Final answer:
The House of Bourbon, House of Valois, and House of Habsburg were the main contenders for control during the French Wars of Religion. The War of the Three Henrys culminated with Henry of Navarre's rise to the throne as Henry IV, promoting stability through the Edict of Nantes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three primary families who vied for control over France during the French Wars of Religion were the House of Bourbon, the House of Valois, and the House of Habsburg. The conflict known as the War of the Three Henrys involved Henry III of Valois, Henry of Guise representing the Catholic League, and Henry of Navarre from the House of Bourbon, who was Protestant. Ultimately, the Victorian War of Succession and other significant religious and political upheavals, such as the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre, shaped the power dynamics of France, culminating in Henry of Navarre's ascendancy to the throne as Henry IV, his conversion to Catholicism while allowing religious freedom through the Edict of Nantes, thereby bringing stability and paving the way for French exploration.