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@@acmebrainsurgery Gareth Johnson as stated in the credits. Yes, he is a wonderful narrator. I must say this is the best documentary of Catherine de Medici I have ever seen as it is so well presented and in great detail.
Catherine's de medici, wasn't so-call black".... she was a asiatic moor/mu"ur" which is now known as Europe"..... my moorish/m"uurish forebears were rruling the world up until very recently"...... only undeclared moors/mu"urs call themselves black".... there's no such thing as a black or white person".... black and white are adjectives"... corporate fictions".... black is also civiliter mortuus".... 3/5th of a person"..... both black and white are shades") not color's"..... the bottom line is that neither one of them have anything to do with skin pigmentation"..... the bottom line is that they're products of classism/ status/caste system"..... black also is a slave branding"..... which is a product of the Christian black code) everyone calling themselves black are perpetuating the spell that's attached to calling yourself black"....blacks are also stateless/ denationalized/ marginalized"....
breaks my heart. orphaned less than a month after birth. held hostage as a child, moved from convent to convent, death threats and s*xual a*sult threats as young girl. her husband ignoring her most of their marriage, fathering bastards and openly having affairs, having to beg at the feet of her father in law to let her stay at court, first 10 years of her marriage and not children. being hated by the french people, and mistreated by those at court, loosing 3 children as infants and outliving 8 of her 10 children. yes her life is fascinating but, my gosh was it tragic absolutely breaks my heart for her.
It's probalbe as you said. people hate her because she is neutral. People are extremists. They love to kill each other because of their difference. They don't allow others to be neutral.@@CJ-dp2pe
@DonnellxxOkafor the fact that others had it worse doesn’t negate her experience and how she was treated. Whatever position a person is in it can still be a bad experience. She may have been nobility, but had absolutely no control of her life. Just a means of acquisition of property, titles, and power. The loss of a child especially how many she lost had to be hell (then add the pressure to have a boy that survives.) Also outliving majority of her children is painful, having to bury your children is awful.
It is such a pity that nobody tells about the cultural revolution she has made at the French Court! She taught them to use cutlery, table cloth and her numerous cooks she has brought with her, taught the French about refined recipes! And these are only some examples! The French never liked her and the negative propaganda lasts until today!
She played the hand she had been dealt with sensitivity and skill. Looking at the slaughters that took place during her lifetime despite her attempts to keep the peace, I wonder how much more blood would have been spilt without har efforts. Her work was repeatedly undermined by men lacking her vision and understanding. This was a documentary that did her justice. Thank you.
@@maxalberts2003 It was mens fault….of course….the women were perfect? The men were the product of their times just as the women were. They lived in different times and can’t be judged by today’s standards. Daughters were chess pieces and the mothers and fathers were all part of that long ago culture.
@@rashone2879 Did I say "the men"???? I mentioned Mary of Scotland and John Knox. And if you know ANYTHING about that period in history, you're certainly aware of the attitude men (males) held toward female regents. Not to mention the uncompromising, barbaric religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. If you want me to cite my texts chapter and verse I'm happy to do so. It seems to me that you missed not only my point, but that of the video. And by the way, if you're gong to lean on the "they were a product of their time" rationale, I'd suggest you take a good hard look around the world you live in and tell me it's any different.
What I love most about these biographies is that whether you agree or disagree with much that is presented, they are entirely fair, even-handed, well-researched, and quite factual. I love them. Another great job here.
This is all lies. Catherine de Medici was a EUROPEAN and not black. Facts are facts. So much for the Left being science based. Africa has REAL history. There is no need to steal European history to make up a fake black history.
@@massbygusa few years ago, the Medici collection was travelled and amazingly landed at the Hyde museum in Glens Falls, NY. I had been able to see it. My name is Anna Medici and I was able to proclaim upon entering that "this collection was not to leave Florence!" I produced my license for them and we had a laugh. The paintings were beautiful.
