Catherine de Médicis << MEHD ih chee or may dee SEES >> (1519-1589) was a powerful woman in France during the reigns of three kings—Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. These three monarchs were sons of Catherine and her husband, King Henry II of France. Catherine was the niece of Pope Clement VII and belonged to the famous Medici family of Florence, Italy. The Italian spelling of the family name is de’ Medici.
Henry II died in 1559, and Francis II became king at age 15. Francis died the following year, and Charles IX succeeded him at age 10. Charles died in 1574, and Henry III became king at age 22. All three sons relied heavily on their mother’s advice.
Catherine’s actions showed energy and ability. She sought to shield her sons from the influence of advisers from the powerful Guise family. A Roman Catholic, she also worked for peace between Huguenots (French Protestants) and Catholics in France (see Huguenots). However, she became jealous of the Huguenot leader Gaspard de Coligny’s influence over Charles IX and feared that Coligny’s policies would lead to war with Spain. Historians disagree on Catherine’s role in the events that began on Aug. 24, 1572, during which Catholics killed Coligny and thousands of other Huguenots in what became known as the Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day. Traditionally she has been blamed for persuading Charles IX to order the massacre. But many historians now believe that though she may have been involved in a plan to murder Coligny and other Huguenot leaders, she did not intend the large massacre of Huguenots that accompanied Coligny’s assassination.
Catherine was born on April 13, 1519, in Florence. She died on Jan. 5, 1589.
