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(1519-1589)
French queen in 1547, the wife of Henry II. Largely determines the state policy in the reign of his sons: Francis II (1559-1560), Charles IX (1560-1574), Henry III (1574-1589). One of the organizers of the massacre of St. Bartholomew.
On the history of the Medici family have written a volume, but perhaps the most famous representative of this kind was the daughter of the Duke of Urbino, Lorenzo II - Catherine, which was destined above all in his family to climb the ladder of social success. Nearly thirty years of rule, it′s most influential country in the XVI century in Europe, its name is associated with major events in history, but an unusually bleak and pointless it was women′s personal fate.
From birth to Catherine was not lucky, she became an orphan, and the Medici family used the litter as a hostage in the struggle for power in Florence. In the nine years she came to the monastery, and besieged the city Republicans have proposed to put the girl on the fortress wall, under continuous fire guns of her relatives. Fortunately for the girl, my father intervened and asked not to touch either the innocent child. However, the defeated townspeople finally gave little Catherine soldiers to amused with the heir of the great race.
The consequences of psychic trauma took to heal her grandfather, who at that time occupied the papal throne in Rome - Pope Clement VII. Perhaps it was the most happy and carefree time for Catherine. Finally she got this house, lived quietly, took care of her and even in his own love. For Clement VII′s granddaughter is a major trump card in the political game. The lively, outgoing girl, with bright expressive eyes, a short, thin, with beautiful miniature legs, from the rich and noble family became Catherine′s most prominent bride Europe, and my father tried, they say, to arrange a granddaughter of "PR." She rarely appeared in the light of her beauty is legendary in secular circles.
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Sama de ′Medici, probably sooner began to understand that her desire povygodnee sell, and was hardly opposed such a deal. Heavy childhood taught her the cold calculation, distrust of others and secretive. Many who knew Catherine still in the papal palace, noted in his eyes girls sharp, painful mind and a metal cold. Many years later, after learning of the death of Catherine, a famous French historian Jacques Augustin de Tu exclaimed: "No, not the woman died, died royal power."
In 1533 the wedding took place last Medici and Henri d′Orleans, the son of the French king. Young was fourteen years old. No sooner had the wedding fanfare die down, as windy husband was carried away in earnest cousin of his wife, Diane de Poitiers, who was his senior by twenty years. All twenty years, while Henry was king, at the French court favorite, Diana remained unchanged, and all the twenty years Catherine had to endure machinations of a rival and silent. Especially hard queen had the first years of marriage. Ten years the couple had no children. And the lack of heirs made Catherine to some extent poluzakonnoy wife of the King, because it constantly hung over the threat of divorce.
The official version of history is known: the alleged Henry had some pathology, then agreed to the operation and nearly eleven years of anxious waiting children poured as if from a cornucopia. Catherine gave birth, not a lot of not a few, ten sons and daughters. Some historians in the "miraculous cure" Henry saw the usual female deception, and even try to bring evidence. But it was in fact, we probably will never be known.
At first glance, a gentle, friendly little Catherine interfered in the life of the court. However, the head of the pretty women, is the most ambitious plans. She knew that Henry completely devoid of ambition, obsessed with love for Diana, will not fight for the throne, while the eldest son Francis had perfect health and was going to live long.
Historical Chronicle of the French court, of course, silent about the real perpetrators of subsequent events, but the facts are such that on a hot August day, the Prince drank a glass of ice water and immediately died.
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By the time of the coronation of Henry to Catherine was under forty. She was already a mature lady who was an expert in the intrigues of the court, but the throne has not increased its power. Still the heart of her husband managed the all-powerful Diana. Occasionally, Catherine was winning small victories over his rival: it sought to discredit in the eyes of the king, seeking for a replacement - after all already a favorite sixty years, but the Medici still remained on the margins of the main political struggle. She could only watch and intervene it did not have enough forces.
I must say that the active nature of Catherine manifested in the fact that the Queen has gathered at the court of the cream of European art. She eagerly patronizing talent and patronize beginners. Fascinated by it and astrology. That Catherine invited to the palace of the famous Nostradamus, who, according to tradition, and predicted the accidental death of the King:
The young lion will win the old
In a strange fight in the battlefield
He pierce his eyes through a golden cage.
From one become two, then die
Painful death.
