Use the Forks, Henry: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Ucieczka Henryka Walezego z Polski.jpg|thumb|left|Henry Valois leaving Poland near Pszczyna on 19 June 1574<br>{{small|By Artur Grottger (1860)}}]]

Barely four months had passed since Henry’s coronation at Cracow’s Wawel Cathedral when he received word that the younger of his elder brothers had succumbed to a brief illness. Unlike in Poland, the French monarchy was hereditary: King Charles IX was dead – long live King Henry III ! Therefore Catherine de’ Medici promptly summoned her favourite son, urging him to return to France without delay and claim the throne left vacant by his late brother. The snag was that the King of Poland wasn’t allowed to leave the country without the parliament’s consent. Henry, however, had no intention of waiting for the parliament to convene and graciously grant him permission. And so, on the night of 18–19 June 1574, he slipped out through the back passages of Wawel Castle and – in the company of just a handful of his most trusted minions – fled his own kingdom. When Polish courtiers realized a few hours later that the king had gone missing, Chamberlain Jan Tęczyński (uncle of Palatine Jan Baptysta Tęczyński, whom I mentioned in the [[Italian Greens from Italian Queens|previous post]] and whom he accompanied in his Danish captivity) quickly gave pursuit. Presumably to reassure the French that Poland was a full-fledged member of Western civilization and not some wild Asiatic steppe, he brought along a small detachment of Tatar light cavalry. He caught up with the king just across the border with the Kingdom of Bohemia (part of the Holy Roman Empire). The minions were ready to defend their monarch, but breathed a sigh of relief when Tęczyński revealed he intended only verbally to persuade the king to return. As it turned out, to no avail. The chamberlain had to settle for a few lavish gifts and Henry’s solemn promise that he would still return to Poland one day.<ref name=Noailles>{{Cyt

Barely four months had passed since Henry’s coronation at Cracow’s Wawel{{czyt|Wawel}} Cathedral when he received word that the younger of his elder brothers had succumbed to a brief illness. Unlike in Poland, the French monarchy was hereditary: King Charles IX was dead – long live King Henry III ! Therefore Catherine de’ Medici promptly summoned her favourite son, urging him to return to France without delay and claim the throne left vacant by his late brother. The snag was that the King of Poland wasn’t allowed to leave the country without the parliament’s consent. Henry, however, had no intention of waiting for the parliament to convene and graciously grant him permission. And so, on the night of 18–19 June 1574, he slipped out through the back passages of Wawel Castle and – in the company of just a handful of his most trusted minions – fled his own kingdom. When Polish courtiers realized a few hours later that the king had gone missing, Chamberlain Jan Tęczyński (uncle of Palatine Jan Baptysta Tęczyński, whom I mentioned in the [[Italian Greens from Italian Queens|previous post]] and whom he accompanied in his Danish captivity) quickly gave pursuit. Presumably to reassure the French that Poland was a full-fledged member of Western civilization and not some wild Asiatic steppe, he brought along a small detachment of Tatar light cavalry. He caught up with the king just across the border with the Kingdom of Bohemia (part of the Holy Roman Empire). The minions were ready to defend their monarch, but breathed a sigh of relief when Tęczyński revealed he intended only verbally to persuade the king to return. As it turned out, to no avail. The chamberlain had to settle for a few lavish gifts and Henry’s solemn promise that he would still return to Poland one day.<ref name=Noailles>{{Cyt

| nazwisko = Noailles

| imię = Emmanuel Henri Victurien de

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 [[File:Ucieczka Henryka Walezego z Polski.jpg|thumb|left|Henry Valois leaving Poland near Pszczyna on 19 June 1574<br>{{small|By Artur Grottger (1860)}}]]
-Barely four months had passed since Henry’s coronation at Cracow’s Wawel Cathedral when he received word that the younger of his elder brothers had succumbed to a&nbsp;brief illness. Unlike in Poland, the French monarchy was hereditary: King Charles&nbsp;IX was dead – long live King Henry&nbsp;III ! Therefore Catherine de’ Medici promptly summoned her favourite son, urging him to return to France without delay and claim the throne left vacant by his late brother. The snag was that the King of Poland wasn’t allowed to leave the country without the parliament’s consent. Henry, however, had no intention of waiting for the parliament to convene and graciously grant him permission. And so, on the night of 18–19 June 1574, he slipped out through the back passages of Wawel Castle and – in the company of just a&nbsp;handful of his most trusted minions – fled his own kingdom. When Polish courtiers realized a&nbsp;few hours later that the king had gone missing, Chamberlain Jan Tęczyński (uncle of Palatine Jan Baptysta Tęczyński, whom I mentioned in the [[Italian Greens from Italian Queens|previous post]] and whom he accompanied in his Danish captivity) quickly gave pursuit. Presumably to reassure the French that Poland was a&nbsp;full-fledged member of Western civilization and not some wild Asiatic steppe, he brought along a&nbsp;small detachment of Tatar light cavalry. He caught up with the king just across the border with the Kingdom of Bohemia (part of the Holy Roman Empire). The minions were ready to defend their monarch, but breathed a&nbsp;sigh of relief when Tęczyński revealed he intended only verbally to persuade the king to return. As it turned out, to no avail. The chamberlain had to settle for a&nbsp;few lavish gifts and Henry’s solemn promise that he would still return to Poland one day.<ref name=Noailles>{{Cyt
+Barely four months had passed since Henry’s coronation at Cracow’s Wawel{{czyt|Wawel}} Cathedral when he received word that the younger of his elder brothers had succumbed to a&nbsp;brief illness. Unlike in Poland, the French monarchy was hereditary: King Charles&nbsp;IX was dead – long live King Henry&nbsp;III ! Therefore Catherine de’ Medici promptly summoned her favourite son, urging him to return to France without delay and claim the throne left vacant by his late brother. The snag was that the King of Poland wasn’t allowed to leave the country without the parliament’s consent. Henry, however, had no intention of waiting for the parliament to convene and graciously grant him permission. And so, on the night of 18–19 June 1574, he slipped out through the back passages of Wawel Castle and – in the company of just a&nbsp;handful of his most trusted minions – fled his own kingdom. When Polish courtiers realized a&nbsp;few hours later that the king had gone missing, Chamberlain Jan Tęczyński (uncle of Palatine Jan Baptysta Tęczyński, whom I mentioned in the [[Italian Greens from Italian Queens|previous post]] and whom he accompanied in his Danish captivity) quickly gave pursuit. Presumably to reassure the French that Poland was a&nbsp;full-fledged member of Western civilization and not some wild Asiatic steppe, he brought along a&nbsp;small detachment of Tatar light cavalry. He caught up with the king just across the border with the Kingdom of Bohemia (part of the Holy Roman Empire). The minions were ready to defend their monarch, but breathed a&nbsp;sigh of relief when Tęczyński revealed he intended only verbally to persuade the king to return. As it turned out, to no avail. The chamberlain had to settle for a&nbsp;few lavish gifts and Henry’s solemn promise that he would still return to Poland one day.<ref name=Noailles>{{Cyt
   | nazwisko = Noailles
   | imię     = Emmanuel Henri Victurien de