Francis, Duke of Anjou  Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon ("Hercule François"; 18 March 1555 – 10 June 1584) was the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. He was scarred by smallpox at age eight, and his pitted face and slightly deformed spine did not suit his birth name of "Hercule". He changed his name to Francis in honour of his late brother Francis II of France when he was confirmed. The royal children were raised under the supervision of the governor and governess of the royal children, Claude d'Urfé and Françoise d'Humières, under the orders of Diane de Poitiers. In 1574, following the death of his brother Charles IX of France and the accession of his other brother Henry III of France, he became heir to the throne. In 1576 he was made Duke of Anjou, Touraine, and Berry. During the night of 13 September 1575, Alençon fled from the French court after being alienated from his brother King Henry III; they had had some differences. Both Henry III and Catherine de' Medici feared he would join the Protestant rebels. These fears proved well-founded; Francis joined the prince of Condé and his forces in the south. In February 1576 the King of Navarre escaped from the French court, whereupon his forces also joined Condé. This combined army was enough to force Henry III, without a pitched battle of any sort, to capitulate and sign the very pro-Protestant "peace of Monsieur", or Edict of Beaulieu, on 6 May 1576. By "secret treaties" which formed part of this peace settlement, many on the Protestant side were rewarded with land and titles. Francis was awarded the Duchy of Anjou (along with other lands) and thus became the Duke of Anjou. In 1579 negotiations commenced for marrying Anjou to Elizabeth I of England. The Duke of Anjou was in fact the only one of Elizabeth's foreign suitors to court her in person. He was 24 and Elizabeth was 46. Despite the age gap, the two soon became very close, Elizabeth dubbing him her "frog". While a few believe this nickname arose from a frog-shaped earring he had given her, "frog" has been an unflattering slang nickname for the French for centuries - similar to the slang nicknames of "Limey" for the British and "kraut" for Germans.