Catherine de’ Medici

Introduction & Top Questions
Early life
Political crises
Civil wars
The Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day
Last years

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

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

At a Glance

Catherine de’ Medici summary

Related Questions

How did Catherine de’ Medici become an orphan as an infant?
How did Henry II of France die in 1559?
How did pamphlets and religious arguments shape Catherine de’ Medici’s reputation after the massacre?
How did the French defeat at Saint-Quentin in 1557 affect Catherine de’ Medici’s views of Spain?
How did the Guise family gain influence during the reign of Francis II?
How did the Massacre of Vassy help begin the French Wars of Religion?
How many people were killed in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day?
What did the Peace of Saint-Germain attempt to settle in 1570?
What happened during the Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day in Paris?
What rights did the Edict of January of 1562 give to French Calvinists?
What was Catherine de’ Medici’s role in ending the first French civil war?
When and where did Catherine de’ Medici die?
When and where was Catherine de’ Medici born?
When did Catherine de’ Medici marry the future Henry II of France?
Where was Catherine de’ Medici educated before moving to France?
Which French cities experienced violence after the Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day spread beyond Paris?
Which of Catherine de’ Medici’s sons became kings of France?
Who was Diane de Poitiers, and how did she affect Catherine de’ Medici’s marriage to Henry II?
Who was Gaspard II de Coligny, and why did he influence Charles IX?
Why did Catherine de’ Medici arrange the marriage of Marguerite de Valois and Henry of Navarre?
Why did Catherine de’ Medici become regent for Charles IX?
Why did Catherine de’ Medici meet Spanish representatives at Bayonne in 1565?
Why did Catherine de’ Medici oppose a French war against Spain in the Netherlands?
Why did Catherine de’ Medici seek an agreement with Henry of Navarre in 1586?
Why did many French Catholics reject the Edict of January?
Why was Catherine de’ Medici appointed regent during the siege of Metz in 1552?
Why were so many Huguenot nobles in Paris in August 1572?
What was Catherine de’ Medici best known for?
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External Websites

Art UK - Catherine de' Medici: France's 'Black Queen' in the spotlight
History Today - Catherine de Medici: Saint or Sinner?
The Medici Family - Catherine deï¿½ Medici, Queen of France
ScholarWorks at GVSU - Religion and Power: A Comparison of Queen Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici (PDF)
World History Encyclopedia - Catherine de' Medici

Catherine de’ Medici

queen of France

Also known as: Caterina de’ Medici, Catherine de Médicis

Written by

N.M. Sutherland

Emeritus Professor of Early Modern History, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London. Author of Princes, Politics, and Religion, 1547–1589 and others.

N.M. Sutherland

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Sep. 23, 2026 •History

Catherine de’ Medici (born April 13, 1519, Florence [Italy]—died January 5, 1589, Blois, France) was the queen consort of Henry II of France (reigned 1547–59) and subsequently regent of France (1560–74), who was one of the most influential personalities of the Catholic–Huguenot wars. Three of her sons were kings of France: Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. Catherine was the daughter of Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici, duca di Urbino, and Madeleine de La...

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