- Also known as
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Marie de Médicis, Queen and Regent of France
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primary name: Médicis, Marie de
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other name: (Queen of) France
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other name: Marie de' Medici
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other name: Medici, Maria de
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other name: Medici, Marie de'
- Details
- individual; royal/imperial; French; Italian; Female
- Life dates
- 1573-1642
- Biography
- Marie de Médicis, Queen of France, m. Henri IV (q.v.) in 1600. Mother of Louis XIII, of Henrietta Maria (q.v.), Queen of Charles I (q.v.) of England, and of Elisabeth, Queen of Philip IV of Spain. After the assassination of Henri IV in 1610, acted as Regent until, effectively, 1617; her regency, marked by the influence of her favourite Concini (q.v.) and the alliance with Spain through marriages, proved impopular. In 1617 Louis XIII had Concini assassinated and his mother sent to the Chateau de Blois; she escaped in 1619 and joined another aristocratic revolt, but was eventually reconciled with Louis XIII. However, differences emerged between her and Richelieu, notably on the Cardinal's tolerance towards protestants and his lack of will to pursue Marie's pro-Spanish policy. She tried to have him dismissed on 12 November 10 1630 ('journée des dupes'); but she failed and was exiled. She died in Cologne.
Made one woodcut in 1587, for which see Nouvelles de l'Estampe 66 (1982), p.18 for proof of attribution.
- Bibliography
- Exhibition catalogue Florence, Pitti 2005, 'MdM una principessa fiorentina sul trono di Francia'
