- Women
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American film actress of the 1950s whose popularity continues to this day. The most famous films with her participation: "Some Like It Hot" ("Only Girls in Jazz"), "How to Marry a Millionaire" and "Misfits", as well as others. The name Marilyn has long been a household word in the definition ...
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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. However, the defeated townspeople finally gave little Catherine 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 twenty years, while 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 even 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 sovereign. 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.
In the meantime, 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. Against the wishes of Catherine, he decisively refused to marry the 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, a new stage of struggle between Protestants and Catholics was brewing. 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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Deprived of love
Catherine was born in Florence in 1519. The daughter of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, she was left an orphan from birth and was brought up at the court of her grandfather, Pope Clement VII. Many of those who knew Catherine back in the papal palace noted a sharp mind and ruthlessness in the girl’s eyes. Among her close associates, even then, the main favorites were alchemists and magicians. For Clement, the granddaughter was a major card in the political game - he methodically sought out the best groom for her in the ruling houses of Europe.
In 1533, the wedding of Catherine de Medici and Henry of Orleans, the son of the French king, took place. Apparently, she was ready to sincerely love her young husband, but he did not need her love, giving her heart to Diane de Poitiers, who was twenty years older than him.
Catherine's life was unhappy. Although she behaved modestly and outwardly did not interfere in state affairs, the French disliked the "stranger", who was not distinguished by either beauty or pleasantness in communication. Prickly eyes, stubbornly compressed thin lips, nervous fingers, always fiddling with a handkerchief - no, this is not how cheerful France wanted to see her queen. In addition, the gloomy glory of sorcerers and poisoners has long and rightly stretched behind the Medici family. But Catherine's life was especially spoiled by the fact that for ten years she and Henry had no children. The threat of divorce hung over her all this time.
What gave Catherine de Medici strength to endure the neglect of her husband, the intrigues of a successful rival, the ridicule of the courtiers? Undoubtedly, the certainty that her hour will come.
Nature endowed Catherine with the gift of foresight, although she tried to hide it from strangers. Evidence remained only from the closest. Her daughter, Queen Margo, glorified by Alexandre Dumas, said: "Every time a mother had to lose someone from her family, she saw a huge flame in a dream." She also dreamed of the outcome of important battles, impending natural disasters.
However, Catherine was not content with her own gift. When it was necessary to make an important decision, she turned to the help of astrologers and sorcerers, many of whom she brought with her from Italy. Card divination, astrology, rituals with magic mirrors - everything was at her service. As Catherine once admitted to the same Margot, more than once she was on the verge of asking her husband for a divorce and returning to Italy. Only the image that appeared in the magic mirror held her back - she was wearing a crown on her head and surrounded by a dozen children.
Patroness of Nostradamus
Catherine's life changed little in 1547, when Henry ascended the throne. Diana still ruled the heart of her husband and state affairs, and the unloved wife continued to seek solace from the masters of the occult sciences.
Catherine had already heard about the famous soothsayer Nostradamus, when the thirty-fifth quatrain (quatrain) from his "Prophecies" came to her attention. It was about the fate of the French king: "The young lion will surpass the old one on the battlefield in a single duel, he will pierce his eye through a golden cage. Two wounds in one, then die a painful death."
This was the second call. The first sounded a little earlier - another astrologer, Luke Gorik, warned Catherine that her husband was in mortal danger from being wounded at a certain tournament. Worried, Catherine insisted that Nostradamus should be invited to the court in order to clarify the details of the prophecy. He arrived, but the queen's anxiety from communicating with him only intensified.
On July 1, 1559, celebrations were scheduled in honor of the marriage of Princess Elizabeth, daughter of Catherine, with the Spanish King Philip II. Heinrich ordered to remove part of the pavement from the Parisian Rue Saint-Antoine in order to organize a lists there.
Catherine already knew that the hour of trouble had come. She had a dream: fire again, a lot of fire. Waking up, she first of all sent a note to her husband: "I conjure you, Heinrich! Refuse to fight today!"
He coolly crumpled the paper into a ball, not having the habit of listening to the advice of a hateful wife.
The festival is grandiose! The crowd applauded and cheered deafeningly. Of course, all precautions were taken: spears were blunted, participants were chained in steel armor, strong helmets were on their heads. Everyone is excited. And only Ekaterina's fingers pull the handkerchief with such force that a huge hole appears on it.
As soon as the king left the field, they gave the signal to start the tournament. Here Henry sent his horse towards one knight, here he crossed a spear with another. "The king is an excellent fighter," Ekaterina inspires herself. "And today he is especially inspired." But the heart sank in anticipation of the tragedy.
