Why did Catherine de’ Medici oppose a French war against Spain in the Netherlands?

Catherine de’ Medici’s opposition to a French war against Spain in the Netherlands was primarily rooted in a deep-seated, perpetual fear of Spain. This apprehension originated from the Spanish victory at the Battle of Saint-Quentin in 1557 and remained a defining influence on her political judgments throughout her career.1

During the period of 1570–1572, when she sought to maintain peace and reconciliation, she faced pressure from a group of youthful Protestants and Flemish exiles, including Louis of Nassau, who urged the French king to intervene militarily against Spain in the Netherlands. Catherine consistently resisted these calls, as she viewed the maintenance of peace and the stability of the French crown as her primary objectives, fearing that such a conflict would undermine her efforts to stabilize the kingdom and avoid direct confrontation with the powerful Spanish state.23