Biography

Francis, the Duke of Guise, was born on 17 February 1519. His sister, Mary of Guise, married James V of Scotland and was mother to Mary, Queen of Scots. The Duke was a prominent political figure throughout the sixteenth century, serving in several dozen war campaigns. After his niece, Mary Queen of Scots, assumed the throne, both Francis and his brother Charles were elevated in the world of politics, inflaming courtly drama for years to come.  The brothers were particularly influential during the reign of Henry II, which generated “notorious unpopularity” for the House of Guise. Dissenters to the House of Guise claimed that their avarice made them a dangerous political presence. This seemed to prove true for many dissenters after the death of Henry II, which prompted widespread instability as France seemed to lose control over its population. One of the Duke’s many historical legacies comes from the various assassination attempts on his life. The first came in 1556 when co-conspirators planned to assassinate Francis during a hunt.  However, one of the main leaders of this attempt fled, dissolving the attempt. The second attempt on his life was successful. During the French Wars on Religion, the Duke was fatally injured by the Huguenot assassin, Jean de Poltrot de Méré.