Researchers have confirmed a mummified head, long thought to be the king’s, is in fact his and will be buried at the royal basilica of Saint-Denis.
The head had belonged to private owners after it was removed from the king’s body by revolutionaries in 1793.
Henry had earlier been assassinated in 1610, but the head was removed following the execution of King Louis XVI in France, which led to the burial grounds of previous monarchs being targeted.
Jon Merriman, a Yale University historian and French history author said: “It fit into their idea of, ‘Out, out, damn spot,’ of getting rid of, in a symbolic way, the historical burdens of monarchy. It seemed, in context, a proper gesture.”
Researchers have verified the mummified head by comparing it to sculptures and portraits taken of the king while alive. The head had been well-preserved by previous owners, and historians were able to match similarities with a mole on the right nostril and an earring hole on the right earlobe.
