King Charles IX was a monarch of France who reigned from 1560 to 1574. He was born on June 27, 1550, and became king at the young age of ten after the death of his father, King Henry II. His reign was marked by the religious conflicts 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 Huguenots (French Protestants) were killed. Charles IX struggled with the pressures of leadership and the influence of his mother, Catherine de' Medici, who played a crucial role in the political decisions of the time.