FRANCIS II. king of France, eldest son of Henry II. and of Catherine de' Medici, was born at Fontaine bleau on Jan. 19, 1544. He married Mary Stuart (see MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS), daughter of James V. of Scotland, on Aug. 25, 1558, and ascended the French throne on July 10, During his short reign the young king, a sickly youth and of feeble understanding, was the mere tool of his uncles Francis, duke of Guise, and Charles, cardinal of Lorraine, into whose hands he virtually delivered the reins of government. After the failure of the conspiracy of Amboise, directed against the Guises the duke of Guise became lieutenant-general of the kingdom, but his Cath olic leanings were somewhat held in check by the chancellor Michel de l'Hopital (q.v.) . Francis II. died on December 5, 156o.
See Ernest Lavisse, Histoire de France (vol. vi. by J. H. Mariejol, 5904), which contains a bibliography.