Henry II of Navarre

Henry II (18 April 1503 – 25 May 1555), nicknamed Sangüesino because he was born at Sangüesa, was the King of Navarre from 1517, although his kingdom had been reduced to a small territory north of the Pyrenees by the Spanish conquest of 1512. Henry succeeded his mother, Queen Catherine, upon her death.[1] His father was her husband and co-ruler, King John III, who died in 1516.[1]

Henry II
Portrait by unknown French artist
King of Navarre
Reign	12 February 1517 – 25 May 1555
Predecessor	Catherine
Successor	Jeanne III
Born	18 April 1503 Sangüesa
Died	25 May 1555 (aged 52) Hagetmau
Spouse	Margaret of Angoulême ​ ​ (m. 1526; died 1549)​
Issue	Jeanne III Jean of Navarre
House	Albret
Father	John III of Navarre
Mother	Catherine of Navarre
Religion	Roman Catholic, although strongly sympathized with Calvinists throughout his life

King of Navarre

After the latest failed reconquest attempt of Navarre in 1516, John III died, followed by Catherine I's demise in her independent dependencies of Béarn (1517). Heir apparent Henry was proclaimed King of Navarre, and was lavishly crowned in Lescar. The title was also claimed by Ferdinand II of Aragon, who had invaded the realm in 1512 and usurped the title, and the claim was continued by his grandson Charles V. Henry II enjoyed the protection of Francis I of France.

Henry II was thirteen when becoming King in February 1517, and his sister Anne of Navarre functioned as his regent until he become fifteen and was declared of legal majority on 18 April 1518. As Henry was often absent from Navarre, his sister Anne continued to act as his regent there when he was absent.

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 in Pamplona and occupied territory. A French and Navarrese expedition made another attempt at reconquering occupied Navarre, but were ultimately repelled by Charles after the Battle of Noain (June 1521).[2]

Henry in contemporary miniature

In 1525, Henry was taken prisoner at the Battle of Pavia,[3] but he contrived to escape under a guise and in 1526, married Margaret, sister of King Francis I and widow of Charles, Duke of Alençon. In 1530, after the Treaty of Cambrai between Castile and France, Charles V evacuated the northernmost county (merindad) of Navarre, Lower Navarre, allowing Henry to seize it. The Pyrenean border between Lower and Upper Navarre now constitutes the Franco-Spanish border in this sector.

Henry had some strong sympathy with the Huguenots, and was fluent in both French and Spanish, according to the seigneur de Brantôme.[4] He died at Hagetmau on 25 May 1555.[5]

Marriage

In 1526, he married Margaret of Angoulême[6] who became known as Marguerite de Navarre (11 April 1492 – 21 December 1549) and had issue:

• Jeanne III of Navarre (16 November 1528 – 9 June 1572); mother of Henry IV of France[1]
• John (7 July 1530 – 25 December 1530)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Henry II of Navarre

16. Charles II, Lord of Albret 8. Jean I, Lord of Albret 17. Anne of Armagnac 4. Alain I, Lord of Albret 18. Alain IX, Viscount of Rohan 9. Catherine de Rohan 19. Marguerite de Dreux 2. John III of Navarre 20. John I, Count of Penthièvre 10. William, Viscount of Limoges 21. Marguerite de Clisson 5. Frances, Countess of Périgord 22. Bertrand V de La Tour d'Auvergne 11. Isabelle de La Tour d'Auvergne 23. Jacquette du Peschin 1. Henry II of Navarre 24. John I, Count of Foix 12. Gaston IV, Count of Foix 25. Jeanne d'Albret 6. Gaston, Prince of Viana 26. John II of Aragon 13. Eleanor of Navarre 27. Blanche I of Navarre 3. Catherine of Navarre 28. Charles VI of France 14. Charles VII of France 29. Isabeau of Bavaria 7. Madeleine of Valois 30. Louis II of Naples 15. Marie of Anjou 31. Yolande of Aragon

References

1. Vernier 2008, p. 4.
2. Tucker 2011, p. 489.
3. Stephenson 2017, p. 5.
4. Hillgarth 2000, p. 238.
5. Commire 2000, p. 251.
6. Cholakian & Cholakian 2006, p. xxii.

Sources

• Cholakian, Patricia Francis; Cholakian, Rouben Charles (2006). Marguerite de Navarre: Mother of the Renaissance. Columbia University Press.
• Commire, Anne (2000). Women in World History. Volume 10.
• Hillgarth, J. N. (2000). The Mirror of Spain, 1500–1700: The Formation of a Myth. University of Michigan.
• Stephenson, Barbara (2017). The Power and Patronage of Marguerite de Navarre. Routledge.
• Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2011). A Global Chronology of Conflict:From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. Vol. II. ABC-CLIO.
• Vernier, Richard (2008). Lord of the Pyrenees: Gaston Fébus, Count of Foix (1331-1391). The Boydell Press.