Catherine de' Medici (1519 – 1589) was a pivotal figure in French history, known for her role as the queen consort of King Henry II of France and later as the regent for her three sons, who successively became kings of France.
Catherine was born on April 13, 1519, in Florence, to Lorenzo II de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne. She was orphaned at a very young age, with both parents dying within weeks of her birth. She was subsequently raised by her grandmother, Alfonsina de' Medici, until her death, after which she moved to Rome under the care of Pope Clement VII, her uncle.
In 1533, at the age of 14, Catherine married the future Henry II of France, who was at the time the Duke of Orleans. This marriage was part of a political alliance between the Medici family and the French crown. Despite initial difficulties, including Henry's romantic involvement with Diane de Poitiers, Catherine eventually bore ten children, securing her position and influence at court.
After Henry II's death in a jousting accident in 1559, Catherine became the effective ruler of France during the reigns of her sons: Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. She was officially regent during the minority of Charles IX and played a crucial role in the religious and political upheavals of the time, known as the French Wars of Religion.
Catherine is often criticized for her policies during the French Wars of Religion, especially for her role in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572, where thousands of Huguenots (French Protestants) were killed. Her attempt to maintain royal authority through the Edict of Amboise and other measures aimed at pacifying religious tensions was often met with limited success.
Her last years were marked by struggles to maintain her influence as her sons grew older and more independent. She died on January 5, 1589, in Blois. Despite controversies, Catherine left a significant legacy, influencing French politics, culture, and architecture. Her patronage of the arts led to the introduction of Italian Renaissance ideas into French culture, significantly impacting the French Renaissance.