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Henry IV was a Huguenot, but he considered converting to Catholicism to secure his throne. After his infamous Nantes Address, proclaiming a reaffirmation of his Protestantism and freedom of worship throughout France, he was assassinated by the radical Catholic priest Father Guignard. His sister, Catherine I, led the regency for the 5 year old Prince Henri (the nearest in line for the monarchy) and cracked down on Catholicism, leading to a massive civil war that would not be ended until the rise of Philip VII. What if Henry had converted to Catholicism in 1593 instead of issuing the Nantes Address? Would he still have been assassinated? How different would France have been in the 16-17th centuries?
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