I believe that Catherine de Medici was a Survivor and as strong Woman could ever hope to be.Her Devotion to her husband and children are evident. I greatly admire her . May She Rest In Peace
your naive infatuation is something she would have looked down and preyed upon...may I suggest you consider this woman's feat with regards to her Machiavelian times...
This documentary was fair to Catherine De Medici and that is unusual. Well done. I did not know that Catherine tried so persistently to broker peace between the Catholics and the Huguenots. It’s a tragedy that she didn’t succeed. Maybe nobody could have succeeded.
There's no way any peace was possible the hugenots were digging up saint's Graves and burning religious idols cx that's destruction of property of a church that wield temporal power, of course they were going to be harshly prosecuted especially after what was happening in germany.
@@justinallen2408The protestants believed they were returning to the right path after reading the bible finally printed in their native language for the first time in a thousand years. Maybe they should have shipped the saints bones and idols to the Catholics . The Catholics were burning the Hugonots as heritics! Jesus was in all probably rolling- if he was in a grave!
Catherine was a great woman of her time. Just being able to survive is amazing and it took an extraordinary woman of rare talent to prevail and maintain power in the midst of so much turmoil.
Wow. The most dynamic single mother in history. Not discounting tremendous examples to date, but the level this lady took it to was beyond any other I've heard. Could only imagine what it took to survive. Thank you for sharing.
AND FOR FRANCE. When his son-in-law had to divorce Margaret, she brought Mary from Florence to marry him and become queen of France (another Medicis...this time a chaste one!)
ALL the Medicis of Florence are fascinating. The Boboli Park was donated by one of the Medicis to the people of Florence. They were once the richest people on earth at one time. Try visiting their palaces in Florence, you won't regret it. 😉
Yes! Thank u for your comment!! I can't wait to go! Planning a trip for after the need year..do have any more recommendations of places for me to possibly visit as well? I would very much appreciate it 👍
@@12bucklemyshew Katrina, Firenze or Florence is steeped in history and culture at every turn. I read a lot about the Medicis so I planned my trip and excursions mostly around them. One courtyard of theirs was so Zen, I didn't want to leave. Italy could do with people of this mettle to enter their corrupt government. Enjoy your trip, nevertheless as these are some of my best memories. 👌
@@shielanunn3484 I'm with you on that one but you'll have to fight the mafia if you were to open a business, say. Protection comes at a high price. You could sell your property and get out of America ASAP as Biden has ordered the removal of the dollar and an intro to digital currency. Europe is more sophisticated and you'd be looked after under the EU rules 😉 of residency. Go for it!
I am a descendant of the French Huguenots, and very proud of this heritage. Catherine tried to maintain some semblance of cooperation between the Catholics and the Huguenots, but alas people couldn’t be persuaded to deal with different religious dogma. Hindsight is 20/20.
We need to stop trying to decide if historical figures were either bad guys or good guys. They were products of their time. Many doing a lot of good and a lot of bad. They aren't heros and they aren't devils, for the most part. We have hindsight and they did not. We are a product of our time and they, theirs. We can admire someone and equally be disgusted at certain things they did.
I loved hearing about her and all that happened in her life. I had learned about Mary Queen of Scott and her life and this tied in nicely with more information. I admire her endeavors. She was a strong woman smart and learned more during her life. I do believe because she was a woman that she never got credit for the way she ruled. I cannot imagine a life like that 😕 😪.To top it off her last son took advantage of her weakness and made reckless decisions. Thank you for your well researched documentary. ❤
Such an extraordinary woman and a complex period. I studied her life as research for two novels I wrote about her and there were so many layers to this woman. Not a particularly pleasant character but vastly underrated as a diplomat and negotiator yet I think she is best judged by the period she lived in. So much of her behaviour and actions are objective and whether or not she was the obsessed schemer who poisoned her enemies as was generally observed by many scholars we will never know for certain. Much was written about her before sources and documents were available to study her in greater depth. “The Serpent Queen” is ridiculous of course, historically speaking, but it’s good to have her name spoken of in any medium. You could study for a lifetime and never truly understand her, but it is that which makes her all the more enigmatic.
