Henry II of France was involved with the cause of a war about politics.
Henry II of England . Henry soon came into conflict with Louis VII and the two rulers fought what has been termed a `` cold war '' over several decades . Henry II of France . Henry pursued his father 's policies in matter of arts , wars and religion . He persevered in the Italian Wars against the House of Habsburg and tried to suppress the Protestant Reformation , even as the Huguenot numbers were increasing drastically in France during his reign . Henry suffered an untimely death in a jousting tournament held to celebrate the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis at the conclusion of the Eighth Italian War . He was succeeded in turn by three of his sons , whose ineffective reigns helped to spark the French Wars of Religion between Protestants and Catholics .