Henry orders the Earl of Montgomery, a young Scottish captain with a lion on his shield, to take up a spear. He hesitates - he remembers too well how his father almost killed another French king, Francis I, hitting him in the head with a burning torch during the game. But Henry is adamant, and the count submits.
Opponents rush towards each other. And - horror! - Montgomery's spear breaks with a crack, hitting the golden helmet of the king. One fragment falls into the opened slot of the visor, piercing into the eye, the second one digs into the throat.
After tormenting himself for ten days, Heinrich died. And many remembered the prophecy of Nostradamus. The cardinals wanted to send him to the stake. The peasants, who believed that the prediction was actually a curse, burned images of the seer. Only the intercession of Catherine saved him from reprisal.
Having become regent for the minor son Francis II, she gained the coveted power. Nostradamus remained at court, having received the position of a life doctor. There is a story that, at the request of Catherine, he happened to make another prediction for the royal house, which turned out to be no less sad.
Calling an angel named Anael, Nostradamus asked him to reveal the fate of the queen's children in a magic mirror. The mirror showed the reign of her three sons, and then as many as 23 years in power of her despised son-in-law Henry of Navarre. Depressed by this news, Catherine stopped the magical action. She became ready to fight fate by any means.
Black mass
At least two episodes are authentically known when Catherine de Medici resorted to the most terrible form of black magic - the "Bleeding Head Prophecy".
The first episode happened on a cold May night in 1574. Francis, the eldest of the Queen Mother's sons, had long since rested in his grave. And now the second son was also dying - King Charles IX, stricken with an inexplicable illness. His situation worsened every day. Catherine had only one way out - a black mass.
For the sacrifice, an innocent child was required, which, however, was not difficult to find. For the first communion, the child was prepared by a courtier in charge of the distribution of alms. On the night of the sacrifice, the apostate monk, who had defected to the priests of black magic, served a black mass in Charles' chambers. In a room where only trusted persons were allowed, in front of the image of a demon, at whose feet an inverted crucifix was placed, he consecrated two wafers - black and white. The white one was given to the child, the black one was placed at the bottom of the paten. The boy was killed with one blow immediately after the first communion. His severed head was placed on a black host, transferred to a table where candles were burning.
Dealing with evil demons is difficult. But that night things went especially badly. The king asked the demon to give a prophecy. And when he heard the answer that came from the little martyr's head, he shouted: "Put that head away!"
I suffer from violence, - the head said in a frighteningly inhuman voice in Latin.
Carl shook in convulsions, foam flew from his mouth in shreds. The king is dead. And Catherine, who had not previously questioned her abilities for magic, was horrified: did even the devil turn away from her offspring?
However, the failure of the terrible rite did not change her attitude towards witchcraft. Catherine still counted on the help of magicians. When, a few years later, her next son, King Henry III, fell ill, she, without hesitation for a long time, again turned to those who not so long ago served a black mass to save Charles.
Catherine was sure that magic can only be fought against with the help of magic. It was her political opponents, the Guise family approaching the throne, who condemned the young king to death. About the damage induced by them, the cards told her. Her court astrologer warned her about her. And later, a witness-servant, trembling with fear, told Catherine about how all this happened.
The wax figurine of the king was placed on the altar, where the priest Gizov celebrated Mass. They pierced her with a needle during a prayer full of threats and anathemas. They asked for death for Henry. "Because his majesty didn't die fast enough, they figured our king was also a sorcerer," whispered the narrator, pulling his head into his shoulders.
Catherine just shrugged her shoulders contemptuously. Heinrich is a sorcerer? Only fools can believe this. He is weak and weak-willed, his spirit is not ready for such trials. And communication with the dark forces is, as she knows very well, a cruel, debilitating test. It was obvious to her that the monstrous sin would again have to be taken upon herself.
And again the child was brought into the sick room. Again, the flame of the candles went out for a moment. But this time Catherine was stronger. Death touched the face of the king and receded, Henry survived.
Death is Saint Germain
No matter how hard Catherine tried, she could not deceive her fate.
One of her many astrologers warned the queen "against some Saint Germain". Since then, Catherine has ceased to visit her castle in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Louvre - after all, next to the Louvre is the church of Saint-Germain. When drawing up travel plans, she vigilantly ensured that her path ran as far as possible from the churches and settlements of the same name. The queen settled in the previously unloved castle of Blois, just to protect herself from all sorts of surprises.
Once, when she fell ill, she reassured the ladies-in-waiting: “Nothing threatens me in Blois, don’t worry. You heard that I will die next to Saint-Germain. And here I will certainly recover.”
But the disease progressed. And Catherine ordered to call a doctor. A doctor she did not know came, examined her, and decided to be on duty at her bedside until morning, while she slept.
You are too tired, your majesty. You just need to get some rest,” he said.
"Yes," the queen nodded. - But who are you? What's your name?
