his brother, Charles IX
Charles IX of France
Charles IX was King of France, ruling from 1560 until his death. His reign was dominated by the Wars of Religion. He is best known as king at the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.-Childhood:...
(27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574).