Catherine de Medici full biography. Catherine de Medici

15.03.2021

Catherine de Medici, future Queen of France. She was born in Florence on April 13, 1519. Parent, Duke of Urbinsky Catherine was a nobleman of relatively low origin. However, the connections of the mother, the Countess of Auverenskaya, contributed to the future marriage to the king. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, the parents die six days apart. King Francis I of France tried to take the girl to him, but the pope had his own far-reaching plans. The girl was left in the care of her grandmother, Alfonsina Orsin. In 1520, after the death of her grandmother, the girl was taken by her aunt, Clarissa Strozzi. The girl grew up in the same family, with her aunt's daughters and sons. Relations between the children were good, Catherine did not feel any deprivation. After the death of Leo X in 1521, political events make Catherine a hostage. She spent eight whole years in this status. In 1529, after the surrender of Florence to King Charles V, the girl gained freedom. The new Pope Clement was expecting his niece in Rome. After her arrival, the search for a suitable party began. Considered a large number of candidates. After the proposal of King Francis I, the choice was made. This marriage suited everyone.
The 14-year-old girl became the future companion of Prince Henry. Catherine did not stand out for her beauty, the usual appearance of an ordinary girl at the age of 14. Turning to one of the most famous masters for help, she acquired high-heeled shoes and managed to impress the French court. The wedding celebrations, which began on October 28 in 1533 in Marseille, lasted 34 days. After the death of Clement VII, Catherine's position deteriorated sharply. The new pope refused to pay the dowry. Florentine upbringing did not have versatility. The language that was not native to the girl also brought a lot of grief. Catherine was left alone, the courtiers showed her all sorts of hostility.
Suddenly, the heir to the French throne, the Dauphin Francis, dies, and Catherine's husband passes into the status of heir. The future queen has new worries. From this event, speculation about "Catherine the Poisoner" begins.
The appearance of an illegitimate son by the king proved Catherine's infertility. The future queen underwent all kinds of treatment, wanting to get pregnant. In 1544, a son was born in the family. The child was given the name Francis, in honor of his grandfather, the king on the throne. The first pregnancy completely solved the problem with infertility. Several more children appeared in the family. Catherine's position at court became stronger. After an unsuccessful birth in 1556, doctors recommended that the couple stop. Heinrich lost interest in his wife and spent all his time with his favorite.
March 31, 1547 on the death of his father, King Francis I royalty passes to his son, Henry II. Heinrich's wife turns into a queen. The king limited the wife's ability to participate in government and her influence was minimal.
In the summer of 1559, the king had an accident at a jousting tournament. A splinter from a broken spear pierced through the viewing slot in the helmet into the eye socket and damaged the brain tissue. Doctors tried to save the king, Catherine did not leave the room where the king was. Soon the king stopped seeing and talking. On July 19, 1559, Henry died. From that time until her death, Catherine wore black clothes as a sign of mourning.
Her son, Francis II, ascended the throne of France at the age of 15. Catherine had to delve into the affairs of the state. Lack of experience often led Catherine to the wrong decisions. Because of her naivete, she could not appreciate the depth of the problems.
The reign of the new king lasted about two years. Francis II died infectious disease. The position of king passed to his 10-year-old brother, Charles IX. This child, even having reached the age of majority, was not able to govern the state, and did not show any desire. Tuberculosis brought him to the grave. On the conscience of Catherine lies the bloodiest event of those times - St. Bartholomew's Night. There is no doubt that, according to her decision, Charles IX gave the order to kill the Huguenots. Catherine de Medici died on January 5, 1589. Diagnosis - lung disease. Buried in Blois, Paris was captured by opponents.

Catherine Maria Romola di Lorenzo de' Medici (b. 13 April 1519 - d. 5 January 1589) Queen of France from 1547 to 1559.

For four centuries, her name has excited the imagination of historians, who endow her with various vices and at the same time mourn her. tragic fate. For three decades, she single-handedly kept afloat the ship of the French state sinking in the ocean of confusion and died without knowing that the ship had run aground: the dynasty ended, her children died childless, endless conflicts shook the state ...

She always believed in fate, and at the same time, she believed that it was possible to reverse its course. Her whole life was a continuous series of accidents, where the gifts of fortune alternated with poisoned apples of failure. Yet she remains in history as one of the most famous rulers, as an unusually strong queen - and as a surprisingly unhappy woman. Catherine de Medici was born in Florence: her parents were the Duke of Urbino Lorenzo II and the young Madeleine de la Tour, Countess of Auvergne.

Catherine's childhood

The wealth, connections and fortune of the Medici banking family were intertwined in the newborn with blue blood and the influence of the de la Tour d'Auvergne family, the sovereign rulers of the Auvergne. It seemed that fate incredibly favored young Catherine - but her mother died when the child was only two weeks old, and her father, who was seriously ill before her birth, died a few days later. Catherine, who inherited the Duchy of Urbino, immediately became an important figure in political games: the King of France, the Pope of Rome and many other influential men fought for influence over her, the last branch of the most noble family: the Duchy was too rich, Florence was too rebellious, too famous was the Medici family.

The girl was first taken care of by her grandmother Alfonsina Orsini, and when she died, by Aunt Clarissa Strozzi, who raised her niece with her children and two more Medicis - Alessandro, the illegitimate son of Lorenzo, and Hippolyte, the son of Giuliano Medici.

It was assumed that Hippolyte would marry Catherine and rule the Duchy of Urbina, but Florence rebelled and expelled all the Medici from the city - except for 8-year-old Catherine, who at first, most likely, was simply forgotten. She turned out to be a hostage: she was locked up in the monastery of St. Lucia, and then she spent 2 years in various monasteries in the position of an honorary prisoner - however, the nuns spoiled Catherine as best they could, "a pretty girl with very graceful manners, causing universal love", as it is written in the monastery chronicle.

When Catherine was 10, Florence was besieged by the troops of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Plague and famine began in the city, in which they hastened to blame the Medici - the historical "scapegoats" for Florence. They even wanted to hang young Catherine on the walls of the city - so that the besiegers, her relatives, would have the pleasure of killing her themselves or giving her to be torn to pieces by soldiers. Only the quick surrender of the city saved Catherine - she was taken under his guardianship by her uncle Giulio Medici, who is also Pope Clement VII.

The girl began to live in Rome, in the luxurious Medici palace, famous for its rich decoration of multi-colored marble, an excellent library and a magnificent collection of paintings and statues. This time was the happiest in the girl's life: in the end she was safe, surrounded by love and luxury.

While she was studying ancient tomes in the Medici library or admiring the amazing architecture of Rome, her uncle was preoccupied with how best to arrange the future of her niece: although the Medici could not boast of the noble blue blood of true aristocrats, they were very rich and influential in order to young Catherine became one of the most desirable brides in Europe. And although the Duchy of Urbina went to Alessandro, Catherine's dowry was huge: it consisted of 130,000 ducats and extensive possessions, including Pisa, Livorno and Parma.

