Why did Pope Clement VIII lift Henry IV’s excommunication in 1595?

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Henry IV Henry IV, undated copperplate engraving.

Pope Clement VIII lifted the excommunication of Henry IV on September 17, 1595, primarily because Henry had converted to Roman Catholicism in 1593.12

Following this conversion, the Pope recognized Henry as the rightful king of France. This decision was also influenced by geopolitical considerations: the Pope sought to moderate the influence of Spain and its king, Philip II, who was a constant irritant to the papacy and a rival claimant to the French throne. By absolving Henry, Clement VIII helped stabilize the French monarchy, which in turn allowed Henry to pacify the Protestants within his kingdom while simultaneously promoting the Counter-Reformation.23