The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-22
TODAY IN HISTORY
The Last VaIoIs kIna OF. France,
FRIDAY, JULY %. 1910,

] ne Last VaIols King OF. France.
With the death OF Henry Ill OF France.
Jacques Clement, u Dominican, also died
the house of Valois, that had so long
ruled France. Henry's mother. the am-
bilious Catherine de Medlcl. had preceded
him 10 the grave at the darkest period
of her sons career, and with the ascen-
sion of Henry ", there began a new
era for all Europe. Henry was only 3S
years old when he met his tragic death.
He early displayed a talent for military
affairs. His prowess In this line at
tracted the attention OF the Polish nobIl-
ity and resulted in securing for him his
first taste Of sovereign power by an cleo
t!on to the throne OF Poland and a brief
reign in Warsaw,
His departure from France seemed TO
be the signal for a renewal OF the In
formal strife in that country. The king.
who had never been himself since the
massacre OF st. Bartholomew day. was
seen TO be dying; the Duke Of Alencon.
treatment he was receiving; and, no
sooner had the peace OF La Rochelle been
concluded, than it became evident that
Catherine de Medici was plotting the
destruction of the middle party, Finally.
she arrested Alencon. Montmorency and
Henry Of Navarro Then Charles TX.
died and the crown passed TO his next
This was the signal for the character
of Henry III. to show itself in its real
colors. Glad enough to get away from
tplSDus ne maze no n1SlG ABOUT Tc1uTH-
ing TO France and idled away several
months In dissipation in Italy. Then he
threw over the cause OF the Huguenots
and attached himself to that of the
Gulses But the PoIitlques formed an
alliance with the reformers and, having
chosen the Prince de Conde as their
leader presented. upon the escape from
Paris Paris OF the King Of Navarro, a solid
their rivals even 70 the queen mother
and her favorlte son. the king. AT best
IL was all that Catherine could do to
end the war that followed with any
show OF honor TO her side. Henry was
giving himself entirely TO his pleasures
and 1t was his mother who had to make
the peace of Chastenoy Q5i6), granting
free worship throughout France outside
OF Paris. and other concessions 10 all
her opponents
The party of the king was not, how
Catholic League was formally announced
with Henry Duo de Guise. at It's head .
the common folk were won TO its stan
dards. and, established first in Pcardy
and then in Paris. it soon spread through
out the land The states general were
unable to give peace 10 the land and
the year 1877 saw another little war,
the conclusion Of which the league re
brother the new Duke of AnjoU. made
friends with the CalyinIsts In the Neither
lands. and. Henry being too favorable to
the league In succeeding "Gallants' War.
offered him an elusive sovereignty over
the seven united provinces and got him
to sign the treaty OF FleiX in 1880 which
hnGered his own friends.
Thus the king was now at odds with
the league and II hehooveG the latter TO
bind him fast The death G5Si) Of the
Calvlnistic Aniou left Henry the last Of
the house OF Valols. Though Young, he
was childess. and likely to remain so.
and unless the Salic law could be set
aside, Henry of Navarro would become
the next ruler Of France. Guise at once
saw the crown within his own grasp.
He accordingly sold himself and the
league to Philip Of Spain in return for
support from that monarch; caused the
assassination of William the Silent;
sought the lives Of Elizabeth OF England
and the future Henry ". of France:
or nlzed very modern "machlne" and
forced the king TO sign with II the treaty
Of NemoUrs. whereby Henry III became
his slave,
The next move was to pit Navarro
and the king ono against the other. and
this was done Nv the ''War of the Three
Henrys"-Guisc ara the ruling monarch,
against Navarro The heir Of the throne
came boldly TO the front His cause
was encouraged by the execution of Mary
of Scotland and what aid England dared
to furnish and though the tide set al
first In favor OF the leaguers he won
the battle Of Coutras, where the Due de
killed. Guse. on the other hand. drove
back the German allies OF Navarro at
VImroy and Auneau, entered Paris in
triumph and. having openely differed with
the king. forced that monarch TO retire
to Chartres. where he again humbled
himself much against his VIII. TO the
demands OF the league In the ''Edict Of