In the bronze statue made by the Italian sculptorPietro Tacca in 1614, it is dedicated to King Henry IV of France (1553-1610) who was one of the most popular kings of France and at the same time was also the king of Navarre in northern Spain, known for his concern for his people and his tolerant attitude towards religion.
The king was murdered by a fanatical Catholic assassin
Click for sign's details The first statue was commissioned by Marie de Medici, the kings wife, and placed in 1614. During the French Revolution, the statue was removed (1792) and restored in 1818.
The statue was photographed on the same day
Click for a larger image Click for a larger image On the back of the statues base appears the following text in Latin:
ERRICO IV
GALLIARVM IMPERATORI NAVAR R
LVDOVICVS XIII FILIVS EIVS
OPVS INCHOATVM ET INTERMISSVM
PRO DIGNITATE PIETATIS ET IMPERII
PLENIVS ET AMPLIVS ABSOLVIT
EMIN(ENTISSIMVS) D(EI) G(RATIA) RICHELIVS
COMMVNE VOTVM POPVLI PROMOVIT
SVPER ILLVSTR VIRI
DE BVLLION BOVTILLIER P AERARII F.
FACIENDVM CVRAVERVNT
MDCXXXV
[translation]
Henry IV
Emperor of Gaul, King of Navarre
thanks to its properties
excelled in piety and family and governance,
His son Louis XIII completed the monument that was begun but not finished.
Richelieu stands out by the grace of God, presented the general will of the people, the famous Bouillon and Boutilier men, supervisors of the finances of France, saw to its establishment in 1635
Click for a larger image On the other two sides of the statues base there are metal reliefs describing events that happened during the religious wars in France:
King Henri IV brings food to besieged Paris
Click for a larger image The king entered Paris in 1594
Click for a larger image The statue is designated as a historical heritage site of France
Translation of the text on the sign:
Henry the Great
Known for his deep emotion towards his people
The statue was removed because of the outrage of the people during the revolution
After the return of Louis XVIII
Citizens from all classes restored the statue and even contributed to it
They also restored the honorary inscription, and engraved it a second time in stone
On the twenty-fifth day of August 1818
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