CATHERINE DE MEDICIS

Catherine de' Medici (1519–1589) was born in Florence into one of Italy’s most powerful dynasties. Orphaned at a young age and raised by her uncles, she received a refined education before marrying the future King Henry II of France in 1533, at just fourteen. Her early marriage was fraught with challenges: Henry openly preferred his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, and Catherine struggled for years to produce an heir, leaving her in a precarious position at court. Following her husband’s accidental death in 1559, she emerged as the central figure of French power. Acting as regent for her sons—Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III—she navigated a kingdom torn apart by the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants. A pragmatic and skilled negotiator, she frequently sought political compromises to maintain national unity. However, her legacy remains forever linked to the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (August 24, 1572), where thousands of Protestants were killed. While historians still debate her exact role in ordering the violence, the event permanently tarnished her reputation. As a powerful woman in a male-dominated world, she was often portrayed as manipulative and cruel—a "Black Legend" partly fueled by political enemies that modern history is only now beginning to nuance.