QUEEN CATHERINE DE MEDICI OF FRANCE 1536-1589(?): The unfortunate Roman Catholic Queen, Catherine de Medici,did in truth suffer a life of sorrow and misfortune at the Palace of Fontainbleau in France.
Queen Catherine de Medici was born at 11 am on Wednesday April 13th,1519 and named Caterina Maria Romola. Her mother was Madelaine de La Tour D'Auverne, her father was Lorenzo,Duke of Urbino, (a Medici). Catherine's mother died of Puerperal fever on April 28th, 1519. Her father died five days later. They had married at Fortress of Amboise, overlooking the Loire, on April 28th, 1518.
(PRWEB) August 14, 2004 -- Queen Catherine was advised by the seer,
Nostradamus who resided at the French Court, to seek a remedy for childlessness,
because she had been married to King Henry II of France for nine years and at
the age of 23 she remained childless. The King had engaged in an affair with
Diane of Potiers, Diane having captured the King's heart when he had been just
17 years old and Diane had been 37, but there was a reason for this strange
attraction which dated back to the King's childhood, which will be revealed
later. Diane had previously been Mistress to King Francis, Henri's father.
Diane, as the wife of Louis of Breze, had been present at the French court since
her marriage at the age of 15 to the 56 year old Grand Seneschal of Normandy (an
ugly humpbacked man)who had held the post of first lieutenant to King Francis.
Diane wore widows weeds after the death of her husband which had the effect of
making her appear more attractive. The following is an extract from "The King's
Quinto: The Life and Times of Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618)" by Barbara
O'Sullivan (Publish America ISBN: 1413708285)originally written as material for
a filmscript for the late Walter Sparrow Hollywood actor who had been, in
earlier years, a Shakespearean actor. Walter Sparrow appeared in "Robin Hood
Prince of Thieves" with Kevin Costner and in "Now and Then" with Demi Moore;
etc. Walter Sparrow passed away on the 31st May, 2000 and is sadly missed by the
author of this work.
After the death of her parents, Queen Catherine de
Medici lived at the Palazzo on the via Larga in Florence with her Governor,
Messer Rosso Ridolfi and her two illegitimate Medici cousins, Ippolito and
Alessandro. Later, when she was eight years old she was moved to Santisima
Annunziata delle Murate, a Convent, where she remained for three years. Even
after Catherine left the Convent, she maintained correspondence with the Sisters
there until 1588,(a year before her death).
Catherine had been married
to King Henri II of France for nine years and during that time she had been
forced to endure the humiliation of her husband's continuing affair with Diane
of Potiers. The King spent at least 7 hours of his day and most of his nights
with Diane, and discussed all affairs of State with her, whilst Catherine was
left in the background. She was neither invited to meetings, nor informed of
forthcoming events or decisions which had been taken concerning the Royal Court.
The King had always treated Catherine with indifference throughout their
marriage and it was quite obvious that he preferred the company of Diane to
anyone else at Court and left no-one in any doubt as to who occupied the place
nearest to his heart, as he continued to bestow titles and honours upon Diane
and awarded her huge sums of money to swell her already massive private fortune.
Queen Catherine yearned for a child and had been waiting and praying for
that moment to come to her. She had entered into discussions with her
physicians, who advised her to wear a necklace containing the ashes of a large
frog as a symbol of fertility, but their charms had not seemed to work for her.
She had also taken heed of advice to bathe regularly in hot water to which had
been added the perfumes of juniper, laurel, basil, rosemary, thyme and bayleaf
and she had accumulated boxes full of amulets and charms.
Queen
Catherine, in later years, brought into this World the Dauphin Francis who went
on to marry Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Elizabeth I's cousin, and another of her
sons was "Le Duc d'Alencon" - who later became engaged to Queen Elizabeth I of
England for a short time - Queen Elizabeth referring to him as "The Frog
Prince."
King Henri's attachment to Diane of Potiers dated back to when
he was 7 years old and his father King Francis had travelled with the court
ladies to Bayonne,with his 8 year old brother the Dauphin Francis and they were
to be exchanged as hostages for their father, who had been held prisoner in
Spain. They were met by Spanish officers and 10 gentlemen armed with swords and
daggers. King Francis was released on the promise that he would restore the
Constable of Bourbon's titles, and return to him the region of Burgundy and join
the two French families together by marrying his sister Eleanor,in addition to
which he must hand over his two young sons as hostages. King Francis had agreed
to all these demands as he had been kept in such harsh conditions in the Alcazar
prison in Madrid by Charles of Bourbon Montpensier, that he would have agreed to
almost anything to regain his liberty at that time. A ransom of 2 million Ecus
had been paid in exchange for the King's liberty, whilst his sons were led away
and immediately imprisoned for four years. They were kept in severe conditions
under heavy armed guard in a small cell with bare walls and no light, fresh air
or sunshine. Their cell had been furnished with only stone seats to sit on and
iron bars to look at. Henri had never fully recovered from his childhood ordeal
and at the time of his release he had almost forgotten his native French and it
was frequently remarked upon that he was never seen to smile again at Court as a
child. Any love of learning that Henri may have had before his imprisonment,
quickly left him during those four years and was never to return and his father
later rejected him and called him slow-witted.
King Henri II was to
endure an early death and as had been predicted by Nostradamus he was to die a
horrible death. King Henri II of France took place in a Joust with Gabriel de
Montgomery (although advised not to do so, by Nostradamus) and splinters from
the Montgomery's lance pierced the King's eye and after writhing in agony for 10
days, he passed away at the age of 41.
The King's Quinto: The Life and
Times of Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) by Barbara O'Sullivan (ISBN 1413708285 -
PublishAmerica, Maryland, USA)www.fetchbook.ca www.barnesandnoble.com www.amazon.com
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb149678.htm