Dauphine thumb|170px|right|Henry, Duke of Orléans, by Corneille de Lyon. During his childhood, Henry spent almost four and a half years as a hostage in Spain, an ordeal that marked him for life, leaving him introverted and gloomy. In 1536, Henry's older brother, Francis, caught a chill after a game of tennis, contracted a fever and died shortly after, leaving Henry the heir. Suspicions of poison abounded, from Catherine to Emperor Charles V. Sebastiano de Montecuccoli confessed under torture to poisoning the Dauphin.
Dauphine thumb|170px|right|Henry Duke of Orléans by Corneille de Lyon During his childhood Henry spent almost four and a half years as a hostage in Spain an ordeal that marked him for life leaving him introverted and gloomy In 1536 Henry's older brother Francis caught a chill after a game of tennis contracted a fever and died shortly after leaving Henry the heir Suspicions of poison abounded from Catherine to Emperor Charles V Sebastiano de Montecuccoli confessed under torture to poisoning the Dauphin