Francis II of France

Francis II married Mary, Queen of Scots, in a union that strengthened French influence in Scotland. As dauphin, he became king consort of Scotland, and the marriage tied the Stuart and Valois dynasties together.

Francis II became king at age 15 upon the death of his father, Henry II. Due to his youth and poor health, effective power was exercised by the Guise family, who were ultra-Catholic and persecuted Protestants, intensifying religious tensions.

A Protestant conspiracy, the Conjuration of Amboise, attempted to overthrow the Guise regency and capture Francis II. The plot was discovered and brutally suppressed, leading to mass executions and deepening the French Wars of Religion.