why does france no longer have a king
List of French monarchs
The Valois line looked strong on the death of Henry II , who left four male heirs . His first son , Francis II , died in his minority . His second son , Charles IX , had no legitimate sons to inherit . Following the premature death of his fourth son Hercule François , and the assassination of his third son , the childless Henry III , France was plunged into a succession crisis over which distant cousin of the king would inherit the throne . The best claimant , King Henry III of Navarre , was a Protestant , and thus unacceptable to much of the French nobility . Ultimately , after winning numerous battles in defense of his claim , Henry converted to Catholicism and was crowned king , founding the House of Bourbon . This marked the second time the thrones of Navarre and France were united under one monarch ; as different inheritance laws had caused them to become separated during the events of the Hundred Years Wars . The House of Bourbon would be overthrown during the French Revolution , replaced by the short - lived French Republic .
The Valois line looked strong on the death of Henry II , who left four male heirs . His first son , Francis II , died in his minority . His second son , Charles IX , had no legitimate sons to inherit . Following the premature death of his fourth son Hercule François , and the assassination of his third son , the childless Henry III , France was plunged into a succession crisis over which distant cousin of the king would inherit the throne . The best claimant , King Henry III of Navarre , was a Protestant , and thus unacceptable to much of the French nobility . Ultimately , after winning numerous battles in defense of his claim , Henry converted to Catholicism and was crowned king , founding the House of Bourbon . This marked the second time the thrones of Navarre and France were united under one monarch ; as different inheritance laws had caused them to become separated during the events of the Hundred Years Wars . The House of Bourbon would be overthrown during the French Revolution , replaced by the short - lived French Republic .