The Murder of Henry IV: The King Who Brought Peace to France Fell to a Fanatic's Blade
On May 14, 1610, King Henry IV of France, one of the nation's greatest monarchs, was assassinated in the streets of Paris by the Catholic fanatic François Ravaillac. As the royal carriage became trapped in traffic, Ravaillac climbed onto its side and stabbed the king twice, killing him almost instantly.
Henry IV had ended decades of brutal religious conflict by issuing the Edict of Nantes in 1598, granting limited religious freedom to French Protestants while preserving Catholicism as the state religion. Although praised today as a pragmatic peacemaker, many religious extremists viewed him as a traitor.
His assassination shocked Europe and left France in uncertainty. His nine-year-old son became Louis XIII, while his widow, Marie de' Medici, ruled as regent. Henry IV's death cut short the reign of a king remembered for rebuilding France after years of civil war and laying the foundations for its rise as a European power.