And Catherine herself, although she was not considered a beauty, was still quite attractive: thick dark red hair, a chiseled face with large expressive eyes, in which an extraordinary mind shone, a beautiful slender body - however, for those times she was considered too thin and short . Her hands were sought, for example, by the Prince of Orange and the Scottish King James V. But of all the applicants, Clement VII preferred Henry de Valois, Duke of Orleans - the second son of King Francis I of France. Catherine was only 14 when she was betrothed to a French prince.

Marriage of Catherine de Medici

The wedding took place in Marseilles on October 28, 1533: after a magnificent celebration, which was attended by all the highest clergy of Europe and half of the noblest aristocrats, the 14-year-old newlyweds went to their chambers in order to perform the rite of the wedding night. They say that in the morning Catherine was already head over heels in love with her husband: this love, although overshadowed by many grievances, she will carry through her whole life.

After 34 days of constant celebrations, the young ones eventually went to Paris. In the retinue of Catherine, a professional chef arrived in France for the first time, striking the spoiled court with his exquisite and unusual dishes, a perfumer (and at the same time, as they said, a compiler of poisons), as well as an astrologer, a tailor and many servants. Catherine was able to impress the Parisians: her beautiful legs were shod in amazing high-heeled shoes, and luxurious jewelry could outshine the radiance of the sun. Francis I, fascinated by a smart and well-read daughter-in-law, from the very first days took her under his protection.

But a year later, Pope Clement died, and his successor Paul III refused to pay Catherine's dowry, and also broke off all relations with France. Catherine instantly lost all her value: King Francis complained in a letter that "the girl came to me completely naked." The court, which until recently favored the young princess, turned away from her: they began to call her "Italian" and "merchant's wife" and ridicule her for secular inexperience and poor French.

In those days, the French court was a place where refinement of taste, nobility of manners, poetic games and refined conversations were valued, and Catherine could not boast of either a brilliant education or secular education and felt like a stranger at the court. In addition, her adored husband fell seriously in love with another: as if in a mockery of the young duchess, the beautiful widow Diane de Poitiers, almost 20 years older than him, became Henry's chosen one. Diana immediately gained such a strong influence on Henry that he practically forgot about his legal wife.

Meanwhile, in 1536, the heir to the throne, the Dauphin Francis, suddenly died: flushed after a ball game, he drank ice water and died a few days later of a cold. Even then, there were rumors that the Dauphin had been poisoned, and Catherine was called the culprit, to whom his death, of course, was very beneficial - but these assumptions were rejected even by King Francis himself, who still favored his daughter-in-law.

Henry II and Diane de Poitiers

Birth of children

And now she faced the main problem: it was necessary to give France an heir. For more than 10 years, Catherine tried to get pregnant: she used all possible means - from cow dung on her stomach to the help of astrologers. To this day, it is not clear what exactly helped her - most often they write that Heinrich had some kind of physical handicap and was forced to either have an operation or make love to his wife in a strictly defined position. The famous Michel Nostradamus, a doctor and soothsayer, is also often mentioned: as if it was his art that finally helped Catherine to become pregnant.

Be that as it may, on January 20, 1544, Catherine gave birth to a son, baptized in honor of his grandfather Francis - they say that he even shed a tear when he found out about it. Over time, she gave birth to nine more children, of which 7 survived: 4 sons and 3 daughters. After the last birth - two girls were born, one of whom died in the womb, and the second did not live even a week - Catherine was advised not to have any more children. It would seem that Catherine reliably provided the dynasty with heirs; but time has shown that this was not the case at all.

Savor. intrigue

Abandoned by her husband, Catherine consoled herself with the fact that she gathered the brightest talents at her court: she patronized artists and poets, collected books and art objects, not only honing her education, but also increasing the prestige of the French court in the face of Europe, and also taking care of her reputation. It soon became known to everyone that Catherine is one of the most intelligent, understanding and sophisticated women in the world. Everyone except her own husband, who still loved only Diana.

It is believed that the French are indebted to Catherine for haute cuisine, which developed at court under the influence of her Italian chefs. She also invented the ladies' saddle - before her, women rode on horseback, sitting on a kind of bench, which was rather inconvenient. Catherine also introduced pantaloons into fashion, which allowed not only to ride, but also to hide from colds and dirt. In addition, France owes her ballet, tight corsets and acquaintance with the book of the Italian Machiavelli, whose faithful student Catherine was throughout her life.

Intrigues, which at first were only a means of escaping boredom, eventually became a way of life for Catherine. They say that she organized a whole spy network, it included beautiful ladies-in-waiting, whom Catherine placed in the right men, nosy scouts and skillful poison makers. Cold, prudent, hypocritical and power-hungry Catherine hid for the time being - but she believed that someday her hour would come.

Queen without a kingdom

During the celebration of the 28th birthday of the Dauphin Henry, his father, King Francis, died suddenly, and Henry inherited the crown. However, it was Diana de Poitiers who became queen rather than Catherine de Medici: the favorite of the new king received not only all the lands and jewels of her predecessor, the mistress of Francis the Duchess d'Etampes, but also the right to receive some taxes, as well as the castle of Chenonceau and the title of Duchess de Valentinois . Diana seized all power in the kingdom: Henry did not make a single decision without her knowledge and approval.

Catherine could only accept. Stepping on the throat of her own pride, she not only did not interfere in the affairs of her husband's heart - she even became friends with Diana, who sometimes deigned to "borrow" her lawful husband to the queen. Only once did Catherine dare to express her true attitude towards Diana. She was reading a book, and the favorite asked what exactly Her Majesty was reading. “I read the history of France and find indisputable evidence that in this country harlots have always managed the affairs of kings,” the queen replied.

Such behavior, unexpectedly for everyone, earned her considerable respect from her husband: having ceased to see an unwanted burden in his wife, he, in the end, was able to consider in Catherine a considerable mind and state talent. And he even entrusted the country to her during his absence - while her husband was at war with the German emperor, Catherine de Medici ruled France with unexpected force and tact for everyone.

death of the king

Henry's constant wars bore fruit: in April 1558, peace was concluded at Cato Cambresi between France and England and France and Spain: the long Italian wars were finally over. As a pledge of the future world, the Duke of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert received Margarita, Henry's sister, as his wife, and the Spanish king Philip II was to marry his eldest daughter Elizabeth. In honor of the conclusion of peace, at the suggestion of Diane de Poitiers, a jousting tournament was arranged, at which, by an absurd accident, King Henry received a serious wound: during a duel with Gabriel Montgomery, a fragment of the enemy’s spear entered the king’s eye and pierced the brain. After 10 days, he died in the arms of Catherine, without saying goodbye to his beloved Diana.

