The Mornay plot was a plot in 1574 to assassinate John III of Sweden , free the imprisoned Eric XIV of Sweden and place him or Charles IX of Sweden upon the Swedish throne. The plot was hatched and planned by Charles de Mornay , a Swedish courtier of French Huguenot origin with international contacts. It was one of three major plots to free the imprisoned Eric XIV, preceded by the 1569 Plot and succeeded by the 1576 Plot .
41-547: In the summer of 1572, the French envoy to Denmark, Charles de Dançay , conducted secret negotiations with unidentified Swedish aristocrats about a deposition of John III of Sweden . It appears that the future Henry III of France was suggested as a candidate for the Swedish throne. In 1573 Charles de Mornay is confirmed to have been Dançay's agent in Sweden in this issue. Charles de Mornay,
82-399: A patent . The idea was to require an inventor to disclose his invention in exchange for monopoly rights to the patent. The description is called a patent "specification". The first patent specification was submitted by the inventor Abel Foullon for Usaige & Description de l'holmetre (a type of rangefinder ). Publication was delayed until after the patent expired in 1561. Henry II
123-467: A French Protestant Huguenot in service of the Swedish king, was a relative of Charles de Dançay. When Henry was elected king of Poland in June 1573, the plot of having him enthroned in Sweden was discontinued. The plans to depose John III was, however, not discontinued. Charles de Mornay contacted Christina of Denmark , titular Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, who sent him funds to overthrow John III through
164-602: A French diplomat, the envoy of France to Denmark and Sweden (based in Denmark) from the reign of Henry II of France onward. He was under order to create peace between the Nordic nations, and contributed to peace between Sweden and Denmark after the Northern Seven Years' War . In 1572, he participated in the preparations of a plot with the Swedish opposition to John III of Sweden , channeled through Charles de Mornay , to depose
205-660: A cerebral abscess and the infection that he got through sepsis probably travelled to his brain. He was buried in a cadaver tomb in Saint Denis Basilica . Henry's death played a significant role in the decline of jousting as a sport, particularly in France. As Henry lay dying, Queen Catherine limited access to his bedside and denied Diane de Poitiers permission to see him, even though he repeatedly asked for her. Following his death, Catherine sent Diane into exile, where she lived in comfort on her own properties until her death. It
246-509: A claimant to the throne of England . Henry had Mary sign secret documents, illegal in Scottish law, that would ensure Valois rule in Scotland even if Mary died without leaving a child by Francis. As it happened, Francis died without issue a year and half after his father, ending the French claim to Scotland. Henry II introduced the concept of publishing the description of an invention in the form of
287-437: A member of the ruling family of Florence , on 28 October 1533, when they were both fourteen years old. The wedding was officiated by Pope Clement VII , himself a Medici . At this time, Henry's brother Francis was alive and there was little prospect of Henry coming to the throne. The following year, he became romantically involved with a thirty-five-year-old widow, Diane de Poitiers . Henry and Diane had always been very close:
328-607: A patrilineal great-grandfather, and their marriage strengthened the family's claim to the throne. Henry's father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by the forces of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and held prisoner in Spain . To obtain his release, it was agreed that Henry and his older brother Francis be sent to Spain in his place. They remained in captivity for over four years. Henry married Catherine de' Medici ,
369-576: A single piece of marble by Germain Pilon , the sculptor to Catherine de' Medici , survives. Henry was succeeded by his sickly fifteen-year-old son, Francis II . Francis was married to sixteen-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots , who had been his childhood friend and fiancée since her arrival at the French court when she was five. Francis II died in December 1560, and Mary returned to Scotland in August 1561. Francis II
