Francis II of France

Francis II was betrothed to Mary, Queen of Scots, at the age of 4 and ascended the throne of France at the age of 15. Although he was an adult according to the French law, he was an inexperienced and weak ruler who was exploited by his advisors. He wanted to bring reconciliation and peace in his kingdom, but his policies had the opposite result due to poor statesmanship.

He suffered from poor health that further hampered his rule. He died on December 5, 1560, in Orléans, due to multiple complications, having reigned for just 17 months. He had no children. Thus, his younger brother, Charles, succeeded him. His wife returned to Scotland.

Francis II was born on January 19, 1544, at the ‘Château de Fontainebleau,’ France. He was the eldest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. It is believed that he was born eleven years after his parents’ marriage, because of his father’s involvement with his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. He was named after his grandfather, King Francis I.

He was raised at the ‘Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye’ and baptized in February 1544, in the presence of his godparents, Francis I, Pope Paul III, and Marguerite de Navarre. He suffered from respiratory problems and stunted growth during his early childhood, and that continued to trouble him throughout his life.

He was tutored by a Greek scholar named Pierre Danès and learnt dancing and fencing from Virgilio Bracesco and Hector of Mantua, respectively. He was raised by Jean d'Humières. He was appointed as the governor of Languedoc in 1546 and the dauphin of France in 1547, when his grandfather, Francis I, passed away.

He was betrothed to Mary, Queen of Scots, at the age of 4, by the ‘Treaty of Haddington’ in July 1548. The treaty sought the protection of France for Scotland, against the British invasion. Mary was sent to France to be raised at court till she got married to Francis II at the ‘Notre Dame Cathedral’ in Paris on April 24, 1558. He was 14 years old and she was a year older when they got married.

The wedding gave the future king of France access to the throne of Scotland and to England, through Mary’s great-grandfather, King Henry VII of England. Francis II remained the king of Scotland till he died.

Francis II became the king of France on July 10, 1559, at the age of 15, after the death of his father in a jousting accident. He was crowned in Reims on September 21, 1559, by his uncle, Charles, the cardinal of Lorraine. He adopted the Sun as his emblem. His mottos were “Spectanda fides” and “Lumen rectis,” which meant “This is how faith should be respected” and “Light for the righteous,” respectively.

Although according to French custom, Francis II was an adult at the age of 15, he chose his wife’s uncles, Francis, the duke of Guise, and Charles, the cardinal of Lorraine, as his regents. The duke of Guise headed the army, while Charles took care of the finance, justice, and diplomacy departments.

‘The House of Guise’ gained power under King Francis II, and the king’s rival, Constable Anne de Montmorency, lost his say. His father’s mistress and her protégé, Jean Bertrand, were also sidelined, while the Guises were given the title of the “Grand Master of France.”

The legitimacy of the Guises as rulers of France was questioned by the “Princes of the Blood.” The Guises were viewed as power-hungry rulers who were exploiting the weakness of the king. Their financial policies were also disastrous.

The rule of Francis II was marked by a repressive policy toward the Protestants, which gave rise to the Amboise conspiracy to overthrow the king and the ‘House of Guise.’ His rule was hampered by local revolts, due to which he had to become more authoritarian to hold on to power.

Francis II remained the king of France from 1559 to 1560.

He was the “King Consort of Scotland” in 1558.

He was appointed as the duke of Brittany in 1544 and the dauphin of Viennois in 1547.