Marie de Médicis

b. 1573; d. 1642

Daughter of Francis of Tuscany and Queen-Consort of France, born in Florence. In 1600 she was married to Henry IV of France, and her eldest son, later Louis XIII, was born in the following year. After Henry's assassination in 1610 she became regent, and was entirely under the influence of her Italian favourites, Leonora Galigai and her husband, Concini, who was created Marquis d'Ancre. In 1617, however, Louis XIII asserted his authority, ordered the assassination of the Concinis, and exiled the Queen to Blois. In 1619 she escaped and headed a revolt, but was reconciled to her son through the mediation of Richelieu, who then gained royal favour. Her attempts to displace Richelieu led to her exile to Compiègne in 1630, whence she escaped to Brussels in 1631, and later to Cologne, where she died.

© JM Dent/Historybookshop.com

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