Catherine de’ Medici

Catherine de’ Medici was born into the Florentine Medici family and became queen of France through her marriage to Henry II. After his death she exercised power as the mother of Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III during the French Wars of Religion. She attempted repeated compromises between Catholics and Protestants but became permanently associated with the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, whose planning and extent remain debated.

Alexandre Dumas makes Catherine a formidable political presence in Queen Margot, while Jeanne Kalogridis’s The Devil’s Queen places her at the centre of the story. She also appears in numerous novels about Mary, Queen of Scots and the Valois court. Fiction has often repeated the image of a poisoner and sinister Italian queen, whereas modern treatments tend to stress the impossible pressures of preserving the monarchy during civil and religious war.

Dorothy Dunnett’s Queens’ Play is set in 1548, Lymond enters the French court under disguise after Mary of Guise asks him to protect the young Mary, Queen of Scots. Dorothy Dunnett’s Checkmate is set in 1557, Lymond returns to French service during the final phase of the Italian Wars and helps the forces of Henry II recover Calais from England. Other novels featuring Catherine de' Medici include S. J. Parris’s Conspiracy and Ken Follett’s A Column of Fire.