Reign of Henry IV in France (aug 2, 1589 – may 14, 1610)
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Henry III was stabbed on August 1, 1589, and died the next day after declaring Henry of Navarre his successor. Henry of Navarre became King Henry IV, but it would take a nine-year siege of Paris to secure his crown from the influence of the Holy League and Spanish interference. He converted to Catholicism, and after winning several key battles, Paris finally capitulated on March 22, 1594. Pope Clement reversed Henry's excommunication, and Henry brokered the Peace of Vervins between France and Spain on May 2, 1598. Around that time, Henry also issued the Edict of Nantes, which confirmed Roman Catholicism as the state religion but granted religious freedom to Protestants. Having united the kingdom and attained peace at home and abroad, Henry IV proceeded to bring prosperity back to France. He lowered taxes on French citizens, made peace with the Ottoman Empire and opened up trade routes to East Asia. Henry IV endured multiple assassination attempts. Considered a usurper by Catholics and a traitor by Protestants, his charm and genuine care for the people's needs could not mollify his enemies. He was stabbed to death by a Catholic on May 14, 1610, and buried in the Basilica of Saint Denis in Paris.
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