Figure 1.-- This is another Clouet royal portrait. I'm not sure precisely when it was painted. He looks to be 17-18 years old and would have been king at the time.

The Wars of Religion (1562-98) weakened the power of the last Valois kings. Militant Catholics were intent on destroying Protestantism in France and the Proestants resisted militarily. Roman Catholic and Protestant factions dominated politics during this period. Charles succeeded his sickly brother François II who reigned only a few months. He came to a throne at an even younger age than Francis. Charles was only 10 years old. His mother Catherine de Midici served as regent. Charles IX also not strong physically. He also was easily led by his mother an advisers. Ctherine decided to end The Third War of Religion and ad Charles sign the peace of Saint-Germain which granted freedom of worship to the Huguenots and allowed them several fortified towns, including La Rochelle (1570). France next fought an undeclared war with Spain in Flanders where support was given the Protestants. Catherine was, however determined to destroy the Huguenots in France. Paris had a substantial Protestant population and many more came to Paris to attend the wedding of Henry of Navarre. Catherine and Prince Henry conspired to massacre the Huguenots, especially the Huguenot leaders. The attack on the Huguenots took place on Saint-Barthélemy Day (1572). Throughout his reign, Charles endured the clear preference of Catherine for his younger brother Henry. Charles was pleased when Henry left to become king of Poland, but died soon after.

Parents

Prince Henry was the son of King Henri II and Queen Catherine de Medici. He was Catherine's favorite son.

Siblings

Charles was the middle brother. Two other bothers became king. Older brothers François II and younger brother Henri III also were French kings.

Childhood

Charles wasb born in the royal chateau at Saint-Germain-en-Laye durung 1561. We have little information about his childhood.

French Protestant Reformation

The French monarchy had a special relationship with the Church. French kings had generally avoided the kind of open split with the papacy like the Investiture Controversy that so divided Germany. The Pope gave the kings of France the title of "Most Christian King." Each French King took an oath to "extirpate" heresy in his realm. The French Church despite the close relationship between th moinarch an papacy had evolved considerable independence from the papacy. The French monarchy had perhaps more authority over the Church in his country than any other prince in Western Christendom. This was further recognized on the eve of the Reformation by the Concordat of Bologna which confirmed Francis I's authority to make appointments to benefices. As a result, many of the conditions which led to the Reformation in Germany were less apparent than in Germany. The Concordot provided for the rights of both pope and king, but made the king clearly dominant over the French Church. While religious issues are most commonly discussed in connection with the Feformation, financial matters were a major concern at the time. The monarchy in France had enormous control over the disposition of the wealth and income of the French Church and routinely used the authority to appoint bishops, abbots, and other church officers to reward faithful followers because there was considerable income associated with many of these offices. As a result, the princes of the French Church included many worldly people, often uninterestred in spiritual or doctrinal matters, but often quite nationalistic. The Pope had a veto on such appointments, but out of defference to the monarch, rarely exercized it. Thus there was a considerable fusion of church and state in France very different than the situation in Germany. The University of Paris (the Sorbonne) during the late Medieval era served as a kind of scholastic think-tank for both Church and state.

St. Bartholomew Day Massacre (1572)

Charles for most of his reign was largely controlled by his mother, in pat because of his age. He temporarily after 1570 came under the influence of French Huguenot leader Gaspard de Coligny. Catherine feeling she was losing her contol of Charles and thus her power, convinved her vasilating son to authorize a mass action against the Huguenots. Charles' brother Henry and Catherine helped plan the massacre. It proved to be the most notorious attrocity of the Religious Wars. civil wars was the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. Catherine and her son Charles IX signed a peace treaty with the Huguenots granting freedom of worship (1570). They made a point of maintining friendly relations with Huguenot leaders, often calling de Coligny to court to seek his advise. Lulled into a sence of security, they were totally unprepared for what transpired. On St. Bartholomew Day, thousands of Huguenots in Paris and other French cities were murdered. The Duc de Guise personally killed Coligny.

Family

Charles married Elisabeth of Austria (1570). They had a daughter, Princess Marie-Elisabeth (1572-78) who died as a child.

Poland

Charles was pleased when his brother left to become king of Poland (1573).

French Throne

Henri became king of France upon the death of his brother François (1560). He was crowned King in the cathedral at Reims (1561). Like his brother François, their mother served as regent and even after achieving his majority, Catherine continued to be a controlling influence. Charles was a weak king and ruled in his mother's shadow.

Succession

Charles was suceeded by his younger brother Henri III.

Created: May 21, 2004
Last updated: May 21, 2004