Charles IX of France was born on June 27, 1550, and became king in 1560 at the age of ten after the death of his father, Henry II. His reign was marked by the ongoing conflict between Catholics and Protestants, known as the French Wars of Religion. One of the most significant events during his rule was the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572, where thousands of Protestants were killed. Charles IX struggled with the pressures of leadership and the influence of his mother, Catherine de' Medici, and he died on May 30, 1574, at the age of 23.