Her father was Lorenzo de Medici, Duke of Urbino and ruler ... Charles IX died in 1574 and Catherine's favourite son Henry succeeded as Henry III of France. She continued to play a central role ...

Catherine de’ Medici was born a piece on a political chessboard ... by papal decree to the young French prince who would ...

the year of the wedding between the 14-year-old Catherine de’ Medici (the niece of Pope Clement VII) and the future French king Henry II of France. Catherine was raised in Florence, the ...

And Catherine de'Medici, Queen of France, made sure she was informed of the intrigues at court by expressly employing a group of pretty young women to engage in pillow talk with gullible male ...