Heir Anxiety in Renaissance Europe

Henry VIII is infamous for his obsessive quest for a male heir—but he was far from the only Renaissance monarch haunted by fertility struggles. Across Europe, kings faced intense pressure to produce sons, especially in France, where Salic law strictly required male succession. From Louis XII’s desperate annulment and Anne of Brittany’s heartbreaking losses, to Catherine de' Medici’s decade-long battle with infertility, this episode explores how fertility issues shaped royal marriages, alliances, and even wars. Discover how these intimate struggles in royal bedchambers changed the political landscape of Europe forever.

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