Henry II of Navarre

Henri d'Albret by an unknown French painter

Henry II (April 18, 1503 – May 25, 1555), was the eldest son of John III of Navarre (died 1516) and Catherine I of Navarre, sister and heiress of Francis Phoebus, King of Navarre; he was born at Sangüesa in April 1503.

King of Navarre

When Catherine died in exile in 1517, Henry was proclaimed king of Navarre, title claimed by Ferdinand II of Aragon too, who had invaded the realm in 1512. Under the protection of King François I of France he assumed the title of King of Navarre, despite Ferdinand's claim continuing to his grandson Charles I.

After ineffectual conferences at Noyon in 1516 and at Montpellier in 1518, an active effort was made in 1521 to establish him in de facto sovereignty. The French and Navarrese invaded Spanish-held Iberian Navarre, but were ultimately expelled by the Spaniards after the Battle of Noain.

In 1525 Henry was taken prisoner at the Battle of Pavia, but he contrived to escape, and in 1526 married Marguerite (April 11, 1492 - 1549), the sister of King François I and widow of Charles, Duke of Alençon. By her he was the father of Jeanne d'Albret (1528 - 1572), and was consequently the grandfather of Henry IV of France. Henry, who had some sympathy with the Huguenots, died at Pau on May 25, 1555.

Coat of arms of Henry II.

Marriage

Henry in contemporary miniature

In 1526, he married Marguerite de Valois^[1] who became known as Marguerite de Navarre (April 11, 1492 - December 21, 1549) and had issue:

1. Joan III of Navarre (1528 - 1572)
2. A son (died young)

Ancestors

Henry's ancestors in three generations

Notes

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.