Historical eventApril 31559

Henry II of France

Henry II of France and Philip II of Spain signed the second treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis, ending the Italian War of 1551–1559.

Everything on April 3Original source

In context

When
Monday, April 3 1559467 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
16th century · 1550s
Calendar
Julian — as recorded at the time
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Dates before 15 October 1582 are in the Julian calendar, so the weekday shown follows the Julian reckoning of the time.

At a glance

Dates: From 1559.

Type: human.

What happened

Henry II was King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder brother Francis in 1536.

April 3 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

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Also in 1559

  • May 2PresbyterianismPresbyterian clergyman John Knox returned from exile to lead the Scottish Reformation.
  • June 24Book of Common Prayer (1559)The Book of Common Prayer, a major component of the Elizabethan religious settlement, was introduced as the liturgy of the Church of Engl…
  • June 30JoustingDuring a jousting match, King Henry II of France was mortally wounded when fragments of Gabriel Montgomery's lance pierced his eye.

Everything we record for 1559 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Henry II of France”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/henry-ii-of-france-1559-april-3, accessed October 25, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Henry II of France happen?

April 3 1559 — 467 years ago, on a Monday.

Is this a Julian or a Gregorian date?

It is the date as recorded at the time, on the Julian calendar. The Gregorian equivalent falls about ten days later; sources from different countries may give either.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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