Heinrich was still alive when Catherine ordered Diana to leave the court, before that she gave all the jewels that Heinrich had given her. Diana retired to her castle Ane, where she died quietly after 7 years. They say that she retained her beauty until the last days ...

The widowed Catherine was heartbroken. As a sign of mourning, she chose as her emblem the image of a broken spear with the inscription Lacrymae hinc, hinc dolor ("From this my tears and my pain"). Until the end of her days, she did not take off her black mourning clothes: it is believed that Catherine was the first to make black the color of mourning - before mourning clothes were white. Until her death, Catherine mourned her husband, who was her only man and only love.

Board history

The 15-year-old Francis became the king of France: a sickly and lethargic young man had little interest in state affairs, Catherine was involved in them. But she happened to share power with the Dukes of Guise: Francis was married to, the daughter of their sister Mary de Guise, and Giza, who owned Lorraine, was one of the most influential families in the state. They were opposed by the Bourbons who ruled Navarre: the rivalry was aggravated by the fact that Giza remained faithful to Catholicism, while the Bourbons were Protestants: the teachings of Martin Luther spread like fire throughout Europe, threatening splits and wars.

Supporters of both parties spread a lot of ominous rumors about Catherine: perhaps, with their light hand, she is still haunted by accusations of all the unexpected deaths, which were many among her loved ones. However, it may be that these rumors were true - Catherine, who had tasted power, never wanted to share it with anyone else.

1560 - Francis died suddenly: an abscess of the brain, which happened due to an abscess in his ear, was officially named the cause of his death, but Catherine did not fail to blame his young wife, the Scottish Queen Mary Stuart, for the death of her son: as if she were so eager for bed pleasures , which completely deprived the king of strength. Mary had a chance to immediately leave France, and 10-year-old Charles IX ascended the throne.

Karl, who was very similar to his father both in appearance and character, adored his mother: he listened to her in everything, he already at the coronation publicly declared to Catherine that “she will always be by his side and retain the right to rule, as it has been until now.” And Catherine ruled almost undividedly. She found a soft and obedient Elizabeth of Austria as a wife for her son - the daughter-in-law was good for everyone, except for one thing: she never had a son.

Catholics and Huguenots

But Catherine de Medici was not very upset: she gave birth to enough children to ensure succession. She was much more worried about the growing religious strife between Catholics and Huguenots: for the time being, she skillfully maneuvered between the two camps, not giving preference to anyone and maintaining a balance of power. Although she grew up under the papacy, she was not very worried about matters of faith: she sincerely considered religious disputes only an echo of political differences that could be reconciled if she acted with intelligence and tact.

Finally, Catherine took a decisive step: she promised her daughter Margarita as a wife to Henry, King of Navarre and leader of the Huguenots. She hoped by doing this to weaken the Guise party, who had too much power, but over time her plans changed.

The Huguenots raised one uprising after another, and the Catholics immediately responded to each with massacres and pogroms. At the same time, King Charles fell more and more under the influence of Admiral Coligny, the de facto head of the Huguenot party. Tom even managed to persuade Charles to unite with England and declare war on Spain - which Catherine could not allow. She convinced her son that Coligny was plotting against him: the only way out was to kill Coligny and his Huguenot supporters. They say that King Charles, crushed by her arguments, exclaimed: “In the name of the Lord, kill them all!”

Bartholomew night

On the night of August 24, 1572, a massacre began, which went down in history under the name: Admiral Coligny and many other Huguenots who came to the wedding of Henry and Margaret were brutally murdered. Then they began to kill ordinary citizens, guilty or suspected of the Huguenot heresy. Henry of Navarre survived - Margarita hid him in her chambers, and when the killers came for him, he vowed to convert to Catholicism. The massacre in Paris lasted for a week, and in France its echoes were heard for a month. According to various estimates, from 3 to 10 thousand people died, and not all of them were Huguenots.

According to historians, at first, Catherine de Medici and her supporters did not plan a massacre, they intended to eliminate only Coligny and two dozen of his closest supporters, but the bloodthirsty crowd got out of control. Since that time, the name of Catherine de Medici was forever stained with blood - and despite all her state talents, in people's memory she remained the one who staged the Bartholomew massacre.

Meanwhile, the Catholic rulers of Europe welcomed the initiative of Catherine: she received congratulations from the pope, the king of Spain and many others, who rejoiced at the blow dealt to the hated heretics. Only her own son Karl, shocked by the spectacle of the massacre, accused his mother of murder. His health, already weak, began to deteriorate every day. Finally, Karl, exhausted by a fever, died in the Château de Vincennes on May 30, 1574, a month before his 24th birthday. The cause of his death was pleurisy, which developed due to advanced tuberculosis. His last words were: "Oh, my mother ..."

There is a version that Karl was accidentally killed by his mother: she prepared a poisoned book for Henry of Navarre, but Karl was the first to open the poisonous pages.

Henry III became the King of France - the third son of Catherine de Medici, her adored boy, "My everything", as she called him in letters. For the sake of the French throne, Henry refused the Polish crown, which he put on in May 1573. However, the Poles did not much like the new king: he was a spoiled, selfish child, hung with jewels and, according to rumors, preferred men in bed. Once Catherine planned to marry him to Elizabeth of England, but she broke off the engagement. During his Polish reign, he fell in love with Louise of Lorraine, whom he married in February 1575, two days after the coronation.

Unlike his brothers, Henry ascended the throne, being already quite an adult. He was able to govern the state himself and did not intend to cede power to his mother. She, who adores Henry beyond measure, was ready to accept: she took on the role of his messenger and tirelessly traveled around the country, trying to reconcile Catholics and Huguenots.

Her youngest son François, Duke of Alencon brought her the greatest grief: he constantly intrigued against his brother, conspired and waged unsuccessful wars. The military campaign in the Netherlands, led by Francois, failed - and six months later Francois died. The next day, Catherine wrote: “I am so unhappy, having lived long enough, seeing how many people die before me, although I understand that the will of God must be obeyed, that He owns everything and what He lends to us, only until then as long as He loves the children He gives us."

Death of Catherine

The death of her youngest son knocked Catherine down: of all her children, only two survived - Margarita, who had long quarreled with her husband and led a dissolute lifestyle, and Heinrich - and both had no children. The future of the dynasty was suddenly in jeopardy - and Catherine de Medici, always so active, could no longer do anything.

She realized that she had outlived her time. The almighty Queen Mother once simply went to bed and never got up again, calmly awaiting her inevitable death. One of the memoirists wrote: "Those who were close to her believed that her life was shortened by vexation because of the actions of her son." Catherine de Medici died in Blois on January 5, 1589. According to her servant, before her death she whispered: “I was crushed by the rubble of the house…”

One of the astrologers once prophesied to her that "Saint Germain is the first to know about her death." Since that time, she has always avoided places bearing this name, but blind chance justified the prediction: Catherine de Medici died in the arms of a royal preacher named Saint Germain. Henry III was indifferent to the death of his mother who adored him and did not even take care of her burial.

