VII.] THE RELIGIOUS WARS. 125 to Sedan, and made it a rallying-point for discontented Calvinists, till, in 1606, Henry marched against him with a splendid train of artillery, and made him give up the city for four years. 22. Murder of Henry, 1610. — This artillery was the work of Sully, who was Master-General of the Ordnance. The great desire of both king and duke was to unite the powers of Europe in an attack on the two branches of the house of Austria in Spain and Germany. A cause of quarrel presently arose respecting the succession to the duchy of Cleves, which was claimed by a Catholic heir on the one side, and a Protestant, the Elector of Branden- burg, on the other, whom Henry pledged himself to support. As the dauphin Lewis was still a child, it was needful to appoint a regent before the king went on a campaign. The queen was the obvious person ; but she had never been crowned, chiefly because Henry had been warned that there was danger in holding any pageant at Paris. For the old spirit of the League still smouldered there, and toleration of Calvinism was hateful to the Jesuits, who had never disowned the doctrine that it was right to kill princes who were foes to the faith. Mary's coronation had now become necessary, and it took place on the 13th of May, 16 10. The next day, as Henry was on his way to visit Sully, a man named Ravaillac leaped on the wheel of the carriage and stabbed him to the heart. The murderer was arrested, tortured, and put to death ; but he had no accomplices, and had acted on the fanatic idea that it was well to strike an enemy of the Church. Few kings have had more of the elements of greatness than Henry IV. He had hearty love of his people, clear perception of what was for their good, a spirit of toleration, and a power of winning hearts and discerning character which has been seldom equalled. The flaw in his nature, his unbridled licentiousness, was partly a family defect of the Bourbons, partly owing to the evil influences of Catharine de' Medici. Accompanying, as it did, so much that was noble and loveable, the example was of most pernicious effect, both in his own country and on those who were foolish enough to form their manners by those of the French. 23. The Concini, 1610. — Lewis XIII. became king at nine years old, with his mother Mary de Medici as regent. This was in t-ruth the regency of two Italian attendants, one Concini, whom Mary created Marquis dncre, and his
