Henry's death in 1559 thrust Catherine into the political arena as mother of the frail 15-year-old King Francis II.
Henry excluded Catherine from participating in state affairs and instead showered favours on his chief mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who wielded much influence over him. Catherine's marriage was arranged by her uncle Pope Clement VII. In 1533 at the age of fourteen, Catherine married Henry, second son of King Francis I and Queen Claude of France. Ĭatherine was born in Florence to Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne. The years during which her sons reigned have been called 'the age of Catherine de' Medici' as she had extensive, if at times varying, influence in the political life of France.
She was Queen of France from 1547 until 1559, by marriage to King Henry II, and mother of French kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo de' MediciĬatherine de' Medici ( Italian: Caterina de' Medici, pronounced French: Catherine de Médicis, pronounced 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian noblewoman born into the Medici family.
