Henri I, Duke of Guise

Background

Henri was born on 31 December 1550, the eldest son of François de Lorraine, the duke of Guise, and Anna d'Este. In his youth he was friends with Henry III. At age 12 his father was assassinated, and Henri inherited the titles of Governor of Champagne and Grand Maître de France in 1563. He craved vengeance against Gaspard II de Coligny.

In 1566 he refused to attend the kiss of peace with Coligny at Moulins. No longer welcome at court, he and his brother Charles, Duke of Mayenne decided to crusade against the Ottoman Empire in Hungary, serving under Alfonso II d'Este, with a retinue of 350 men. In September 1568 he reached his majority.

Entry into politics

He fought at the Battle of Saint-Denis in 1567, the Battle of Jarnac in 1569, successfully defended Poitiers during a siege by Coligny, and was wounded at the Battle of Moncontour. In 1570 he began a romance with Margaret of Valois, which led to his banishment from court. On 3 October he married Catherine of Cleves, assuming the title of Count of Eu. In August 1572, after the wedding of Navarre and Margaret, Coligny was shot in an attempted assassination; Guise was a chief suspect.

During the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, Guise oversaw the murder of Coligny and attempted but failed to capture several other targets, but was displeased at the situation descending into a general massacre, shielding fleeing Protestants in his residence. He was wounded at the Battle of Dormans. In 1576 he formed the Catholic League.

Catholic League

At the death of Francis, Duke of Anjou in 1584, Guise concluded the Treaty of Joinville with Philip II of Spain. In 1588 he entered Paris, leading to the Day of the Barricades and forcing King Henry III to flee. The League controlled France; the king created Guise Lieutenant-General of France. On 23 December 1588, Guise was summoned to attend the king at the Château de Blois and was assassinated by 'the Forty-five', the king's bodyguard, as Henry looked on.