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Article: Henry IV (France) (1553–1610; Ruled 1589–1610)
- Article from:
- Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World
- Author:
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HENRY IV (FRANCE) (1553
–
1610; ruled 1589
–
1610)
HENRY IV (FRANCE)
(1553
–
1610; ruled 1589
–
1610), king of France and Navarre. Henry IV helped to end the Wars of Religion and established the foundation for France's emergence as a major power in early modern Europe. He was the first of the Bourbon kings, and his family ruled until the French Revolution of 1789 and again during the Restoration (1815
–
1830). Much admired by contemporaries for his bravery and his gallantry, Henry IV was known as the Gallic Hercules and endures to this day as one of France's most popular rulers.
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE (1553
–
1572)
Henry was born 14 December 1553 at thech