Having arrived in Poland on the 25th of January, 1574, and been crowned at Cracow on the 24th of February, Henry had been scarcely four months King of Poland when he was apprised, about the middle of June, that his brother Charles had lately died, on the 30th of May, and that he was King of France.

"Do not waste your time in deliberating," said his French advisers; "you must go and take possession of the throne of France without abdicating that of Poland: go at once and without fuss." Henry followed this counsel.

He left Cracow, on the 18th of June, with a very few attendants.

Some Poles were apprehensive of his design, but said nothing about it.

He went a quarter of a league on foot to reach the horses which were awaiting him, set off at a gallop, rode all night, and arrived next day early on the frontier of Moravia, an Austrian province.
The royal flight created a great uproar at Cracow; the noblemen, and even the peasants, armed with stakes and scythes, set out in pursuit of their king.