Henry the II, King of France, lived and reigned during the years of the Protestant Revolution in Europe. In addition to being a champion of Catholicism, he also vied against the Habsburgs for dominance over Italy, likely aided by the ambitions of his Italian wife Catherine de' Medici. Arguably his most remarkable contribution of his to the western world, was his work on Patent law, where he introduced the concept of "invention description" in a patent, this would, later on, become a foundational pillar of the industrial revolution and beyond. This armor is one of Henry's most elaborate and complete parade armors, with many stylistic influences from Italy.