410-495: The Château d'Anet ; father and son were reconciled in 1545. He succeeded his father on his 28th birthday and was crowned King of France on 25 July 1547 at Reims Cathedral . Henry's reign was marked by the persecution of Protestants, mainly Calvinists known as Huguenots . Henry II severely punished them, particularly the ministers, for example by burning at the stake or cutting off their tongues for uttering heresies . Henry II
451-531: The French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants , and an eventual end to the House of Valois as France's ruling dynasty. Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye , near Paris, the son of King Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany , daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany . Francis and Claude were second cousins ; both had Louis I, Duke of Orléans , as
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#1732855044136492-902: The Italian Wars against the Habsburgs and tried to suppress the Reformation , even as the Huguenot numbers were increasing drastically in France during his reign. Under the April 1559 Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis which ended the Italian Wars, France renounced its claims in Italy, but gained certain other territories, including the Pale of Calais and the Three Bishoprics . These acquisitions strengthened French borders while
533-541: The Spanish Netherlands . However, in April 1559 lack of money and increasing domestic religious tensions led Henry to agree the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis . The Peace was signed between Henry and Elizabeth I of England on 2 April and between Henry and Philip of Spain on 3 April 1559 at Le Cateau-Cambrésis . Under its terms, France restored Piedmont and Savoy to Emmanuel Philibert, but retained Saluzzo , Calais and
574-460: The 1998 film Ever After , the Prince Charming figure, portrayed by Dougray Scott , shares his name with the historical monarch. In the 2013 CW series Reign , he is played by Alan van Sprang . In the premiere of The Serpent Queen (2022), a young Henri (Alex Heath) is shown meeting and marrying Catherine De Medici, performing consummation of the marriage, jousting, and snuggling in
615-460: The Netherlands and her messenger Monsieur La Garde. This time, the plan appears to have been to depose John III in favor of Eric XIV: in any event, the plan was to free Eric from his imprisonment. According to another version, it was Duke Charles that was to be placed upon the throne. Duke Charles appears to have been informed of at least part of the plot. Charles de Mornay, who had previously been
656-520: The Scottish mercenaries departure to the Baltic. Charles de Mornay contacted Archibald Ruthwen and Gilbert Balfour , the commanders of the Scottish mercenary troops which arrived in Sweden in June 1573. In September 1573, the Scottish mercenary troops arrived in Stockholm. However, the plot did not materialize as de Mornay lost his nerve and never gave the sign to the mercenaries to take action. In October,
697-433: The Scottish mercenaries, notably that of Gilbert Balfour. Charles de Mornay admitted his guilt. It was never made clear who participated in the plot. However, it is noted, that the suspected conspirators Hogenskild Bielke , Gustaf Banér and Pontus De la Gardie, often gathered at meetings in the apartment of Princess Elizabeth of Sweden , meetings where Princess Cecilia of Sweden had also frequently been seen, and
738-614: The Scottish mercenary captain Hugh Cahun informed the king about the plot, but the accused denied all accusations, and Hugh Cahun was executed for perjury. In late October, the Scottish mercenaries left Sweden to serve in the Livonian War in Swedish Estonia . In early 1574, a conflict took place between the Scottish and German mercenaries in Swedish service in Estonia. Under interrogation,
779-608: The Three Bishoprics. The agreement was reinforced by a marriage between Henry's sister Margaret and Emmanuel Philibert, while his daughter Elisabeth of Valois became Philip's third wife. Henry raised the young Mary, Queen of Scots , at his court, hoping to establish a dynastic claim to the Kingdom of Scotland by her marriage to Dauphin Francis on 24 April 1558. Their son would have been King of France and King of Scotland, and also
820-466: The abdication of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in January 1556 and division of his empire between Spain and Austria provided them with greater flexibility in foreign policy. Nostradamus also served King Henry as physician and astrologer. In June 1559, Henry was injured in a jousting tournament held to celebrate the treaty, and died ten days later after his surgeon, Ambroise Paré , was unable to cure
