France was plagued by religious wars in the Gregorian era. One of these skirmishes led to the untimely death of King Henry III, who ruled from 1574 until his untimely demise on August 1, 1589, at the hands of an assassin.

Fun Facts

• Among his many titles, King Henry III was also the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He reigned as king from 30 May 1574 to 2 May 1575.
• His coronation was held on 13 February 1575 at Reims Cathedral.
• The man who assassinated King Henry III was Jacques Clement. He was born in Burgundy and worked as a Dominican lay brother.
• Jacques Clement assassinated King Henry III by stabbing him using a dagger he concealed under his cloak. He did this after begging the king for a private audience under the ruse that he had a private message to deliver.
• Unfortunately for Clement, assassinating the king would be his last act, as the king’s subjects would kill him. As further punishment for his crimes, his body would be chopped into pieces and burned at the stake.
• King Henry III would die the following day after a brief struggle for his life through the night.
• King Henry III had no legitimate heir to inherit the throne at his demise, so the crown passed on to King Henry IV.