Question

At the end of the French Wars of Religion, who converted to Catholicism in order to be accepted as the king of France?

A) Henry IV
B) Francis II
C) Charles IX
D) Henry III

Answer 1

Henry IV converted to Catholicism to become the king of France, which helped to end the French Wars of Religion and brought stability to the nation. Option A is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

At the end of the French Wars of Religion, it was Henry IV who converted to Catholicism to be accepted as the king of France. After suffering through the War of the Three Henrys and the violent religious conflicts that plagued France, such as the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre, a period of civil strife and contention between Catholics and Protestants, Henry of Navarre—the Protestant leader who stood as the rightful heir—realized the necessity to reconcile with the majority Catholic population. To facilitate his acceptance and bring peace to the realm, he famously declared 'Paris is worth a mass' and converted to Catholicism. Later, as King Henry IV, his reign was characterized by efforts to stabilize the country, evidenced by the issuance of the Edict of Nantes in 1598 which granted Huguenots the liberty of conscience and the liberty of worship, thus accentuating a move towards religious toleration.