861-533: The abdication of Charles V in 1556, the Habsburg empire was split between his son Philip II of Spain and brother Emperor Ferdinand I . The focus of Henry's conflict with the Habsburgs shifted to Flanders , where Philip, in conjunction with Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy , defeated the French at St Quentin . England's entry into the war later that year led to the French capture of Calais , and French armies plundered
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#1732855044136902-400: The affair was silenced by order of the king. Duke Charles applied for mercy for Charles de Mornay on behalf of the noblemen Erik and Johan Sparre, nephews of Mornay's Swedish wife Anna Trolle, but without success. Mornay was executed in Stockholm 4 September 1574. Archibald Ruthwen and Gilbert Balfour were also executed. Charles de Dan%C3%A7ay Charles Dançay (1510–1589), was
943-543: The continuation of his father's Franco-Ottoman alliance allowed him to invade the Rhineland while a Franco-Ottoman fleet defended southern France. Although an attempted 1553 invasion of Tuscany ended with defeat at Marciano , in return for his support in the Second Schmalkaldic War , Henry occupied the Three Bishoprics of Toul , Verdun and Metz , acquisitions secured with victory at Renty in 1554. After
984-451: The extirpation of domestic heresy. The Italian War of 1551–1559 began when Henry declared war on Holy Roman Emperor Charles V with the intent of recapturing Italy and ensuring French, rather than Habsburg, domination of European affairs. Persecution of Protestants at home did not prevent him from becoming allied with German Protestant princes at the Treaty of Chambord in 1552. Simultaneously,
1025-479: The favorite of Eric XIV, promised Duke Charles that he knew the location of Eric's alleged hidden gold reserve, which he would reveal after the coup in exchange for better conditions for Eric in prison. Among the known conspirators were Eric's French gardener Jean Allard . John III was to be killed during a sword dance performed by Scottish mercenaries at the party which was to be given in October that year before
1066-471: The king in favor of the future Henry III of France , a plan which was approved at the French royal court, but the election of Henry to the Polish throne discontinued these plans. In 1574, he helped Henry escape from Poland. He was under order to increase French influence in the Nordic nations, and negotiated for a French-Swedish marriage alliance (between Henry III and Princess Elizabeth of Sweden ), but these plans
1107-446: The plot had been exposed, he gave orders to the governors in Östergötland to keep Cecilia under watch and not to let her have access to any royal castle. On 29 August, Charles de Mornay was sentenced guilty as charged for treason against king John III as well as having caused the execution of the innocent Hugh Cahun. Duke Charles was, if not an active participant so at least aware of the plot without trying to prevent it – but his part in
1148-481: The plot was exposed. Gilbert Balfour described the negotiations of Charles de Mornay, and Pontus De la Gardie informed the king, who issued a warrant for Mornay's arrest. Four summons was issued for his questioning, but de Mornay took refuge in the Duchy of Duke Charles. In August 1574, Charles de Mornay was arrested when trying to escape Sweden by ship from Nyköping . He was arrested by order of Duke Charles. Mornay
1189-514: The sale, importation or printing of any unapproved book. It was during the reign of Henry II that Huguenot attempts at establishing a colony in Brazil were made, with the short-lived formation of France Antarctique . In June 1559, with war against the Habsburgs concluded, Henri established in letters patent his desire to task much of the Gendarmerie that had been involved in the foreign wars with
1230-500: The throne. When his elder brother Francis died in 1536 after a game of tennis, Henry became heir apparent to the throne. His attachment to Diane caused a breach with his father in 1544; the royal mistress Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly persuaded Francis that Henry and Diane were conspiring on behalf of the Constable Montmorency , who had been banished from court in 1540. Francis banished Diane from court. Henry also withdrew to
1271-413: The two sisters and their brother Charles were somewhat compromised though they were never accused. Charles de Mornay also revealed, that one of the things which were agreed upon by the conspirators was to raise the dowry of Elizabeth from 100,000 to 150,000, so to make it possible for her to make a marriage of higher status. It is noted, that the marriage between Elizabeth and Henry III of France, which
