The Informative Essay: The Death Of Catherine De Medici

Catherine de Medici was an Italian-born, French queen who became very powerful and even more controversial during her time at the helm of France. Orphaned as an infant, used as a pawn in her family's vicious power games, saddled with an unfaithful husband, and forced to suffer the untimely deaths of several of her children, Catherine managed to maintain control of the true power of the French throne in an effort to protect her family and preserve her birthright. Her methods of doing so, including hiring an assassin to kill Admiral Gaspar de Coligny whom she believed threatened her son's rule as King and her own power, earned her the offensive nickname "the Black Queen." This nickname was given to her by the French people who blamed her for all of the ills of France, including the massive killings that took place on St. Bartholomew's Day over religious differences between French Protestants and Catholics. …show more content…
Both Giovanni and Francis had ulterior motives for their alliance - Francis wanted the Papal authority backing his claims for Milan and Naples, and Giovanni wanted one of the two continental super powers on his side during the battle for supremacy between France and Spain. When Lorenzo and Madeleine died, both Francis and Giovanni were worried that their relationship might fall apart with only a little girl left as their hope for an alliance. This mentality set the stage for what would become a series of chess-like moves, with Catherine as their pawn, in an effort to maintain their individual best