The death of Henry was really ridiculous. In the knight′s duel with the Earl of Montgomery, stimulated by a young rival, Henry struck a powerful blow on the head. King defended himself with a spear, the shaft it could not stand, split into several torches, and one of them flew into the right eye hole of the helmet. On the tenth day, in the terrible suffering of Henry died. So thanks to a tragic accident Catherine received the coveted power.
Formally ascended to the throne by her son - a sixteen Francis II, but in fact Catherine faced with the fact that everyone in the kingdom run by the family of Guise, which, thanks to Diana captured all the key positions.
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She found an ally in the loyal friend Francois Vendôme, who sincerely loved, but an honest, independent VENDOME lost the war with Gizami. Under pain of death, Catherine had to first send an ally in the Bastille, and then to the next world. For her, there was a special code of honor - the rights of only the winner, but for the sake of power, she was always ready to sacrifice anyone and anything.
The situation was complicated by the Queen and the fact that her reign coincided with the exacerbation of religious opposition of Protestants and Catholics. On the one hand, Catherine, who grew up in the papal palace, with favor, of course, to Catholics, but the influence of Guise can be reduced only by supporting the Protestants. She immediately adopted the tactics of maneuvering and setting one on the other. In an atmosphere of fierce strife, it gradually strengthened his power.
In the meantime, died, Francis II, but the queen his death no threat - it is enough to bear sons to the French throne. See Karl took ten IX. Catherine made the newfound King write a letter to parliament, in which he asked his mother to take the case of the kingdom. So she became the sole ruler of France.
The name of Catherine de ′Medici is closely linked to the bloody event - the massacre of the Huguenots, known in history as the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. The dual policy has led to Catherine that she began to lose control thread happening. Determined to give her daughter Marguerite for the Protestant king of Navarre, Catherine thought that way, it saps the strength of their own worst enemies Guise. However, weaving intrigues, she fell into the trap of not noticing how the heart of the young Karl took over zealous Huguenot Coligny.
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She summoned Guise and allowed them to draw their swords against the Huguenots, which Catholics have long sought. A few days after the wedding of Marguerite de Valois and Henry of Navarre on the night of St. Bartholomew′s and there was a famous massacre. Apparently, in the depths of the soul Catherine, as shrewd and cunning politician, had hoped that the leaders of both camps massacre each other, but the Catholics were more energetic, more united. In the night of 23 to 24 August 1572 only one Paris, killing 2 thousand Huguenots. Admiral Coligny was fatally wounded and died soon afterwards.
Massacre of St. Bartholomew brought Catherine unexpected political dividends. She welcomed the King of Spain and Pope Gregory XIII ordered illuminate Rome, knocked out a medal in honor of the great event and sent greetings "Christians, the king and his mother in Paris.
But the Catherine joy was short-lived. Suddenly, against its policies has risen King. He openly accused the mother and brother in the massacre, and in his words, let him awkwardly, but through the threat. Catherine tried to influence the Charles affection, coercion, persuasion, but all in vain. The hostility of Charles to the cruel mother grew with each passing day. Catherine began to realize that it no longer needed, and that an imperious woman could not allow. She clenched his teeth in pain, decided. A week later, Karl fell ill, was taken ill, had to call a priest.
French crown passed to the third son of Catherine - Henry of Anjou. Queen of the genus Medici still tightly clutched in their hands the reins of government. However, the new monarch mother only brought some disappointment. Contrary to the wishes of Catherine, he resolutely refused the marriage with Queen Elizabeth and married Louise Lorraine, daughter of Count Vaudemont of the house hated Guise.
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In the kingdom is brewing a new stage of struggle between Protestants and Catholics. Overcoming illness and fatigue, Catherine was preparing for a new battle, when the news of the death of the youngest son of the tribe of Valois - Francis, Duke of Alençon and of Brabant. It was terrible and final blow to the Queen. Margaret lived separately from her husband and had no children from the hated Henry of Navarre.
Fate cruelly with Catherine de ′Medici, as if in revenge for her insatiable lust for power. Ten children she bore, but, despite this, it ended at the French royal dynasty of Valois. She seemed to have become the curse of this kind, bringing the Moloch of ambition and their lives and the lives of their children.
Henry III did not even bothered to bury my mother with dignity. Her body was thrown into a common grave with beggars and vagrants. Henry himself died a few months later.
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