Who dated Henry IV of France?

Henry IV (French: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (le Bon Roi Henri) or Henry the Great (Henri le Grand), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarch of France from the House of Bourbon, a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. He pragmatically balanced the interests of the Catholic and Protestant parties in France, as well as among the European states. He was assassinated in Paris in 1610 by a Catholic zealot, and was succeeded by his son Louis XIII.

Henry was baptised a Catholic but raised as a Huguenot in the Protestant faith by his mother, Queen Jeanne III of Navarre. He inherited the throne of Navarre in 1572 on his mother's death. As a Huguenot, Henry was involved in the French Wars of Religion, barely escaping assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. He later led Protestant forces against the French royal army. Henry inherited the throne of France in 1589 upon the death of Henry III. Henry IV initially kept the Protestant faith (the only French king to do so) and had to fight against the Catholic League, which refused to accept a Protestant monarch. After four years of military stalemate, Henry converted to Catholicism, reportedly saying that "Paris is well worth a Mass". As a pragmatic politician (politique), he promulgated the Edict of Nantes (1598), which guaranteed religious liberties to Protestants, thereby effectively ending the French Wars of Religion.

An active ruler, Henry worked to regularize state finance, promote agriculture, and encourage education. He began the first successful French colonization of the Americas. He promoted trade and industry, and prioritized the construction of roads, bridges, and canals to facilitate communication within France and strengthen the country's cohesion. These efforts stimulated economic growth and improved living standards.

While the Edict of Nantes brought religious peace to France, some hardline Catholics and Huguenots remained dissatisfied, leading to occasional outbreaks of violence and conspiracies. Henry IV also faced resistance from certain noble factions who opposed his centralization policies, leading to political instability. His main foreign policy success was the Peace of Vervins in 1598, which made peace in the long-running conflict with Spain. He formed a strategic alliance with England. He also forged alliances with Protestant states, such as the Dutch Republic and several German states, to counter the Catholic powers. His policies contributed to the stability and prominence of France in European affairs.

Fleurette de Nérac morte le 25 août 1592 à Nérac est une paysanne française et l'une des premières maîtresses du futur Henri IV, alors prince de Navarre.

Sa relation avec le jeune prince est entourée de plusieurs récits et légendes. L'expression « conter fleurette » serait notamment née de cette relation.

Charlotte des Essarts (1580–1651), was a French noblewoman. She was the mistress to Henry IV of France in 1607–1609. She had two daughters with the king. She was a lady-in-waiting to the queen, Maria de Medici. She participated in many political plots at court.

She was the daughter of François de Essarts, seigneur de Sautour, an equerry of the king, and his second wife Charlotte de Harlay de Chanvillon.

Before coming to the French court, Charlotte des Essarts had been a member of the household of the French ambassador in London, Christophe de Harlay, Count of Beaumont and his wife Anne Rabot. She was a relation of Beaumont.

Claude Beauvilliers de Saint-Aignan, dite Claude II en religion, née le 4 avril 1573 à La Ferté-Hubert (Loir-et-Cher) et morte le 20 janvier 1626 à Couilly (Seine-et-Marne), est une abbesse et religieuse bénédictine française.

Charlotte de Beaune Semblançay, Viscountess of Tours, Baroness de Sauve, Marquise de Noirmoutier (26 October 1551 – 30 September 1617) was a French noblewoman and a mistress of King Henry of Navarre, who later ruled as King Henry IV of France. She was a member of queen mother Catherine de' Medici's notorious "Flying Squadron" (L'escadron volant in French), a group of beautiful female spies and informants recruited to seduce important men at court, and thereby extract information to pass on to the Queen Mother.

Gabriela de Estrées (castillo de la Bourdaisière,​ en Montlouis-sur-Loire, departamento de Indre y Loira o en el castillo de Coeuvres, Picardía, entre 1570 y 1573 - París, noche del 9 al 10 de abril de 1599) fue amante y favorita del rey Enrique IV de Francia desde 1591 hasta su muerte, madre de tres hijos suyos, que darían origen a la casa de Borbón-Vendôme.

Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues, Marquise de Verneuil [katʁin ɑ̃ʁjɛt də balzak dɑ̃tʁaɡ maʁkiz də vɛʁnœj] (1579–1633) was the favourite mistress of Henry IV of France after Gabrielle d'Estrées died: her sister Marie-Charlotte de Balzac d’Entragues was also a mistress of the king. She was the daughter of Charles Balzac d'Entragues and his wife Marie Touchet, who was formerly the sole mistress of Charles IX of France.

Giacomina di Bueil (1588 – Moret-sur-Loing, 1651) figlia di Claude de Breuil, fu contessa di Moret. È conosciuta per essere stata un'amante del re Enrico IV di Francia.

Françoise de Montmorency-Fosseux (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃swaz də mɔ̃mɔʁɑ̃si fosø] ; 1566 – 6 December 1614), also called "La Belle Fosseuse" or "La Fosseuse", was mistress to King Henry III of Navarre (future King Henry IV of France) from 1579 to 1581.

Diane d'Andoins o di Andouins (Hagetmau, 1554 – Hagetmau, 1620) fu contessa di Guiche, detta la belle Corisande. È conosciuta per essere stata un’amante del re Enrico IV.

Marie-Charlotte de Balzac d'Entragues (c. 1588–1664), was a French noblewoman. She was the mistress to Henry IV of France in 1605-1609. She was the daughter of Charles Balzac d'Entragues and Marie Touchet, who was formerly the sole mistress of Charles IX of France, and the sister of Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues, also mistress of Henry IV.

Jeanne du Monceau de Tignonville (1555-1596), was a French noblewoman. She was mistress to Henry IV of France in 1576–81. She was known as La petite Tignonville and used her position to enrich herself and her relations. She also had an affair with Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme.

She was played by Eva Grimaldi in Jean-Charles Tacchella's film Dames Galantes (1990).

Louise de Budos, dame de Vachères, duchesse de Montmorency (13 juillet 1575 - 26 septembre 1598), fut la seconde épouse d'Henri I^er de Montmorency, Connétable de France, et plus tard la maîtresse du roi Henri IV de France.