Catherine de Medici (1519-1589), Queen and Regent of France

[KrissyM]

To be honest I wasn't keen on the writer's style. That of course is subjective. However I'm uncertain of the author's assertion that Diane de Poitiers "hated sex." If only because it's impossible to determine that about a person dead for 500yrs.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Wow.. this is the first time I have heard of the idea that Diane hated sex!

If true...how was she able to keep Henri II in sexual and romantic thrall for basically his entire adult life?

 

[KrissyM]

I've asked myself that same question. Although I am very unmarried and very single I am a woman and the idea that a woman could have a 22 yr affair and hate sex makes no sense. Especially if that woman is 18yrs older than her lover... That sentence had no sighted source obviously.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Robert Knecht was one of my lecturers whilst I was doing my history degree. Unfortunately, ex-students don't get a discount on his books, and I can't afford them either. And I think I annoyed him by preferring the Russian and Austrian elements of the European history modules to the French modules .

Lucky you to have had that honour,I have several of his excellent books on the Valois kings and Wars of Religion in France.

 

[KrissyM]

I agree too bad there are none of his lectures on YouTube.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Diane's daughter Françoise de Brézé served as a lady in waiting to Queen Catherine up until 1570.


Françoise de Brezé , Duchess of Bouillon and Countess of Maulévrier
1515-1577

 

[KrissyM]

Yes she was both the de Breze daughters, were interesting in their own rights.

BTW I found my research on Anne's suspected Treason in, "Herni II the Court and His Times" by H. Noel Williams Chapter 16. TBH I believe he hated his subject and loved Francis I so much that he wrote it as sort of a manifesto to make Francis seem like the best of the Valois kings.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Both sisters died in 1577

Louise de Brézé,Duchess of Aumale died in January 1577.
Françoise de Brézé ,Duchess of Bouillon in October 1577.

Both of them were related to the French Royal family via their father Louis de Brézé,Count of Maulévrier who's mother Charlotte was the illegitimate daughter of Charles VII of France.

 

[KrissyM]

Don't forget also Anges Sorel. Louis de Breze's father slaughtered his mother and her lover in her bed. Poor guy had it rough.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Queen Catherine along with her son Henri III attended the baptism of Charles d'Aumale at the chapel of the Château d'Anet where Diane and 2 of her granddaughters were buried in 1581.

 

[Blog Real]

Catherine de' Medici, as Queen consort of France, 1550s. Portrait at the Uffizi Gallery.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/KatharinavonMedici.jpg

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Valois Tapestries which were commissioned by queen Catherine in 1580 are also now in the Uffizi Museum in Florence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valois_Tapestries

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Catherine de Medici was referred to as The Serpent Queen.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Catherine de Medici was referred to as The Serpent Queen.

You can read more on Catherine and the dark legends surrounding her

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-many-myths-of-catherine-de-medici-180980722/

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Francois Hercule, Duke of Alencon (1555-1584) was the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
http://www.maryevans.com/history/10467398

 

[An Ard Ri]

Francois Hercule, Duke of Alencon (1555-1584) was the youngest son of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici.
http://www.maryevans.com/history/10467398

Francis was Duke of Alençon, Évreux ,Château-Thierry, Anjou, Berry, and Touraine, he was also Count of Perche, Count of Meulan and Count of Mantes.
Following his premature death aged just 29 his titles merged with the Crown and Henri III of Navarre became heir to the French throne.
Catherine was deeply alarmed by her son in laws claim and proximity to the throne.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Catherine de Médicis in her Widows Weeds

Catherine de Médicis with sons Charles IX and Henri III and her daughters-in-law, Elisabeth of Austria and Louise of Lorraine.

 

[An Ard Ri]

An excellent documentary and look at the life and times of Catherine de Médicis
From orphaned duchess to ,Dauphine, Queen ,Regent and Queen Mother of France.

 

[Elly C]

Such a fascinating woman, I first encountered her reading Jean Plaidy’s well researched and engrossing trilogy about her. She’s one of the most colourful queen’s in the European houses. Thanks for all the interesting posts in this thread.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Such a fascinating woman, I first encountered her reading Jean Plaidy’s well researched and engrossing trilogy about her. She’s one of the most colourful queen’s in the European houses. Thanks for all the interesting posts in this thread.

