Henry IV's head

The embalmed head of King Henry IV of France has been rediscovered and confirmed as genuine after a series of scientific tests. After Henry was assassinated in 1610 his head was kept in the royal chapel in Paris until it was ransacked in 1793. The head was then kept in private hands before reappearing in public. One piece of evidence which assisted the scientists was a healed facial wound, left from a previous assassination attempt. Henry played a significant role in French history as he converted to Catholicism when he became King and enacted the Edict of Nantes in 1598, guaranteeing religious freedom and effectively the 36 year long French Wars of Religion. He was given the nickname "Le Vert Galant" or "The Green Galant" which (according to Wikipedia) "is a reference to both his dashing character and his attractiveness to women."

PS: Here are articles on the subject (in French!) from Le Monde and Le Figaro.

Good King Henri

Today marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Henry IV of France, murdered by a fanatical Catholic angry at his attempts to promote harmony between Protestants and Catholics after the disastrous French Wars of Religion. He remains a popular figure in France, both for his achievements as King and his impressive string of romantic contests, made apparently while "smelling strongly of garlic and feet". Here is an article from the Guardian and here is one (in French!) from the Nouvel Observateur.