Mysterious how after 10 pressure filled years of childlessness, and eventually trying “every method” Queen Catherine de Medici finally became a mother of 8! I feel Nostradamus and his “herbal remedies” somewhere in that mix. Prolly why her sons the kings, were so frail and infirm, conjured, rather than conceived. Not at all the innocent Catholic woman she wished to be seen as. By any means necessary, indeed. 😉 🖤
She used those children as uncooperative puppets for her ambitions because women couldn’t rule then! She could only be Regent or behind the scenes negotiator. As I said, necessity is the mother of invention! Why, Queen de Medici was marked for death the first breath she took as her Mother died in birthing her (sepsis brought on by her father’s dissolute syphilis taint, which also killed him (!) shortly thereafter) and leaving her a vulnerable girl child orphan. She was a shrewd survivor and if she had to stoop to Nostradamus flim-flam, then she did. Seems she had no true taste for the religious slaughter but…I don’t think she was really interested, she was simply born into it.
She definitely had an exhausting and stressful life--not what one thinks of when considering the luxury of the life of a Queen. It was much harder than to today to survive at that time, whether because of all these wars and conflicts, or because of the higher chances of dying thanks to limited medical knowledge to cure people.
I'm now 89 years old, a Canadian and a descendant of Huguenots from my mother's side of the family. Apparently, they fled to England in 1573 and became English subjects, as did hundreds of others during that tumultuous period. I remember my great grandmother whom I met when I was 6 years old. That was in 1939. She was tiny with black piercing eyes and black hair. That's all I remember. She was a descendant of the Pussard family whose lineage was Huguenot. As for me, I was born in 1933 and am descended from Irish, Scots, English, French and Norwegian. A true Canadian! This video shone a huge light on the events leading up to their migration to England. Thank you for that.
With all respect for the mentioned info. Did you type this using smart phone or keyboard? I want to show your response to my parents in their late 60s 😊 as an example to follow of dealing with technology.
@@jlau979 Neither. They were French Protestants. The events that are described in the video is the French War of Religion in which it was a clash between the minority Protestants, and the Roman Catholics which constitutes the majority of the French population at the time. The term Huguenot (from what I understand), is the term used to refer to the DESCENDANTS of the French Protestants. These descendants can be found all over the world in UK, USA, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia, etc. This is the result of their French Protestant ancestors who had to flee their home country of France as religious refugees. Example of modern-day Huguenots are Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Jessica Chastain, both are descended from Huguenots: Pierre Dieppe/Deppe, Pierre Chastain who arrived in the American colonies around mid-1600s to 1700s.
I'm sorry to contradict you but huguenot is simply the name given to the protestants of France and Navarre during the war of religion. It can still be used to this day, but we now generally prefer the term Protestant.
Very beautifully portrayed! As a researcher, I especially appreciated the presentation as a balanced view, leaving it to each of us to consider for ourselves. A bonus was the exquisite verbal presentation using fluid and natural pronunciation. The latter is sometimes “slaughtered.” Thank you. Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson
She is a real mother in all sense. Nurturing and protective both to her family and France. She could win a Nobel Peace award in our day for her conciliatory initiatives to have peace between the protestants and the catholics.