She was buried there, in Blois - only a few years later her ashes were reburied in the abbey of Saint-Denis, the family tomb of the French kings.

After just 8 months Henry III killed a religious fanatic, and Henry of Navarre, so hated by Catherine, ascended the throne. All that she devoted her life to has sunk into oblivion ...

In the history of Europe, the time of Catherine de Medici was one of the most cruel. Everywhere in Europe, the fires of the Inquisition burned, famine and plague raged, endless wars broke out. The church split into warring Catholics and Protestants. In Italy, foreign invasions added to the civil uprisings. In Florence, the dominance of the Medici family fell.

With the support of Rome, Lorenzo de' Medici returned to power in 1513. After 1.5 years, Giovanni Medici was elected Pope, who in 1518 married 26-year-old Lorenzo to 16-year-old Madeleine de la Tour, niece of Francis I of France. Madeleine gave birth to a girl, who was named Catherine, and she herself died of a fever 15 days later. A week later, Lorenzo also went to the next world.

Catherine was taken in by her aunt, Clarissa Strozzi. In 1527, the German Emperor Charles took over Italy. Ekaterina was taken hostage at the age of 9. With great difficulty, Catherine was taken out of the city, she was hidden in a monastery, then sent to Rome, where Pope Clement VII took the girl under his care.

In October 1533, Clement married the 14-year-old Catherine to the 14-year-old heir to the French throne, Prince Henry, giving the bride a generous dowry. In Paris, Henry spent considerable time with Diane de Poitiers, who from the age of 12 was engaged in raising the prince and conquered him with an outstanding mastery of the art of love.

In order not to be bored alone, Catherine, along with men, entertained herself by hunting wild boars and deer. After 9 years of marriage, Catherine became pregnant, and has given birth to children every year since then. But only 4 sons and 3 daughters survived. All this time, Catherine had to endure her husband's mistress, Diane de Poitiers.

Francis I died in 1547 and Henry II took his place on the throne. Catherine was proclaimed queen, but this did not add power to her. Heinrich spent a lot of money on endless wars and his mistress. In 1559 the war between France and Spain ended. 14-year-old Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Catherine, was married to the Spanish King Philip II. On this occasion, a jousting tournament was held in Paris, in which Henry took part. On July 9, in a duel with the captain of the Scottish guards, Gabriel de Montgomery, the king was wounded by a Scot's spear, the tip of which pierced Henry's left eye. The king died a few days later. 15-year-old Francis, the son of Catherine, was declared a monarch, who died a year later, and the throne went to the young Charles IX. But France was ruled by Catherine, appointed regent. The religious schism threatened to tear the country apart.

At this time, Catherine appeared in the form of a strict but fair ruler in front of her subjects. She sent Diane de Poitiers into exile, the fires of the Inquisition went out on her orders. But she preferred to deal with enemies with the help of poison. Catherine listened to the advice of astrologers and believed in omens, loved to have fun and eat delicious food. After the death of her husband, she began to wear black clothes, for which she was popularly called the "Black Queen".

In 1565, Catherine, accompanied by King Charles and courtiers, set off to travel around France. was brewing new war, and in order to prevent it, Catherine decided to marry her 19-year-old daughter Margarita to the Protestant Henry of Navarre. The wedding took place in August 1572 in Paris. Conflicts immediately began between the Huguenots and the Catholics. On the day of St. Bartholomew, a 3-day massacre began, which claimed 2,500 lives. There was complete discord in the royal family; by 1576, only Heinrich and the depraved Margaret, whom her mother imprisoned in Ussel Castle, remained alive of Catherine's children.

In 1588 The Royal Family fled the city to Blois. De Guise really threatened their throne, but was killed, and his supporters announced their non-recognition of the Valois dynasty. But Catherine could no longer do anything - on January 5, 1589, Catherine de Medici died.

I will touch lightly on people who were not directly related to this genus, but who are not completely alien to it. The people who surrounded the first representative of this family, who ascended the French royal throne - Catherine de Medici.

I remind you that my notes are just a wandering through the pages of Wikipedia - which does not pretend to anything, except for the sole purpose - to collect accessible portraits of the Medici, those in whom their blood flowed as close as possible, and those who in lifetime communication with them on was under different circumstances.

The history of this kind, in the person of its individual representatives, is so rich in events and interesting that even a superficial acquaintance already ignites the blood and awakens the imagination ... You don’t need to read any novels - check out real stories lives ... A lot of passion and a lot of deeds, not only dictated by political and economic benefits, but also by the vivid feelings of people who are accustomed to achieve what they want at all costs ...

In general, Italian history is rich in characters, the most human individuality was revealed in them - both in good deeds and in evil ones. And you can’t divide its heroes according to black and white colors, because their abilities in any business reached the maximum possible flowering, and one and the same person was capable of both the most tender and most devoted love, and dirty betrayal ...

1. Henry II(March 31, 1519, Saint-Germain Palace - July 10, 1559, Paris) - King of France from March 31, 1547, the second son of Francis 1 from his marriage to Claude of France, daughter of Louis 12, from the Angouleme line of the Valois dynasty. Husband of Catherine de Medici. 25th King of France.

2. Gabriel I de Montgomery, senior de Ducis d'Exmes and de Lorges, Count (1530, Duci - 1574) - Norman aristocrat, unwitting killer of King Henry 2. The duel between Montgomery and the king was the last in the history of European knightly tournaments. The absurd death of Heinrich was the formal reason for their ban. Catherine hated him and in the end managed to send him to the chopping block.

3. Diane de Poitiers(1499 - 1566) - beloved and official mistress of King Henry II.

4. Diana French(July 25, 1538 - January 11, 1619) - the illegitimate (legitimate) daughter of the French king Henry II. She held three ducal titles - the Duchess of Chatellerault, Etampe and Angouleme. She was the illegitimate daughter of the Dauphin Henry (the future King Henry II) and Philippa Duci from Piedmont. Diana was brought up by the favorite of King Henry - Diana de Poitiers, and this gave reason to believe that the girl was the daughter of the king from her. So thought, for example, Brant. Diana received a proper upbringing: she knew several languages (Spanish, Italian and Latin), played several musical instruments and danced well.

5. Michel de Nostrdam, also known as Nostradamus (December 14, 1503 - July 2, 1566) - French astrologer, physician, pharmacist and alchemist, famous for his prophecies.

6. Andreas Vesalius(December 31, 1514, Brussels, Seventeen Provinces - October 15, 1564, Zakynthos, Republic of Venice) - doctor and anatomist, physician of Charles V, then Philip II. A younger contemporary of Paracelsus, the founder of scientific anatomy. He tried to save the wounded at the Heinrich 2 tournament.