- My name is Saint-Germain, madam, - the doctor bowed deeply.
Three hours later, Catherine de Medici was gone.
"I was crushed by the rubble of the house," - these dying words of the "black queen" turned out to be prophetic. A few months later, following his mother, the last of her sons, Heinrich, descended into the grave. Instead of the house of Valois, the Bourbon dynasty reigned in France.
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.
On March 31, 1547, in connection with the death of his father, King Francis I, royal power 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 of an 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 now, 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 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 taken care of at first 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 Hippolytus, 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 cook 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 a few days later died 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 took comfort in 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, Diana de Poitiers became the 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 in 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 in 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
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 only 8 months, Henry III was killed by 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 ...
To the queen of France from 1547, wife of the king Henry II. She largely determined state policy during the reign of her sons: Francis II (1559–1560), Charles IX(1560–1574) and Henry III (1574–1589).
Daughter Lorenzo II Medici and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne, was born in 1519 in Florence. Orphaned at the age of three weeks, little Ekaterina was transferred to the care of the pope Clement VII, her uncle and mentor, from whom, they say, she learned cunning, cunning and resourcefulness - qualities so necessary in the turbulent era of the Italian Renaissance.
At the age of 14, Catherine was married to Henry de Valois, second son of the King of France Francis I, for whom this alliance was beneficial primarily due to the support that the Pope could give to his military campaigns in Italy. The bride's dowry was 130,000 ducats and vast estates, including Pisa, Livorno and parma.
Contemporaries described Catherine as a slender, red-haired girl, small in stature, with a rather ugly face, but very expressive eyes - a Medici family trait.
Catherine was able to impress the spoiled luxury, sophisticated and refined French court. She resorted to the help of one of the most famous Florentine craftsmen, who made high-heeled shoes for her. Admittedly, Catherine achieved what she wanted, her presentation to the French court made a splash.
Perhaps Europe has not seen such a gathering of representatives of the higher clergy since the time of medieval cathedrals: Pope Clement VII himself attended the ceremony, accompanied by numerous cardinals. The celebration was followed by 34 days of continuous feasts and balls.
The holidays, however, soon died down, and Catherine was left alone with her new role.
The French court has always been famous for its sophistication, refined and noble manners and well-educated ladies. Under the influence of a renewed interest in antiquity, the courtiers of Francis I spoke among themselves in Latin and Greek, read Ronsard's poems and admired the sculptural sculptures of Italian masters.
In merchant Florence, in contrast to France, the fathers of the families were not concerned with giving their wives and daughters such a versatile education, as a result of which, in the first years of her life at the French court, Catherine felt like an ignoramus, who did not know how to gracefully build phrases and made many mistakes. in letters. She felt her isolation from society and suffered severely from loneliness and from the hostility shown to her by the French, who contemptuously called the daughter-in-law of Francis I “Italian” and “merchant's wife”. The only friend that young Catherine found in France was her father-in-law.
In 1536 Dauphin - heir to the French throne - Francis died unexpectedly.
According to the official version, death came from a cold, which the Dauphin caught by drinking a bowl of ice water after playing ball. According to another, the crown prince was poisoned by Catherine de Medici, who desired the accession to the throne of her husband. The Dauphin was unmarried, unbetrothed and had no heir. All titles passed to his brother Heinrich. Fortunately, these rumors did not affect the warm relationship between Francis I and his daughter-in-law, but be that as it may, since then the fame of the poisoner has firmly entrenched in the Florentine.
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Under the pressure of her husband, who wanted to secure her position by the birth of an heir, Catherine, who until then had not brought him offspring, was treated for a long time and in vain by all kinds of magicians and healers with the sole purpose of becoming pregnant.
In 1537, Heinrich had an illegitimate child by a certain young lady named Philip Duci. This event finally confirmed that it was Catherine who was barren. At court, they started talking about the possibility of divorce.
As you know, trouble does not come alone, and another test awaited Catherine: a woman appeared in the life of Heinrich de Valois, whom many considered the true ruler of France over the next few years. This is about Diane de Poitiers, Henry's favorite, who was 19 years older than her crowned lover. Probably due to the difference in age, the relationship between Henry and Diana was based more on reason than on sensual passion. Heinrich highly valued Diana's wisdom and foresight, and listened carefully to her advice before making important political decisions. Both shared a passion for hunting. Many paintings have come down to us, on which lovers are depicted in the form of the Roman goddess-hunter Diana and the young god Apollo.
The forgotten, abandoned wife had no choice but to come to terms with her humiliation. Overcoming herself, Catherine, like a true Medici, nevertheless managed to step on the throat of her pride and win over her husband's mistress, who was quite satisfied with such friendship, because the appearance of another, more prolific and less friendly wife could jeopardize her position at court.
