Eleven years later he was crowned Henry II of France. Unfortunately it was to be a short reign as Henry died in a jousting accident in 1559, thrusting Catherine onto the political stage.

His son, Henry the Younger, had a coronation on 14th June 1170, in an attempt to settle the succession to the throne during the father's lifetime. But the young Henry died before his father.

Historians have long debated whether his murder was on the orders of Henry II or if it was a terrible ... was with Becket when he died. Grim later wrote an account of what happened.