ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and gouache, October 2007 Born in 1555, he was the youngest son of Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici. Christened Hercule, he changed his name to Francois when he was confirmed. Though I have chosen not to portray him so, a bout of smallpox when a child left him scarred and he also suffered from a slight deformation of the spine. He became heir to the French throne on the death of his brother Charles IX in 1574, and had a volatile relationship with both his mother Catherine and his brother Henri III. In 1579 he entered into marriage negotiations with Elizabeth I and spent several months in England as her guest. Despite being 20 years his senior they grew fond of one another, Elizabeth referring to him as her "frog", though any idea that a union would have borne fruit is frankly ludicrous, and of course it came to nothing. IN 1580 Anjou signed a treaty naming him Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands and giving him sovereignty. He arrived in 1582 but Zeeland and Holland refused to recognise him as sovereign. After entering Antwerp with troops in 1583 the city gates were locked behind him. Trapped in the city, 1500 of his soldiers were murdered and Anjou barely escaped with his life. He returned to France in disgrace. In 1584 he became gradually sicker, probably with consumption, and died in June of that year.