Short answers, pulled from the story.
La Henriade is a 1723 epic poem by Voltaire celebrating the life of Henry IV of France. Its ostensible subject is the siege of Paris in 1589 by Henry III and Henry of Navarre, but its central themes are religious fanaticism and civil discord. The poem also addresses the political state of France.
La Henriade was first printed in 1723 under the title La Ligue. It was reprinted dozens of times during Voltaire's lifetime.
Voltaire wrote La Henriade in a reformed version of the twelve-syllable alexandrine couplet, shaped into a stylised hexameter for dramatic effect. Some commentators argued this rhythm was poorly suited to the poem's content and themes.
La Henriade was widely regarded as one of Voltaire's best works but was rarely called his masterpiece. Critics charged it with lacking originality and novel inspiration, and some argued the shortfall stemmed from Voltaire's own incomplete understanding of and lack of enthusiasm for the material.
Voltaire's other extended epic poem is La Pucelle d'Orleans, which took Joan of Arc as a subject of satire. These two works stand apart from the rest of his poetry in length and ambition.
Francois-Thomas-Marie de Baculard d'Arnaud's 1740 tragedy Coligny was strongly influenced by La Henriade. Both works later served as sources for Joseph-Benoit Suvee's 1787 history painting Admiral Coligny Confronts His Assassins.