Catherine De Medici Research Paper

In 1519, the Queen of France Catherine de’ Medici was born in Florence (Firenze), Italy on April 13th and is known to be one of the most important women during the Renaissance period. She died on January 5th, 1589 in Blois France. The Queen of France had faced many challenges all her life to have revolutionized what France is today. Including the innovation methods and cookery of cuisine in France, a style of ballet, fashion, an inventor, and a powerful political life in France.
Known as Catherine de’ Medici Her full name was Caterina Maria Romola di Lorenzo de' Medici when she moved to France. Her mother was a French princess who was known as, Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne Her father was Lorenzo de' Medici II. she became an orphan

when her parents died when she was young. she was raised by nuns. In her later life, she moved to France as a poor girl to get married. According to religious reason, Her uncle Pope Clement VII arranged for her to get married at age fourteen to Henry of Orleans his son, in 1533 who was also fourteen, in Marseilles, who would later become King. Henry’s father was the king was Francis I while his mother was Claude of France. Catherine along with her spouse became part of the Valois branch. She was not able to conceive until ten years later in 1543 and had ten children however only seven survived. The death of her husband’s brother made Catherine de’ Medici Queen and Henry King respectively in 1547. She reigned as Queen for nearly thirty years. During their term, King Henry did not give much power to Catherine de’ Medici and became an inconspicuous political figure. Moreover, their relationship between the King and the Queen was improper and The King had an affair with an older lady Diana de Poitiers. The Queen brought ballet to her home as well as her own personal chefs as well. She was an outcast as was nicknamed the “grocer” Her husband died suddenly in 1559 when she was forty. Her two other sons eventually became king of France Francis II, Charles IX, The line of succession of King is followed: France Francis II, Charles IX King Henry III their son succeeded their family name as King Henry III as the last of her sons. During her son’s rulings, this gave her regent power in France, especially during her second son Charles IX ruling. As a result, this allowed her to became a strong wise ruler during religious the Catholic- Huguenot wars. Catherine fluctuated between the Catholic and Huguenot forces .The St Bartholomew massacre begins instigated by Catherine de' Medici allowing to kill Huguenots and later signed a treaty known as the Peace of Monsieur for peace of the Catholics. Catherine died around eight months before her son Henry II was murdered
Catherine de’ Medici had a large impact on what culinary is today, besides culinary she has also influenced legislators, political life, dance and fashion and France as a whole.

When she moved to in 1533 France she had a crowd of friends, servants, and waiters and cooks to accompanied her to bring Italian styles of dance, furniture, clothes, architecture, and cuisines to France which revolutionized a part of France’s culture today. She used art to portray her as a stronger political figure She innovated high heels, perfume and women's knickers. She has been taught as the innovator of the fork which she originally had used from her native Italy and brought to France and the rest of the country though initially thought as flamboyant and unknown. Before knives and bare hands were used to eat. Along with the tools used in kitchens today, she also brought a wide variety of different types of cuisines to both the separation of salty and sweet dishes. Including artichokes cream puffs, baby peas, custards, spinach truffle, parsley, pasta tomatoes turkey and much more.as well as sauces and desserts like ice cream. Along with her creative artistic design, she brought to the table (pun intended) new habits as well as mannerism at the table including silverware, glasses, tablecloths, and dining tableware, with menus and with elegant lace designs and decor to the dining

room.

Catherine Medici is a revolutionized innovator of the Renaissance and is the of the most prominent political Queen during the period of the religious wars in Europe.Catherine De’ Medici has brought upon renovations that would shape how the culture of Europe had been changed throughout its entire society and in cuisines that Chefs today will always remember the origins of the classic cuisines that were brought from Italy.