I know very little about Catherine De Medici but from what I have learnt from this great video, I think she clearly had a massive role to play as a wife, a mother, a woman in royal power. Whilst not all her decisions were necessarily great choices, she ultimately had to make them and do what needed to be done. As another person stated in a comment earlier, being a royal in that era, one automatically had a target on one’s back. I’m keen to learn more and/or rewatch this video, was a lot to absorb without any prior knowledge about her. I am definitely looking into watching the movie someone else had recommended, ‘La Reine Margot’. Apparently it is great. Thank you for this wonderful video/documentary☺️
I hear your account of this historical period... and my mind goes back to my beloved Dumas books in which he portraits this time so beautifully.... I was 14 or 15 when I read them... and at that time he ignited in me a passion for history which he was a master at making novels with. ❤
I think that those determined to think the worst of you, will never be swayed by something so insignificant as the truth. I notice that there seems to be some sparing going on between different versions of history, which causes some dissonance in itself, as people prefer to think of history as an unquestionable truth. I find Catherine to be an extremely interesting historical figure. I am interested in all the versions of her. I have learned so much about personality disorders so late in life, sometimes I just sit and ponder my life through this new lens. Catherine was born a woman during interesting times. I cherish her as a visible link between the royal families of Europe and the Papacy. Her life really brings a lot into focus. Imagine having her perspective during that time. It was obvious that those around her had no idea that she believed differently than them or why.
An excellent and fair-minded documentary of a powerful woman of dubious reputation. Whether or not she was an instigator of the St. Bartholomew massacre or not, it has stuck to her name like glue. A large number of Huguenots managed to flee to the Netherlands and to the Scandinavian countries who had all become Protestant at this point in time. There are people today in Denmark who are direct descendants of these French Huguenots.
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About to watch this; I hope they talk about her chateau at Chenonceau. It's the most beautiful chateau I've seen. Not as big as others but so beautiful.
She was mother to 3 kings of France. she was a staunch catholic and a major buzzsaw about it. She convinced one of her king sons to initiate the night of St Barthlemew where most of the protestants in Paris were killed. Nevertherless she was a very smart woman who had real staying power in a time when being a royal meant you walked around with a target on your back.
Someone either didn't watch or didn't believe this documentary. There's evidence that she fought for religious tolerance and would gain little or nothing from the St Bartholomew Day massacre.
Catherine in my opinion was the most successful and powerful queen of France to exist. She was a queen yet had the mind and eye sight of a king. Can you imagine what she could have accomplished if she were a man? Rest in peace your majesty, you make me proud to be italian. 👑
Margaret Beaufort, the Red Queen, would be really interesting, too. Then, people could complain that she wasn't really "red." Seriously, though, please consider Margaret. Powerful women throughout history are always fascinating and maligned.
She was one hell of a woman and her family, the Medicis, I have always admired them for what they did for the city of Florence. Despite the racism I have suffered in that city, I still love that wonderful city ❤️ Long live the name Medici 🙏
Bellísimo video , históricamente precíso el inglés bellísimo perfecto frances y precioso italiano estoy encantada y admirada , agradezco mucho este precioso documental , lo aprecio y de nuevo agradezco Catherine de Medicici es una de las mujeres extraordinarias de la Historia , buena o mala … gran Reina y mujer. Gracias
I am realizing that I prefer documentaries that also include a presenter and/or other academic contributors (historians). Currently, some of favorite historian presenters are Dr. Lucy Worsley, Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb, Dr. Eleanor Janega, Dr. Tracy Bormand, Dan Jones, and Prof. Kate Williams. They are engaging.
I watch her story on Starz, what she went through in her childhood, losing both parents, kidnap, almost killed and forced to married a husband, who never cared for her, then Henry II had a favorite mistress 'Diane de Poitiers', who seduced him in his teens, she was almost 40 years old and remained his mistress for 25 years. Catherine De Medici was smart, I admired her and she had no choice to be ruthless at times, such turmoil in that time period, with 2 religions, who were constantly fighting and killing each other, always the innocent people and children, had to pay that price.
Beautifully told. I think Catherine was extraordinary for her time. The resurrection of her story helps to demonstrate the marginalized as a great untapped resource. The patriarchal form taken by societies has served humanity very little.
The "patriarchal " society has kept humanity going forward since the beginning of time. Men did the fighting, the exploring, the scientific/medical discoveries and the dying doing such things.
@@olliefoxx7165 What a sexist statement! None of these men accomplish anything without the support of women. In a patriarchal society, the contributions and achievements of women are always ignored so that egotistical men can keep overinflating themselves!
