Historical Figure
Catherine de' Medici
1519–1589
Queen of France from 1547 to 1559
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Key Dates
Birth
1519 April 13, 1519 →Death
1589 January 5, 1589 →Biography
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II. She was the mother of French kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, and a cousin to Pope Clement VII. The years during which her sons reigned have been called "the age of Catherine de' Medici" since she had extensive, albeit at times varying, influence on the political life of France.
Timeline
Ten-year-old Charles IX becomes king of France, with Queen Mother Catherine de' Medici as regent.
December 5 →Peace of Longjumeau ends the Second War of Religion in France. Again Catherine de' Medici and Charles IX of France make substantial concessions to the Huguenots.
March 23 →More from the Renaissance
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