This became known as the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, in which Catherine was probably involved.Ĭharles IX died in 1574 and Catherine's favourite son Henry succeeded as Henry III of France. During the wedding celebrations in Paris, the Huguenot leader, Coligny, was murdered, as were hundreds of other Protestants who had gathered for the wedding. In 1572, in an effort to bring reconciliation, Catherine arranged the marriage of her daughter Marguerite to the Protestant Henry, King of Navarre.
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She at first adopted a conciliatory policy towards the Huguenots (French Protestants), but in 1562 civil war broke out in France, marking the beginning of the series of conflicts which became known as the French Wars of Religion. Catherine acted as regent for the young king and as a result dominated Charles throughout his reign. His reign saw the end of the Hundred Years War. Then in 1560, their second son Charles was crowned, aged just ten years old. Charles VII (Charles the Well Served), 140361, king of France (142261), son and successor of Charles VI. Their eldest son Francis was proclaimed king, but died after less than a year. Unfortunately it was to be a short reign as Henry died in a jousting accident in 1559, thrusting Catherine onto the political stage. Eleven years later he was crowned Henry II of France. In 1536, the duke of Orléans became heir to the throne. This greatly improved the queen’s position and the couple eventually had seven surviving children. It was not until ten years after their marriage that Catherine gave birth to their first child. Diane remained a dominant force in his life for the next 25 years, leaving Catherine sidelined. In 1533, at the age of 14, Catherine's uncle Pope Clement VII arranged her marriage to the duke of Orléans, second son of the king of France.Ī year after their marriage, the duke began a long affair with Diane de Poitiers. Her father was Lorenzo de Medici, Duke of Urbino and ruler of Florence and her mother was Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne, cousin of Francis I, King of France.Ĭatherine's mother died when she was two-weeks-old and her father soon afterwards. She was a powerful influence in 16th century France, particularly during the Wars of Religion.Ĭaterina Maria Romola di Lorenzo de Medici was born in Florence on 13 April 1519.
© Italian-born French queen, regent and mother of three kings of France.
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