7. Francis II(January 19, 1544, Fontainebleau Palace, France - December 5, 1560, Orleans, France) - King of France from July 10, 1559, King Consort of Scotland from April 24, 1558. From the Valois dynasty. Son of Henry II and Catherine de Medici.

8. Mary I(née Mary Stuart, December 8, 1542 - February 8, 1587) - Queen of Scots from infancy, actually ruled from 1561 to deposition in 1567, as well as Queen of France in 1559-1560 (as wife of King Francis II) and pretender to the English throne. The eldest son of Henry II, named after his grandfather, Francis I. On April 24, 1558, he married the young Queen of Scotland, Mary Stuart (he was the first of her three husbands). The agreement on this marriage was concluded on January 27, 1548 (when the bride and groom were 4 and 6 years old, respectively), and for the next 10 years Mary was brought up at the French court. Francis 1 loved his wife to the point of adoration.

9. Pierre de Ronsard(between September 1 and September 11, 1524, the castle of La Possonnière, Vandomoy - December 27, 1585, the Abbey of Saint-Combe, near Tours) - the famous French poet of the 16th century. He headed the Pleiades association, which preached the enrichment of national poetry by the study of Greek and Roman literature.
He served as a page for Francis I, then at the Scottish court.

10. Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantome(c. 1540 - July 15, 1614) - chronicler of court life during the time of Catherine de Medici, one of the most widely read French authors of the Renaissance. Brantome's memoirs are written vividly and full of anecdotes. His candor about privacy court celebrities later, in the Victorian era, seemed scandalous. The author's unwillingness to give an assessment of even the most dissolute, by the standards of later times, the behavior of his heroes, made it possible to reproach him not only for frivolity, but also for cynicism.

11. Elizabeth of Valois(April 2, 1545, Fontainebleau - October 3, 1568, Aranjuez) - French princess and Queen of Spain, third wife of King Philip II of Spain.
Elizabeth of Valois was the eldest daughter of King Henry II of France from the Valois dynasty and his wife Catherine de Medici. Although she was engaged to the Spanish Infante Don Carlos, fate decreed otherwise, and at the end of the long-term war between France and Spain, which ended in 1559 with the signing of a peace treaty in Cato Cambresi, she married the Spanish king Philip II, which was one of the terms of this agreement. Elisabeth of Valois in a short time turned from a French princess into a Spanish queen, whose intelligence, softness and beauty were highly valued throughout Europe. Elizabeth exemplary performed the duties associated with her royal dignity.
Elizabeth inherited black hair, dark eyes, and a high intellect from her Italian mother. But unlike her mother, Elizabeth had a softer character and more tact in behavior, she was also distinguished by great piety. Catherine was surprised to find in her daughter those qualities that she lacked, and over time they established a close trusting relationship, which, after Elizabeth married Philip II, continued in the form of a lively correspondence
Elizabeth died in 1568 due to another unsuccessful birth.

12. Philip II May 21, 1527 - September 13, 1598) - King of Spain from the Habsburg dynasty. The son and heir of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (aka Charles (Carlos) I of Castile and Aragon), Philip from 1554 was the king of Naples and Sicily, and from 1556, after the refusal of his father from the throne, he became the king of Spain, the Netherlands and the owner of all overseas possessions of Spain. In 1580, he also annexed Portugal and became its king. Husband of Elizabeth of Valois.
When his mother died, Philip was not even twelve. In the serene surroundings of his childhood, he developed a deep love for nature. Subsequently, throughout his life, trips to nature, fishing and hunting became for him a desirable and best relaxation after heavy workloads. Philip from childhood was distinguished by deep religiosity. He also loved music and gave great importance to include her children in it. Letters from Philip, now in his fifties, from Lisbon, where he had to spend two years without his young children, show him as a loving father: he worries about the health of the kids, is interested in his son’s first tooth, and worries about getting a picture book for coloring. Perhaps this was due to the warmth that he received in abundance in his childhood.

13. Isabella Clara Eugenia, Isabel Clara Eugenia (August 12, 1566, Segovia - December 1, 1633, Brussels) - Spanish infanta, ruler of the Spanish Netherlands. The parents of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia were King Philip II of Spain and Elizabeth of Valois.

14. Catalina Michaela of Austria(and October 10, 1567, Madrid - November 6, 1597, Turin) - Spanish Infanta and Duchess of Savoy, wife of Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy. Catalina Micaela was the youngest daughter of King Philip II of Spain and his third wife, Elizabeth of Valois. She was named after her maternal grandmother Catherine de Medici and St. Michael. Catalina Michaela married March 18, 1585 in Zaragoza for Duke Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy and left the Spanish court. Despite the separation, she carried on a lively correspondence with her father and other family members until his death. Catalina gave birth to 10 children and was most family life on demolition. She died at the age of 29 on October 6, 1597 in Turin from complications from premature birth, a year after the birth of her last child, Thomas Franz of Savoy. Thomas Franz was the grandfather of Eugene Franz of Savoy, better known as Prince Eugene of Savoy. Although Catalina suffered the fate of her mother, nevertheless she fulfilled her dynastic duty and gave birth to the heir to the throne in the House of Savoy.

15. Claude of Valois, or Claude of France(November 12, 1547, Fontainebleau - February 21, 1575, Nancy) - the second daughter of Henry II and Catherine de Medici. This modest, limping, hunchbacked princess was the favorite daughter of Catherine de Medici. Married at 11, at 27, Claude died in childbirth. She had nine children.

16. Charles III(February 18, 1543, Nancy - May 14, 1608, ibid) - Duke of Lorraine from 1545 until his death. As a descendant of Gerhard I, he was supposed to be Charles II, but Lorraine historians, wishing to attribute kinship to the Carolingians to the Dukes of Lorraine, included Charles I from the Carolingian dynasty in the numbering. The eldest son of the Duke of Lorraine Francois I and Christina of Denmark. Spouse Claude of Valois.

17. Christina of Lorraine(August 16, 1565 - December 19, 1637) - Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Favorite granddaughter of Catherine de Medici. Her parents were Duke Charles III and his wife Claude of Valois, daughter of Catherine de Medici. She got her name in honor of her paternal grandmother, Christina of Denmark. After the death of her mother, which happened in 1575, Christina lived at the court of Catherine de Medici's grandmother in Paris. In 1587, Francesco I (Grand Duke of Tuscany) died without a male heir, and his brother Ferdinand immediately proclaimed himself the new duke. In search of a marriage option that would help him maintain political independence, Ferdinand settled on a distant relative, Christina. Catherine de Medici contributed to this marriage. Ferdinand and Christina had nine children.

