# Assassination of Francis, Duke of Guise (1563)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/1563-assassination-of-francis-duke-of-guise
Location: Orléans

The death of the Catholic leader altered the factional balance during the first war. Within the broader Renaissance & Wars of Religion period, Renaissance monarchy brought Italian wars, humanist culture and overseas exploration. The Reformation then fractured the kingdom, producing decades of civil war between Catholic and Protestant factions. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Charles IX (King of France). Assassination of Francis, Duke of Guise is a useful marker in the longer transformation of political authority, society and culture in France. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Assassination of Francis, Duke of Guise is a useful marker in the longer transformation of political authority, society and culture in France.

Ruler at the time: [Charles IX](https://history-france.com/rulers/charles-ix)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Assassination of Francis, Duke of Guise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Assassination+of+Francis%2C+Duke+of+Guise&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Assassination of Francis, Duke of Guise](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Assassination+of+Francis%2C+Duke+of+Guise)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of French history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_French_history)