Summary of Nancy Goldstone's The Rival Queens

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 Marguerite de Valois was the youngest daughter of Henri II and Catherine de’ Medici. She was born in 1553. She had a light heart, a quick intelligence, and a cheerful temperament. She was one of her father’s favorites.

#2 Catherine de’ Medici, the woman who would dominate the French government for more than a quarter century, began her residence in the kingdom as an insecure foreigner and social pariah. She was eleven years old when she was thrown back on her own resources and began to accumulate allies.

#3 Catherine’s marriage to Henri, second son of the overweening French king François I, was a significant achievement for a girl of her lineage. Her parents had only recently become wealthy and powerful, but they were still considered parvenus by most of the crowned heads of Europe.

#4 Catherine’s youth was tumultuous, but she turned out to be the less damaged partner in her marriage. She was the more nurturing child than her new young husband, Henri, who had been born at his father’s favorite hunting lodge at Amboise in France in 1519.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Jul 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822544710

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights on Nancy Goldstone's The Rival Queens

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Marguerite de Valois was the youngest daughter of Henri II and Catherine de’ Medici. She was born in 1553. She had a light heart, a quick intelligence, and a cheerful temperament. She was one of her father’s favorites.

#2

Catherine de’ Medici, the woman who would dominate the French government for more than a quarter century, began her residence in the kingdom as an insecure foreigner and social pariah. She was eleven years old when she was thrown back on her own resources and began to accumulate allies.

#3

Catherine’s marriage to Henri, second son of the overweening French king François I, was a significant achievement for a girl of her lineage. Her parents had only recently become wealthy and powerful, but they were still considered parvenus by most of the crowned heads of Europe.

#4

Catherine’s youth was tumultuous, but she turned out to be the less damaged partner in her marriage. She was the more nurturing child than her new young husband, Henri, who had been born at his father’s favorite hunting lodge at Amboise in France in 1519.

#5

The marriage between Catherine and François was not a happy one. Catherine was conditioned from birth to expect threats to her security, and she quickly realized that her position was precarious. She could be returned to Italy, where she would be disgraced, or she could be forced to live off the grudging hospitality of distant relatives.

#6

Catherine’s position at the French court was similar to the one the Florentine nuns had occupied. She was a devotee of Machiavelli, but she didn’t read him closely. She took instruction in the stratagems of power from her oversized father-in-law, François I.

#7

The death of the dauphin’s older brother, the king’s brother, in 1536, made Catherine the queen of France. She was promoted to this position, however, with a mixed blessing. The Italian who had brought the dauphin the fateful cup of water was arrested and executed, and suspicion fell on Catherine.

#8

After the dauphin’s death, Catherine was elevated to the position of queen of France, and she was unable to conceive. She tried everything to get pregnant, but nothing worked. The court began to believe that her husband had become involved in an ardent love affair with a woman named Diane de Poitiers.

#9

Catherine was Henri’s wife, but he spent most of his time with his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Catherine had to pretend to like Diane, and she eventually became her adviser.

#10

After the death of her main lover, art connoisseur and virile Renaissance gladiator François I, Catherine de’ Medici became queen of France. She lost her position of prominence when her husband made it clear that he preferred his mistress to his wife.

#11

The king showered his consort, Diane, with gifts and government positions, while he completely ignored his wife, Catherine. The children they had together were raised by Diane.

#12

The queen of France’s absence from her children’s lives was often interpreted as a sign of her neglect or indifference. But this did Catherine a disservice. She was not completely snubbed, as there were those among her French acquaintances who sympathized with her position.

#13

Catherine’s support network was no match for Diane’s political machine. The Guises, one of the