1563 in France

Incumbents

• Monarch - Charles IX

  Events

• February 18 - Francis, Duke of Guise, is assassinated while besieging Orléans
• March 19 - Edict of Amboise is signed at the Château d'Amboise by Catherine de' Medici, acting as regent for her son Charles IX of France, having been negotiated between the Huguenot Louis, Prince of Condé, and Anne, duc de Montmorency, Constable of France, according some toleration to Huguenots, especially to aristocrats; this officially ends the first phase of the French Wars of Religion, and the combined Huguenot and royal armies then march north to besiege the English in Le Havre
• July 28 - The English surrender Le Havre to the French after a siege

  Births

• September 21 - Henri, Duke of Joyeuse, general
• November 8 - Henry II, Duke of Lorraine

  Full date missing

• Louise Bourgeois Boursier, royal midwife
• Pierre Matthieu, poet, dramatist and historian
• Jean Titelouze, organist and composer

  Deaths

• February - Pierre de Bocosel de Chastelard, poet
• February 24 - Francis, Duke of Guise, soldier and politician
• August 18 - Étienne de La Boétie, judge, political philosopher and sonneteer
• December 29 - Sebastian Castellio, Calvinist preacher and theologian

  Full date missing

• Charles de Cossé, Count of Brissac, courtier
• Odet de Selve, diplomat
• Jean Poldo d'Albenas, Calvinist historian and translator