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King of France | |
| Predecessor | Francis I |
| Successor | Louis XIII |
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Duke of Brittany | |
| Predecessor | Claude of France |
| Successor | Margaret of Brittany |
| Born | 28 February 1518 Château d'Amboise |
| Died | 30 November 1573 Louvre, Paris |
| Queen | Mary of England |
Francis II of France was born on 28 February 1518 to King Francis I and Princess Claude of France. In 1523 it was decided that his future bride would be Mary, daughter of Henry VIII of England. Mary was sent to be raised in France soon afterwards and they became close.
Francis and Mary married in 1534 and soon they had their first child, Louis, however their happiness was not to last; Queen Claude had already died in 1535 and tuberculosis killed the king, Prince Henry and his wife Eleanora of Spain. Henry's daughter Margaret had to be brought up by Francis, as if she was Louis' sister. Also Louis' siblings Francis and Catherine died of smallpox in 1540 and 1541.
Francis and Mary were celebrated across France as the best monarchs; their coronation was, however, cancelled many times before Paris was finally disease-free (1541). Francis grew fonder and fonder of Mary and Francis as the years went by and was much in mourning after her death in 1561.
Most of his life was spent outside showing off and though loved, he almost emptied the coffers, so in 1571 he increased taxes. This was not very popular, but his lords were so hypnotised by his greatness they all said yes.
Dying in 1573, he was buried in one of the biggest funerals, 100,000 people attended and Louis XIII didn't officially have himself crowned until a month later.
Family[]
They went on to have four children:
- King Louis XIII of France (1536 - 1620)
- Prince Francis of France (1538 - 1540)
- Princess Catherine of France (1541 - 1541)
- Duchess Elizabeth of Lorraine (1543 - 1589), married Charles III of Lorraine