Henry IV Bourbon Survives Assassination Attempt

[Asharella]

WI...

Henry IV Bourbon, King of France is still revered as one of the greatest King of France. Originally a Huguenot he was nominally King in 1589 and had subdued most of France except Paris by 1593. His advisers made it clear that he would never take Paris and really rule unless he became a Catholic. "Paris is well worth a mass," was Henry's response and he converted. Paris opened the gates to him and his claim to the kingship was now uncontested.

In 1598 Henry issued the Edict of Nantes, granting tolerance to the Huguenots. Although most people celebrated the King who had ended the religious strife, there were fanatics on both sides who did not trust him. Some Huguenots saw him as nothing but a traitor, despite his work to bring tolerance to his former co-religionist. Some Catholics saw him as a pretender who hadn't really converted and secretly planned to make France a Protestant nation.

One of these fanatics, from the Catholic side, was a visionary that had been rejected as a candidate for the priesthood or the Jesuit order. His name was François Ravaillac. He had a vision in 1608 that it was his mission to convince the King to convert the Huguenots. For two years he tried to get an audience with the King and failed.

On May 14, 1610 the King wished to consult with his right hand man and faithful advisor, Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully, concerning his planned military action in the duchy of Jülich-Cleves-Berg to support a Huguenot candidate to be the new duke. Unfortunately, Sully was ill and bed ridden. So the King took to carriage to travel there.

Ravaillac found out about this and waited for the King on the route where the street had been blocked. As the Royal carriage pulled up and stopped Ravaillac pulled a knife and attacked the King, stabbing him.

POD

Fortunately the assassin failed to stab the King fatally on his first attack and before he could stab him again royal guards pulled him away. The King survived the attack and the people of the country, of both faiths, saw him now as the miracle King. Ravaillac, before he was executed, confessed that he had acted alone (although many doubted this) and his reason was because he thought, "The King is making war on the Pope." The public fearing a return of the wars of religion interpreted the failed assassination as actually an attempt to war on the Huguenots and soundly rejected that...in large part to the King's use of the event to stress that the French had agreed to live together with different faiths under a Catholic King.

Henry ruled for another twenty years, finally dying in peace at the age of 77 in 1630.

***

Please join in to discuss what happens next in the TL. I'm especially interested in what this does to New France.

[Atreus]

Hmmm. No assassination, no regency of Marie de Medici. Conde et al probably do not rebel against a strong, more competent monarch. Relations with Spain are probably a good deal cooler. Duke de Sully hangs around a while longer. Does Richelieu ever rise to prominence?

One also wonders whether, in the long term, Henry's memory may not be quite as strong or positive without his untimely end.

[Asharella]

The only way to judge how Henry's next 20 years would go for us is how he did in his first 20 years. I think it is safe to assume that he would keep France stable and strong and would work to have a strong tolerance of the Huguenots and a full acceptance of a Catholic monarchy by the Huguenots as long as they are tolerated. The result would be a stronger French identity.

I think the main issue to be determined about how powerful Richelieu was is what kind of man will Louis XIII be in this TL with Henry there as he grows up. Will he be the same kind of ruler as in OTL or will he be more like his father?

[Trotsky]

Originally Posted by Atreus

One also wonders whether, in the long term, Henry's memory may not be quite as strong or positive without his untimely end.

Well it could hardly have been worse.

[Atreus]

Originally Posted by Trotsky

Well it could hardly have been worse.

?

Henri IV was one of the more popular French monarchs, to the point where Royalists would often harken back to his memory when advancing their cause.

[Gonzaga]

Originally Posted by Atreus

Hmmm. No assassination, no regency of Marie de Medici. Conde et al probably do not rebel against a strong, more competent monarch. Relations with Spain are probably a good deal cooler.

Actually Henry IV was planning a war against Spain allied with Savoy: Treaty of Bruzolo . It only didn't happen because he was killed and Marie de Medicis was pro-Spanish.

[Atreus]

Originally Posted by Gonzaga

Actually Henry IV was planning a war against Spain allied with Savoy: Treaty of Bruzolo . It only didn't happen because he was killed and Marie de Medicis was pro-Spanish.

I meant cooler as in frostier, less friendly. Although I suppose that that doesn't really imply war. Didn't know about the treaty of Bruzolo, thanks for the reference.

[Faeelin]

Originally Posted by Gonzaga

Actually Henry IV was planning a war against Spain allied with Savoy: Treaty of Bruzolo . It only didn't happen because he was killed and Marie de Medicis was pro-Spanish.

Ah, but they did go to war in OTL. The War of Julich Succession occurred at this point, no?

[Atreus]

Originally Posted by Faeelin

Ah, but they did go to war in OTL. The War of Julich Succession occurred at this point, no?

I don't think France (or Spain, for that matter) actually got directly involved in the war. And anyways, wasn't the actual conflict winding down when Henri was assassinated?