Yes indeed and such a powerful woman and for so long too!
Thank goodness she did not live to see the extinction of the House of Valois ,which she fought to preserve tooth and nail!

 

[An Ard Ri]

A look at the 'The Queens' War of 1562 and 1564,between Elizabeth and Catherine.
Elizabeth underestimated Catherine ,who was aware of this and played her part and turned the tables on Elizabeth and forced her into accepting a humiliating treaty.
Catherine was also deeply distrustful of the scheming English ambassador Sir Nicholas Throckmorton and had him placed under House arrest in Paris.

 

[An Ard Ri]

A history Extra Pod cast on Queen Catherine and a look at her serpent queen reputation!

 

[An Ard Ri]

Such a fascinating woman, I first encountered her reading Jean Plaidy’s well researched and engrossing trilogy about her. She’s one of the most colourful queen’s in the European houses. Thanks for all the interesting posts in this thread.

You might enjoy this article on The Life and Times Catherine de Médicis/The Serpent Queen
‘Catherine de’ Medici’ by Mary Hollingsworth review | History Today

 

[Blog Real]

Henry II (31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder brother Francis in 1536.
In 1533, at the age of 14, Catherine married Henry, the second son of King Francis I and Queen Claude of France.
More information: Henry II of France - Wikipedia

Catherine de Medici and Henry's marriage, painted seventeen years after the event.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Catherine via her mother was related to the then Ducal House of Bourbon and following her mothers passing she inherited the Countdom of Boulogne.
In 1524 following the death of her aunt Anne , she inherited the Countdom of Auvergne.
Catherine in the mid 1550's

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Royal Tour of France in 1564 by Charles IX and Catherine de Médicis.
The King ,Queen Regent and the Royal Family departed Paris towards the end of January 1564 on a Royal Progress of France following the cessation of the First War of the French Wars of Religion .
Catherine was keen to exert Royal authority by visiting the provinces in person and ensuring that there was peace and if needs be to enforce it.
The Queen Regent also sought to reconcile the Catholic majority and Huguenot minority as well as the waring houses of Guise,Bourbon ,Montmorency and Montpensier.
Where ever the court stopped Catherine organised Banquets and large scale Pageants.
The Tour concluded in May 1566.

Jeanne d'Albret ,queen of Navarre and her children were also brought on the Royal Progress so Catherine could keep a close watch on her.

 

[An Ard Ri]

From the famous Valois Tapestries now housed at The Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Catherine and her daughter Marguerite in 1570 watching a tournament

Marguerite ,Henri of Navarre and Charles III of Lorraine

The future Henri III with the Polish ambassadors

Queen Catherine travelling across France

 

[An Ard Ri]

In 1560, Catherine having cleverly ousted the Duke of Guise from power and placated the Bourbons then appointed the moderate Roman Catholic, Michel de l'Hôpital as Chancellor of France.
L'Hôpital had ironically started his career in the service of the Cardinal of Lorraine during the reign of Henri II.

Michel de l'Hôpital - Wikipedia

Catherine had also sidelined both the Cardinals of Guise and Lorraine but but recalled the moderate Cardinal de Tournon from Rome ( François de Tournon ) and was more or less her Foreign minister.
François de Tournon - Wikipedia

 

[An Ard Ri]

The French Royal Family from the book of Hours of Catherine de Médicis.

In the centre are Henri II and Catherine de Médicis.
To their left : Mary Queen of Scots and François II
To their Right : Claude de France and François Ier
Under Mary Queen of Scots : Henri III , Louise de Vaudément
On the Bottom Claude fr France and her husband Charles of Lorraine ,Marguerite de Valois ,Hercule-François, Elisabeth queen of Spain.
Under Claude de France and François Ier we have Charles IX and Elisabeth of Austria.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Catherine in late 1559 by François Clouet
The Queen Regent of France had been widowed in July 1559 and wearing her widows weeds.

Clouet had also painted Catherine 5 years earlier