v24_1193 - HENRY II OR FRANCIS II Demi-teston à la tête nue, 5e type 1559 Toulouse

HENRY II OR FRANCIS II

The French coins issued during the year 1559 are all in the name of Henry II; some, however, were minted under his son, François II (1544-1560). François II, betrothed at five years to Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, married her in 1558 and became King of Scotland. He succeeded on July 10, 1559 to his father, mortally wounded. He is under the influence of his wife and her uncles, the Guises, supporters of a repressive policy towards Protestants. Louis de Condé, Protestant, tries to remove the king from the influence of the Guises and it is the conspiracy of Amboise in March 1560, followed by a bloody repression (hangings and defenestrations). Francis dies on December 4, 1560 and Mary Stuart returns to Scotland.