[MR] Wikipedia: Death of Henry II of France

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends,

On this date  (or maybe tomorrow) in 1559 Gabriel, Comte de Montgomery 
accidentally pierced the helm of the French King Henry II during a 
joust. A splinter was driven through the king's eye and into his brain, 
causing a slow and painful death: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel,_comte_de_Montgomery . The king 
absolved Montgomery of any wrong-doing before he expired.

You can read more about Henry II at 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_II_of_France .

Montgomery was captain of Henry II's Garde Écossaise, or Scots Guards. 
The Garde Écossaise was formed of supposedly incorruptible foreign 
troops from Scotland in 1418. The Garde became a sort of polishing 
assignment for the sons of Scottish nobles. The Garde Écossaise formed 
the personal bodyguard of French kings until 1830, though by then they 
were all French: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garde_Écossaise .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, That Crazy Scot