Poland’s Fugitive King
In 1573 Catherine de’ Medici successfully campaigned for her third son, Henri, Duke of Anjou, to be elected to the throne of Poland. Robert J. Knecht tells the story of his brief, dramatic reign.
One of the most extraordinary events of the 16th century was the election in 1573 of a French prince to the throne of Poland. The prince was Henri, the third son of Henry II of France. He was 22 years old at the time and already known as a talented military leader. He had led the royal army in France’s third religious war, defeating the Protestants, or Huguenots, at the battles of Jarnac and Moncontour in 1569. He had since been involved in the massacre of Protestants on St Bartholomew’s Day in Paris in 1572 and become leader of the Catholic party. On May 28th, 1573 he was besieging the Protestant stronghold of La Rochelle when he was informed that he had been elected king of Poland.
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