He was a Huguenot who inherited the French throne in 1589. He worked to fight the Catholics for many years, but converted to Catholicism. Eventually issued the Edict of Nantes in 1595, which gave the Huguenots religious toleration. His goal was to put "a chicken in every pot." He increased the bureaucracy and worked to reduce the power of the nobles. This paved the way for future kings to rule without any check on their power. In 1610, he was assassinated, leaving the throne to his nine-year old son, Louis XIII.