18. Louis III of Orléans(February 3, 1549, Fontainebleau, France - October 24, 1550, Mantes-la-Joli, France) - Duke of Orleans, second son and fourth child in the family of Henry II, King of France and Catherine de Medici. Brother of three kings of France - Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. Like his older brother, he was given to be raised by Diane de Poitiers. According to some reports, they wanted to make him the heir to the Duke of Urbino, but the plans were not implemented. After being baptized, he died in the city of Mantes-la-Jolie on October 24, 1550.
In the background of the painting - the last children of Catherine de Medici - twins are depicted. Victoria(lived 1 month and Jeanne(was born dead). The birth was very difficult and the doctors forbade Catherine to have children. This was in 1556.

19. Charles IX, Charles-Maximilien(June 27, 1550 - May 30, 1574) - the penultimate king of France from the Valois dynasty, from December 5, 1560. Third son of King Henry II and Catherine de Medici. His mother served as regent under him until August 17, 1563. The reign of Charles was marked by numerous Wars of Religion and St. Bartholomew's Night - the infamous mass extermination of the Huguenots. At the age of 20 (November 26, 1570) he married Elizabeth of Austria. The king was fond of literature. Poems written by him are known, as well as the "Treatise on the Royal Hunt", published for the first time in 1625.

20. Elisabeth of Austria(July 5, 1554, Vienna - January 22, 1592, Vienna) - Queen of France, wife of King Charles IX of France. Elizabeth was the fifth child and second daughter of Emperor Maximilian II and his cousin, Spanish Infanta Mary, daughter of Charles V and sister of King Philip II of Spain . On November 26, 1570, she married King Charles IX of France, who died in 1574. They had one daughter, who lived only 5 years. She was considered one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe, with shimmering red golden hair, a lovely face and a charming smile. But she was not just beautiful: the chronicler and poet Branthom described Elizabeth as follows: she was “one of the best, meekest, smartest and most virtuous queens who ever ruled from time immemorial.” Contemporaries agree on her intelligence, shyness, virtue, sympathetic heart and, above all, sincere piety. Having been widowed at the age of twenty, Elizabeth returned to Austria. In 1576 she retired to the convent of the Clarissines, which she herself founded.

21. Maria Touchet(1549, Orleans - March 28, 1638, Paris) - the official favorite of King Charles IX, mother of Catherine Henrietta d "Antragues (favorite of the French king Henry IV after the death of Gabrielle d" Estre in 1599, and the mother of his two illegitimate children), and Charles de Valois (April 28, 1573 - September 24, 1650) - Count of Auvergne (1589-1650), Duke of Angouleme (1619-1650), Count de Pontier (1619-1650), peer of France - illegitimate son of Charles IX. Daughter of Lieutenant Jean Touchet, who served as assistant to the governor in the Orleans court and his wife Maria Mati. In the autumn of 1566, at a ball (according to other sources, during a hunt) in Orleans, she met the future King of France, Charles IX, and fell in love with him at first sight. Maria was distinguished by beauty, education, meekness; according to her recollections, her contemporary had "a round face, a beautiful cut, lively eyes, a well-proportioned nose, a small mouth, a delightfully contoured lower part of the face." Charles was fascinated by the young Flemish and took her to Paris. Here, Mary was first a maid of the king's younger sister, Princess Margaret, then worked in the Louvre, and after the St. Bartholomew's night, as a result of which she was almost killed, she lived in the castle of Faye. Despite the status of the official favorite, Marie Touchet cheated on Karl.

22. Henry III of Valois(September 19, 1551, Fontainebleau - August 2, 1589, Saint-Cloud) - the fourth son of Henry II, King of France and Catherine de Medici, Duke of Angouleme (1551-1574), Duke of Orleans (1560-1574), Duke of Anjou (1566-1574) , Duke of Bourbon (1566-1574), Duke of Auvergne (1569-1574), King of Poland and Grand Duke Lithuanian from February 21, 1573 to June 18, 1574 (formally until May 12, 1575), from May 30, 1574 the last king of France from the Valois dynasty.
Alexander-Eduard-Heinrich was a cheerful, friendly and intelligent child. The young prince was educated famous people of his time - François Carnavalet and Bishop Jacques Amiot, known for his translations of Aristotle. In his youth, he read a lot, willingly talked about literature, took rhetoric lessons, danced and fenced well, knew how to charm with his charm and elegance. Fluent in Italian (which he often spoke with his mother), he read the works of Machiavelli. Like all nobles, he early began to engage in various exercise and later, during military campaigns, he showed good skill in military affairs. The personality and behavior of Henry sharply distinguished him in the French court. And later, upon arrival in Poland, they caused a culture shock among the local population. In 1573, the ambassador of Venice in Paris, Morisoni, wrote about the prince's luxurious clothes, about his almost "lady's delicacy", about his earrings in each ear. Catherine herself, who loved Henry more than her other children, dreamed of leaving him the royal crown. She called him “my everything” and “my little eagle”, signed her letters to him “your tenderly loving mother” and saw in him character traits that reminded her of her ancestors, the Medici. Heinrich was her favorite as a child, and later became her confidant.

23. Maria Klevskaya, Comtesse de Beaufort (1553 - October 30, 1574, Paris) - the first wife of the second Prince of Condé. Someone else's bride, with whom Henry III fell in love, and whom he dreamed of marrying. 21-year-old "a child from the provinces with a pure heart, fresh cheeks, a slender frame, a healthy body and a hearty smile." Catherine was horrified by the desire of her son, Mary did not belong to the highest nobility at all. Through her efforts, her son's plans were upset - Maria married another. Having ascended the throne, Henry III hoped to dissolve the marriage of Mary and marry her. However, Mary soon died of postpartum complications. Since the king's affection for Mary was no secret to anyone, no one wanted to take the liberty of informing him of the death of the princess. A note with a message was placed in a bundle of the king's daily correspondence. After reading it, Heinrich fainted, and he was brought to his senses for a quarter of an hour. After a week of tantrums, the king fell into melancholy, dressed in mourning, secluded himself in the chapel several times a day and often made pilgrimages.

24. Louise of Lorraine-Vaudemont(April 30, 1553 - January 29, 1601) - representative of the House of Lorraine, wife of Henry III of Valois and French queen from 1575 to 1589. Catherine de Medici was very surprised when Henry announced that he intended to marry Louise de Vaudemont. Henry III, not wanting to lose independence and fearing to become the spouse of a woman who is too powerful, he wanted to marry a gentle and meek girl who would be his devoted assistant. He was too tired of the authority of his own mother and did not want to find her in his wife. The confidant, Philippe Cheverny, writes in his Memoirs: From the words of the king, I understood that he wants to choose a woman of his nationality, beautiful and pleasant. He needs her to love her and have children. He is not going to go to others, as his predecessors did. His heart was almost already bowed to Louise de Vaudemont. Having revealed his feelings, the king honored me and asked me to speak with the queen and get her a positive response.
Louise did not even imagine the possibility of such a marriage. The King of France left a deep mark on her heart when she saw him as the Duke of Anjou. But she understood that she could not count on such a brilliant match. And when her stepmother came into her bedroom in the morning, she was very surprised, but, as Antoine Malet reports: ... her surprise increased even more when her stepmother crouched three times in front of her in a deep curtsy before addressing and greeting her as Queen of France; the girl thought it was a joke, and apologized for being in bed so late, but then her father entered the room and, sitting by her daughter’s bed, said that the king of France wanted to take her as his wife ... After the tragedy that happened 1 August 1589, when Henry III was assassinated, Queen Louise would never again lift her mourning, becoming the "White Queen". According to royal etiquette, only white clothes are to be worn during mourning...

