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Historical Figure
Catherine de' Medici
History's Catherine de' Medici
Biographical Information
Title: Catherine, Queen of France
Reign: 31 March 1547 –
10 July 1559
Coronation: 10 June 1549
Born: 13 April 1519
Burial: Saint-Denis
Religion: Roman Catholic
House: House of Medici
Relationship Information
TV Character Information
Portrays: King Henry
Portrayed by: Alan van Sprang


Catherine de' Medici was the wife of the king of France, King Henry II. They were married for 26 years and had 10 children together, 8 of
whom made it to adulthood.

Childhood

When Catherine was a young child, both her parents died of illness.
The Medici, a powerful Italian family, were overthrown by the Florentine republic, and Catherine was held hostage in a convent by the rebels. Threats were made against Catherine to rape her, which are implied to have been carried out at some point. After years of captivity. she was rescued by the forces of Pope Clement VII, who held her in his embrace as he greeted her, giving her back her freedom.

While Queen of France

Years later, Pope Clement VII arranged the marriage of Catherine de' Medici to the second son of the French king, Prince Henry. The marriage took place in France when they were both 14 years old. Catherine and Henry were very much in love, even if he had been seeing another woman before their marriage. However, Catherine was surprised when the other woman, Diane de Poitiers continued to stay in both their lives. Catherine was very hurt to hear that Diane was pregnant before she was, and was devastated when it turned out to be a boy. However, not long after, Catherine was pregnant, and was thrilled when it was born a boy as well. Henry named him Francis, after his older brother. Soon after, she was pregnant with a second child, who she named Elisabeth.

Two years later, Henry's father died, and Henry became the new King of France, making Prince Francis the new heir to the throne. Years passed, and Catherine and Henry had two more sons and a daughter, even though they were no longer as close as they had been in the earlier years of their marriage.

Queen Mother

Prince Francis became king at the age of 15. In what has been called a coup d'état, the Cardinal of Lorraine and the Duke of Guise—whose niece, Mary, Queen of Scots, had married Francis the year before—seized power the day after Henry II's death and quickly moved themselves into the Louvre Palace with the young couple.

Catherine worked with the Guises out of necessity. She was not strictly entitled to a role in Francis's government, he was deemed old enough to rule for himself. However, all his official acts began as: "This being the good pleasure of the Queen, my lady-mother, and I also approving of every opinion that she holdeth, am content and command that ..."

One of her first acts was to force Diane de Poitiers to hand over the crown jewels and return the Château de Chenonceau to the crown.

The Guise brothers set about persecuting the Protestants. Catherine spoke up against the Guise persecutions, though she had no particular sympathy for them, whose beliefs she never shared. The Protestants looked for leadership first to King Antoine and then, with more success, to his brother, Louis Condé who backed a plot to overthrow the Guises by force.

In June 1560, Michel de l'Hôpital began working closely with Catherine to defend the law in the face of the growing anarchy. Neither saw the need to punish Protestants who worshipped in private and did not take up arms. Meanwhile, Condé raised an army and in autumn 1560 began attacking towns in the south. Catherine ordered him to court and had him imprisoned as soon as he arrived. He was tried in November, found guilty of offences against the crown, and sentenced to death. His life was saved by the illness and death of the king.

When Catherine realized Francis was going to die, she made a pact with Antoine Bourbon he would renounce his right to the regency of the future King Charles, for the release of his brother Louis Condé. When Francis died on 5 December 1560, the Privy Council appointed Catherine as governor of France.

At first Catherine kept the 9-year-old king, who cried at his coronation, close to her, and slept in his chamber. Presided over his council, decided policy, and controlled state business and patronage. However, was never in a position to control the country as a whole, which was on the brink of civil war. [1]

Notes

  • Catherine's full name is Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de' Medici.
  • Catherine's parents did die when she was young, not long after she was born; however, it was from separate sicknesses.
  • Pope Clement VII not only saved Catherine de' Medici from being held hostage and raped when she was a child, but prior to that, he had raised and housed her after the death of her parents and grandparents when she was 4. He was also in attendance for her wedding.
  • James V of Scotland, Mary's father inquired about a marriage to Catherine twice before she married Henry.
  • King Henry II and Queen Catherine were married when they were both 14. However, at the time, Henry was Duke of Orleans and second in-line next to his brother, while Catherine was a noble woman.
  • Henry allowed Catherine almost no political influence as queen.
  • Catherine and Diane de Poitiers were cousins. Diane encouraged Henry to share Catherine's bed more often to produce children.
  • Diane stayed with Catherine when she was sick with scarlet fever and nursed her back to health.
  • Henry and Catherine had 10 children together, 8 of whom made it to adulthood.

Family Tree

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Lorenzo de' Medici
   
   
Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Henry II of France
   
   
Catherine de' Medici
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Mary, Queen of Scots
   
   
Francis II of France
   
   
Elisabeth of Valois
   
   
Philip II of Spain
   
   
Claude of Calois
   
   
   
   
   
   
Charles IX of France
   
   
Henry III of France
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Isabella Clara Eugenia
   
   
Catherine Michelle
   
   
Henry II, Duke of Lorraine
   
   
Christina of Lorraine
   
   
Marie Elisabeth

References

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