For a long time, all three formed a rather strange love triangle: Diana occasionally pushed Henry to his wife's bed, and Catherine, accepting him, suffered from jealousy and her own impotence to change anything.
The comparison with the lovely Diana was clearly not in favor of Catherine. Catherine was never a beauty, but with age she also gained a lot of weight, and, according to her contemporaries, she looked more and more like her uncle. The latter, of course, could not be a compliment. A particularly repulsive feature was her excessively high forehead. Evil tongues claimed that a second face could fit between her eyebrows and hair roots. In all likelihood, this was a consequence of hair loss, which Catherine carefully concealed using wigs.
The fact that Catherine stoically experienced her husband's betrayal does not mean that she did not try to do something in order to get rid of her rival. Echoes of a palace scandal have reached us, in which, in addition to Catherine, a certain Duke of Nemours was involved. From the letters of the participants in this story, it is known that, apparently, Catherine asked the duke, seizing the moment, in the midst of fun, under the guise of a cute prank, throw a glass of water in Diana's face. The fact that instead of water there should have been burnt lime in the glass, the “joker” was not supposed to know. The plot was revealed, and Nemours was exiled, but later pardoned and returned to court.
The news that Catherine was pregnant came as a complete surprise to everyone. The miraculous healing of the barren dauphin was attributed to Nostradamus, a physician and astrologer who entered Catherine's close circle of confidants. Her first child, named after his grandfather Francis, was born in 1543.
Francis I died in 1549. Henry II ascended the throne, and Catherine was proclaimed Queen of France. She reinforced her position with the birth of several more heirs. In total, Catherine gave birth to, no less than ten sons and daughters.
Ten years later, in 1559, Henry II died as a result of a wound received at the last jousting tournament in the history of Europe. In all of France, perhaps, there was no person who mourned the death of the king so disconsolately as the beautiful Diana. Catherine finally had the opportunity to give vent to the accumulated anger and get even with her rival. She demanded that de Poitiers return her jewels belonging to the crown, and also left her home - the Chanonceau castle, presented to Diana by Henry II.
With the accession to the throne of the sickly and weak 15-year-old Francis II, Catherine became the regent and de facto ruler of the kingdom.
The courtiers, who did not like Catherine the heiress, did not accept her as their empress. Enemies called her “black queen“ , referring to the unchanging mourning clothes that Catherine put on after the death of her husband and did not take off until the end of her days. For many centuries, the glory of a poisoner and an insidious, vindictive intriguer who mercilessly cracked down on her enemies was entrenched in her.
One of the bloodiest events in the history of France is associated with the name of Catherine - Bartholomew night.
According to a common version, Catherine set a trap for the Huguenot leaders by inviting them to Paris for the wedding of her daughter Marguerite (Margot) to Henry of Navarre, the future King Henry IV. On the night of August 23-24, 1572, thousands of citizens filled the streets of Paris with the ringing of bells. A horrendous massacre unleashed. An estimated 3,000 Huguenots were killed in Paris that night. One of the victims was their leader, Admiral Coligny. The wave of violence that originated in the capital also spread to the provinces. In a bloody frenzy that lasted a week, another 8,000 Huguenots were killed throughout France.
It is possible that the massacre of opponents was actually carried out on the orders of Catherine, but there is, however, the possibility that she was not aware of the impending attack, and in the ensuing atmosphere of chaos, she had no choice but to accept take responsibility for what happened, so as not to admit to the loss of control over the situation in the state.
Was Catherine really exactly the way the spiteful critics described her? Or is it only a distorted image of this person that has come down to us?
Few, perhaps, know that Catherine was a great lover of art and a patron of the arts. It was she who came up with the idea of building a new wing of the Louvre and the Tuileries Castle. Catherine's library contained hundreds of the most curious books and rare ancient manuscripts. It was thanks to her that the French court discovered the delights of Italian cuisine, including artichokes, broccoli and several varieties of spaghetti. With her light hand, the French fell in love with ballet ( balletto), and the ladies began to wear corsets and underwear - Catherine was a passionate lover of horseback riding and became the first woman to wear pantaloons, despite protests from the clergy.
It is also impossible not to admire Catherine the Mother. Regardless of the methods used by her in the fight against opponents, she was, above all, a friend, support and support to her three sons who ascended the French throne: Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III.
The “black queen” died at the age of 70 in the castle of Blois, and was buried next to her husband, Henry II, in the abbey of Saint-Denis. Catherine was lucky to die in ignorance. She never knew that everything she had fought for for many years had sunk into oblivion. Henry III was assassinated by a Catholic fanatic shortly after her death. The Valois dynasty ceased to exist, leaving the French throne Bourbons.