25. Hercule François (Francis) de Valois(March 18, 1555 - June 10, 1584), Duke of Alençon, then Duke of Anjou - French prince, the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici, the only one of four brothers who never became king.
A charming child, he unfortunately suffered from smallpox at the age of 8, which left scars on his face. His pockmarked face and slightly twisted spine did not much match the name given at birth - Hercule, that is, "Hercules". Upon confirmation, he changed his name to François in honor of his brother Francis II, King of France.
Before the accession to the throne of his brother, the Duke of Anjou (Henry III), he bore the title of Duke of Alençon, and then was called the Duke of Anjou. He was at the head of political groups hostile to the French kings. So, he participated in a conspiracy against Charles IX, but was forgiven because he betrayed his associates Count J. B. de La Mole and Count Annibal de Coconas, who were executed in 1574. He helped the Protestants, then participated in the war against them, spoke out against Philip II at the head of the rebellious Flemings, was proclaimed Duke of Brabant and Count of Flanders, but was soon expelled by the Flemings themselves. He died June 10, 1584 from tuberculosis.

26. Marguerite de Valois(May 14, 1553, Saint-Germain Palace, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France - March 27, 1615, Paris, France), also known as "Queen Margot" - French princess, daughter of King Henry II and Catherine de Medici. In 1572-1599, she was the wife of Henry de Bourbon, King of Navarre, who, under the name of Henry IV, took the French throne. a good education: knew Latin, ancient Greek, Italian, Spanish, studied philosophy and literature, and she herself had a good command of the pen. Nobody called her Margot, except for her brother, King Charles.

27. Henry (Henri) I of Lorraine, nicknamed the Marked or Chopped (December 31, 1550 - December 23, 1588, Blois Castle), 3rd Duke de Guise (1563 - 1588), Prince de Joinville, peer of France (1563 - 1588), Knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit (1579) . French military and statesman during the Wars of Religion in France. Head of the Catholic League. The eldest son of Francois of Lorraine, Duke of Guise. Guise was one of the instigators of the Bartholomew night and, in order to avenge the death of his father, took upon himself the murder of Admiral Coligny. In a skirmish at Dormans in 1575, he received a wound, as a result of which he was given the nickname Chopped. He had a stormy romance with Margarita, but for political reasons their marriage was impossible. Apparently, Guise and Margarita retained feelings for each other until the end of their lives, which is confirmed by the queen's secret correspondence.

28. Henry (Henri) IV the Great(Henry of Navarre, Henry of Bourbon, December 13, 1553, Pau, Bearn - killed May 14, 1610, Paris) - Huguenot leader at the end of the Wars of Religion in France, King of Navarre from 1572 (as Henry III), King of France from 1589 (formally - from 1594), founder of the French royal Bourbon dynasty. First marriage - Margarita de Valois (no children), second marriage - Maria Medici (5 children).

29. Marie de Medici(April 26, 1575, Florence - July 3, 1642, Cologne) - Queen of France, second wife of Henry IV of Bourbon, mother of Louis XIII.

So, the circle is closed.
From the first French queen of the Medici family, whose children were the last kings of France from the Valois dynasty, we came to the second French queen of the same Medici family, whose children belonged to the next, brilliant dynasty of kings of France - the Bourbon dynasty.

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Catherine de Medici

"Catherine de Medici"

Queen of France since 1547, wife of Henry II. To a large extent, she determined state policy during the reign of her sons: Francis II (1559-1560), Charles IX (1560-1574), Henry III (1574-1589). One of the organizers of Bartholomew's night.

Entire volumes have been written about the history of the Medici family, but perhaps the most famous representative of this family was the daughter of the Duke of Urbino Lorenzo II - Catherine, who was destined to climb the ladder of social success above all in her family. For almost thirty years she ruled the most influential country in Europe in the 16th century, major events in history are associated with her name, but her female personal fate turned out to be extremely gloomy and meaningless.

From birth, Catherine was unlucky, she remained an orphan, and the Medici family used the baby as a hostage in the struggle for power in Florence. At the age of nine, she ended up in a monastery, and the republicans besieged in the city offered to put the girl on the fortress wall under the continuous fire of the guns of her relatives. Fortunately for the girl, dad intervened and demanded not to touch the innocent child. but defeated the townspeople finally gave little Ekaterina to the soldiers so that they would have fun with the heiress of a great family.

Her grandfather, who at that time held the papal throne in Rome, Clement VII, undertook to heal the consequences of a mental trauma. This was probably the happiest and most carefree time for Catherine. Finally, she got a real home, lived quietly, she was taken care of and even loved in her own way. For Clement VII, the granddaughter was a major trump card in the political game. A lively, sociable girl, with bright expressive eyes, short, thin, with beautiful miniature legs, from a rich and noble family, Catherine became the most prominent bride in Europe, and dad tried, as they say, to arrange a "PR" for his granddaughter.

"Catherine de Medici"

She rarely appeared in the world, her beauty was already legendary in secular circles. Dad thoughtfully played solitaire of suitable suitors.

The Medici herself, apparently, began to realize early on that they wanted to sell her more profitably, and was hardly against such a deal. A difficult childhood taught her cold calculation, distrust of others and secrecy. Many who knew Catherine back in the papal palace noted in the girl's eyes a sharp, sickly mind and metallic cold. Many years later, having learned about the death of Catherine, the famous French historian Jacques Augustin de Tou exclaimed: "No, it was not a woman who died, royal power died."

In 1533, the Medici and Henry of Orleans, son of the French king, finally married. The young were fourteen years old. As soon as the wedding fanfare had died down, the windy husband became seriously interested in his wife's cousin, Diane de Poitiers, who was twenty years older than him. All the twenty years that Henry reigned, the unchanged Diana remained the favorite at the French court, and all twenty years Catherine was forced to endure the intrigues of her rival and keep silent. The first years of marriage were especially difficult for the queen. The couple did not have children for ten years. And the absence of heirs made Catherine to some extent a semi-legitimate wife of the king, because the threat of divorce constantly hung over her.

