Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Catherine de’ Medici
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
Catherine de' Medici Renaissance dances. (Left) Court dance in early balletic form as seen in “Catherine de Medicis Receiving the Polish Ambassador,” tapestry designed by Francois Quesnel, c. 1575. In the Uffizi, Florence Germain Pilon: gisants of Catherine de' Medici and Henry II Catherine de' Medici
For Students
Catherine de’ Medici summary
Related Questions
Read Next
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (Massacre de la Saint-BarthAlemy in French) in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations, followed by a wave of Roman Catholic mob violence, both directed against the Huguenots (French Calvinist Protestants), during th
How Did the Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day Start?
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris, France.
26 Historic Buildings to Visit the Next Time You’re in Paris
Battle of Fleurus (June 16, 1794), the most significant battle in the First Coalition phase of the French Revolutionary Wars; by Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse, 19th century.
What Led to France’s Reign of Terror?
Discover
The Cheshire Cat is a fictional cat from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. (Alice in Wonderland)
11 Banned Books Through Time
An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.
11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
New York NY/ USA- November 23, 2018 Hordes of shoppers throng the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York looking for bargains on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.
Why Is It Called Black Friday?
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.
10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)
Thumbnail for flags that look alike quiz Russia, Slovenia, Iceland, Norway
Flags That Look Alike
Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?

Catherine de’ Medici: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Catherine-de-Medici
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As Catherine de Médicis • Caterina de’ Medici
Born April 13, 1519 • Florence • Italy
Died January 5, 1589 (aged 69) • Blois • France
House / Dynasty Medici family
Notable Family Members spouse Henry II • father Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici, duca di Urbino • daughter Margaret of Valois • son Henry III • son François, duc d’Anjou • son Charles IX • son Francis II
Role In Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day • Wars of Religion

Photos

Catherine de' Medici
Renaissance dances. (Left) Court dance in early balletic form as seen in “Catherine de Medicis Receiving the Polish Ambassador,” tapestry designed by Francois Quesnel, c. 1575. In the Uffizi, Florence
Germain Pilon: gisants of Catherine de' Medici and Henry II
Catherine de' Medici
See All Images →
Henry IV, undated copperplate engraving.
Henry IV
king of France
Henry III
Henry III
king of France and Poland
François de Lorraine, 2 duc de Guise
French noble
Gaspard II de Coligny
Gaspard II de Coligny, seigneur de Châtillon
French admiral and Huguenot leader
Anne, Duke de Montmorency, drawing by the school of Clouet, c. 1560; in the Musée Condé, Chantilly, France
Anne, duke de Montmorency
French noble
Philippe de Mornay, seigneur du Plessis-Marly
French diplomat
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
French military leader
Charles IX, portrait by an unknown artist, 16th century; in the Musée de Versailles, France.
Charles IX
king of France
Monluc, engraving
Blaise de Lasseran-Massencôme, seigneur de Monluc
French soldier
Henri I de Bourbon, 2 prince de Condé
French prince
François de Beaumont, baron des Adrets
French military leader
Charles de Gontaut, baron and duke de Biron
French baron and duke
François de Bonne, duke de Lesdiguières
French constable
Armand de Gontaut, baron de Biron
French military leader
Jacques de Savoie, duke de Nemours
French duke
Charles de Bourbon, count de Soissons
French count and soldier
Jules Cardinal Mazarin
Jules, Cardinal Mazarin
French cardinal and statesman
Lagrange, Joseph-Louis, comte de l'Empire
Joseph-Louis Lagrange, comte de l’Empire
French mathematician
Marie de Médicis, detail of a portrait by Peter Paul Rubens; in the Prado, Madrid.
Marie de Médicis
queen of France
Pierre de Brazza
French explorer