Henry IV of France succeeded Henry III of France.
Henry IV ( Henri IV , read as Henri-Quatre [ ɑ̃ʁi.katʁ ] ; 13 December 1553 -- 14 May 1610 ) , also known by the epithet `` Good King Henry '' , was King of Navarre ( as Henry III ) from 1572 to 1610 and King of France from 1589 to 1610 . Upon the death of his brother-in-law and distant cousin Henry III of France in 1589 , Henry was called to the French succession by the Salic law .