The official version in history is known: Heinrich allegedly had some kind of pathology, then he agreed to the operation, and after almost eleven years of intense waiting, the children fell as if from a cornucopia. Catherine gave birth, not a lot, not a few, ten sons and daughters. Some historians see Heinrich's "miraculous healing" as an ordinary female deception and even try to provide evidence. But what happened in reality, we will probably never know.

At first glance, meek, friendly Catherine interfered little in the life of the court.

"Catherine de Medici"

However, the most ambitious plans crowded in the head of this pretty woman. She understood that Henry, completely devoid of ambition, absorbed in love for Diana, would not fight for the throne, while the eldest son Francis had excellent health and was going to live long.

The historical annals of the French court, of course, are silent about the true culprits of subsequent events, but the facts are that on a hot August day, the prince drank a glass of ice water and immediately died. No one denied poisoning, but the real perpetrators of the murder could not be identified. It is clear that the death of Francis was most beneficial to the Medici family, and it, this family, knew a lot about poisons. However, the behavior of Catherine at court did not give the slightest reason for suspicion.

By the time Henry was crowned, Catherine was under forty. She was already a mature lady, understanding a lot about the intrigues of the court, but the throne did not increase her power. The all-powerful Diana still ruled her husband's heart. Occasionally, Catherine won small victories over her rival: she tried to compromise her in the eyes of the king, looked for a replacement for her - after all, the favorite was already sixty years old, but the Medici still remained on the margins of the main political struggle. She could only observe, and she did not have the strength to intervene.

I must say that the active nature of Catherine was manifested in the fact that the queen gathered at the court the whole color of European art. She willingly patronized talents and patronized beginners. She was also interested in astrology. It was Catherine who invited the famous Nostradamus to the palace, who, according to legend, predicted the accidental death of the king:

The young lion will defeat the old

In a strange duel in a military field

He will pierce his eye through the golden cage.

One becomes two, then dies

Painful death.

Henry's death was indeed ridiculous.

"Catherine de Medici"

In a joust with the Earl of Montgomery, an irritated young rival dealt Henry a strong blow to the head. The king defended himself with a spear, the shaft could not stand it, split into several splinters, and one of them flew into the right eye hole of the helmet. On the tenth day, in terrible suffering, Henry died. So, thanks to a tragic accident, Catherine received the coveted power.

Formally, her son, sixteen-year-old Francis II, ascended the throne, but in fact, Catherine was faced with the fact that everything in the kingdom was ruled by the Guise family, which, thanks to Diana, seized all the key posts. With a grief-stricken rival, Catherine acted mercifully - again, it was not an offended woman who spoke in the queen, but a prudent ruler. Why fight with an old woman no longer needed? But the Giza had to fight.

She found an ally in the person of her faithful friend Francois Vendome, whom she sincerely fell in love with, but the honest, independent Vendome lost the war with Guise. Under pain of death, Catherine was forced to first send an ally to the Bastille, and then to the next world. For her, there was a special code of honor - only the winner is right, and for the sake of power, she was always ready to sacrifice anyone and anything.

The position of the queen was further complicated by the fact that her reign coincided with the aggravation of the religious confrontation between Protestants and Catholics. On the one hand, Catherine, who grew up in the papal palace, favored, of course, the Catholics, but the influence of the Guises could only be reduced by supporting the Protestants. She immediately adopted the tactics of maneuvering and setting one against the other. In an atmosphere of fierce squabbling, she gradually consolidated her power.

Meanwhile, Francis II died, but his death did not threaten the queen - she gave birth to sons enough for the French throne. The throne was taken by the ten-year-old Charles IX. Catherine forced the newly-made king to write a letter to Parliament, in which he asked his mother to take over the affairs of the kingdom.

"Catherine de Medici"

So she became the sole ruler of France.

The name of Catherine de Medici is closely associated with the bloody event - the massacre of the Huguenots, known in history as the St. Bartholomew's Night. The dual policy of Catherine led to the fact that she began to lose control over what was happening. Having decided to marry off her daughter Margarita to the Protestant king of Navarre, Catherine thought that in this way she undermines the strength of her worst opponents of the Guises. However, weaving intrigues, she herself fell into a trap, not noticing how the heart of the young Charles was captured by the ardent Huguenot Coligny. With the persistence of a maniac, he persuaded the boy to declare war on Spain, and most importantly, he was not afraid to openly threaten the queen. Catherine could not stand this.

She summoned the Guises and allowed them to turn their swords against the Huguenots, which the Catholics had long sought. A few days after the wedding of Margarita of Valois and Henry of Navarre on the night of St. Bartholomew, the famous massacre took place. Apparently, in the depths of her soul, Catherine, as a cunning and treacherous politician, hoped that the leaders of both camps would slaughter each other, but the Catholics turned out to be more energetic and united. On the night of August 23-24, 1572, 2,000 Huguenots died in Paris alone. Admiral Coligny was mortally wounded and died soon after.

St. Bartholomew's Night brought unexpected political dividends to Catherine. She was greeted by the Spanish king, and Pope Gregory XIII ordered Rome to be illuminated, knocked out a medal in honor of the great event, and sent congratulations to "the most Christian king and his mother" in Paris.

But Catherine's joy was short-lived. Suddenly, the king rebelled against her policy. He openly accused his mother and brother of massacre, and in his words, albeit clumsily, there was a threat. Catherine tried to influence Karl with affection, coercion, and persuasion, but everything was in vain. Carl's dislike for the cruel mother grew with each passing day.

Catherine began to understand that she was no longer needed, and this strong, powerful woman could not allow this. She gritted her teeth in pain as she made her decision. A week later, Karl felt unwell, took to his bed, and had to call a priest.

The French crown passed to Catherine's third son, Henry of Anjou. The Medici queen still held the reins tightly in her hands. However, the new monarch brought mother only grief. Contrary to the wishes of Catherine, he resolutely refused to marry English queen Elizabeth and married Louise of Lorraine, daughter of the Count of Vaudemont from the house of the hated Guise. But the wedding was only a cover for Heinrich, he did not need female caresses, which means that he could not give birth to heirs. The aged Catherine was seriously frightened by this circumstance.

In the kingdom, it was brewing new stage struggle between Protestants and Catholics. Overcoming illness and fatigue, Catherine was preparing for a new battle when the news came that the youngest son of the Valois family, Francis, Duke of Alençon and Brabant, had died. It was a terrible and final blow to the queen. Margarita lived separately from her husband and had no children from the hated Henry of Navarre.

Fate treated Catherine de Medici cruelly, as if avenging her insatiable lust for power. She gave birth to ten children, but, despite this, the dynasty of the French Valois kings ended on her. She seemed to become a curse of this kind, bringing ambition to Moloch and her life, and the life of her children.

Henry III did not even bother to bury his mother with dignity. Her body was thrown into a common grave with beggars and vagabonds. Heinrich himself died a few months later.

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