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1312-406: The wound inflicted by Gabriel de Montgomery , the captain of his Scottish Guard . Though he died early, the succession appeared secure, for he left four young sons – as well as a widow ( Catherine de' Medici ) to lead a capable regency during their minority. Three of those sons lived long enough to become king; but their ineffectual reigns, and the unpopularity of Catherine's regency, helped to spark
1353-544: The young lady had fondly embraced Henry on the day he, as a seven-year-old child, set off to captivity in Spain, and the bond had been renewed after his return to France. At the tournament to honour his father's new bride, Eleanor , in 1531, Henry and Francis dressed as chevaliers, and Henry wore Diane's colors. Extremely confident, mature and intelligent, Diane left Catherine powerless to intervene. She did, however, insist that Henry sleep with Catherine in order to produce heirs to
1394-464: Was an avid hunter and a participant in jousts and tournaments. On 30 June 1559, a tournament was held near Place des Vosges to celebrate the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis with his longtime enemies, the Habsburgs of Austria, and to celebrate the marriage of his daughter Elisabeth of Valois to King Philip II of Spain . During a jousting match, King Henry, wearing the colours of his mistress Diane de Poitiers ,
1435-601: Was discontinued by the marriage between Henry and Louise of Lorraine in 1575. Henry II of France Henry II (French: Henri II ; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany , he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder brother Francis in 1536. As a child, Henry and his elder brother spent over four years in captivity in Spain as hostages in exchange for their father. Henry pursued his father's policies in matters of art, war, and religion. He persevered in
1476-579: Was made a Knight of the Garter by Edward VI, King of England , in April 1551. By 19 July, after some lengthy haggling concerning the dowry, a betrothal was made between his daughter, Elisabeth and Edward. The Edict of Châteaubriant (27 June 1551) called upon the civil and ecclesiastical courts to detect and punish all heretics and placed severe restrictions on Huguenots, including the loss of one-third of their property to informers, and confiscations. The Edict also strictly regulated publications by prohibiting
1517-507: Was officially suggested in 1574, could have been informally suggested through Charles already the year before, and that the French ambassador had expressed himself impressed by everything regarding Elizabeth with the exception of her dowry. It seems that John III suspected Cecilia to have prepared a rebellion against him: in 1573, he gave an order that Cecilia was not to be allowed in the Stockholm Castle during his absence, and in 1574, after
1558-408: Was put on trial in Stockholm on 11 August. The trial was highly sensitive because it implicated a number of people of power, such as the king's brother Duke Charles as well as foreign people of power. Duke Charles was not summoned but left a written testimony implicating Mornay without implicating himself. Another important witness was Duke Charle's English servant Sigfrid Preston, and the testimonies of
1599-433: Was succeeded by his ten-year-old brother Charles IX . His mother, Catherine de Medici , acted as regent . Catherine de' Medici bore ten of Henry's children: Henry II also had three illegitimate children: Henri or Henry has had four notable portrayals onscreen: He was played by a young Roger Moore in the 1956 film Diane , opposite Lana Turner in the title role and Marisa Pavan as Catherine de Medici . In
1640-668: Was the practice to enclose the heart of the king in an urn. The Monument to the Heart of Henry II is in the collection of the Louvre , but was originally in the Chapel of Orleans beneath a pyramid. The original bronze urn holding the king's heart was destroyed during the French Revolution and a replica was made in the 19th century. The marble sculpture of the Three Graces holding the urn, executed from
1681-450: Was wounded in the eye by a fragment of the splintered lance of Gabriel Montgomery , captain of the King's Scottish Guard . Despite the efforts of royal surgeons Ambroise Paré and Andreas Vesalius , the court doctors ultimately "advocated a wait-and-see strategy"; as a result, the king's untreated eye and brain damage led to his death by sepsis on 10 July 1559. His autopsy found that he had