@@tehreemkhurrum5884 You call me sexist then go on to bash men. Pot meet kettle. Women of wealth or born into aristocratic families had way more rights than the males shackled to the land, sent to die in countless wars, worked to death, sent to prisons for the smallest crimes to die.... Equality looks like oppression to the entitled and privileged. You've had your mind poisoned by miserable academics. Life was very brutal for men. The old saying "Save the women and children first" was literally what society did back then. Men were expendable beasts of burden, cannon fodder, explorers, inventors and scientist. You should be grateful for what our ancestors endured to ensure we are here today discussing this in the most privileged society that ever existed. You've had your head programmed to hate men by puppeteers much more concerned with their agendas than any perceived wrongs in a past you will never understand.
It's an 18th century hoax. There are several studies on this subject. You should read the article "The illusory story of Catherine de Medici, a gastronomic myth" by Dr. Antonella Campanini from the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo. She's not french and it's in english.
Just discovered this channel. Wow, I'm impressed so subbed! Great narration voice, perfectly spoken and executed. Do you use the same narrator on all these? I haven't watched any others yet, but am already doing a list of those I want to listen to. Brilliant work👍💜💜
I think Catherine was a devoted mother and did what she had to do to ensure her sons' reign. People always bad mouth women that are inspiring change and going against the grain. Frankly, I like her.
She was partly responsible for thousands of Protestants being murdered. I also descend from a few Huguenots that were later sentenced to death for their faith. They only survived by fleeing the country.
Not every woman bad mouthed in history is an innovent victim. Women like men were products of their time. Catherine was ruthless and massacred thousands of protestants
My Aunt Francis was born in Abruzzi. Her birth name was Alfonsina. My grandmother named my mother after the Princess of Italy, Yolanda, because we have ties to The Duke Of The Abruzzi. When I was in Italy in 1972 I was invited to have dinner at Princess Orsini’s home in Rome. The legend came full circle. 👑 Thank you for sharing the historical information about Catherine De Medici.
Alexandre Dumas' novel "La Reine Margot" also contributed a lot to her bad reputation. The novel was made into a good movie in the 1990s, with Isabelle Adani, Asia Argento et al. Good actors, filmed in the right locations, great story (though not a documentary).
I don't have a multitude of knowledge about Florence and France, but listening to this story, Catherine's life was no bed of roses, it started with challenges, she married a man who spent more time with his mistress and only wanted to be with her to produce heirs. Then upon his death, she ascended to the throne, but didn't have the power she needed until her sickly oldest son took the throne. She then became a dedicated mother who helped her first born son rule the kingdom. She then dealt with the harsh realities of her son's health which eventually took the lives of all of her boys who, all ascended to the throne and became kings. What an accomplishment!! My thoughts about her is that she was a fierce leader, a woman who ruled with her sons to make life better for the people of France and stop the growing and ongoing violence spearheaded by the Roman Catholic Church. She was no saint but, she tried to rule with honesty and fairness according to the times she lived in.
Catherine de Medici was remarkable woman in her times. She managed to make 3 of her sons King's of France amidst civil wars between Catholics and protestants and the powerful and fanatical Guise family who were consistently conspiring against her alongside Spain and England. She tried mediation between her Catholic and protestant subjects. But the Guise family sabotaged her efforts with Spanish backing. I don't condone St Bartholomews massacre which she played a major part. But you have to understand as to what were the circumstances that led to it.
In a few hundred years, when all those pesky survivors have died off and the need to consider the real life effects is no longer a pressing concern- I wonder if there will be social commentary like this about the holocaust?
Too much drama for me. Sounds like the peasant class were tossed to and fro from intrigue to intrigue, while the gentry could do whatever they wanted. The guillotine put an end to that BS.
So much information . What a brave woman she became to after going through so much heartache. I'm glad drinking mules urine didn't catch on. Great work
I am amazed every time I read or hear about her. I first saw her in Raign, the actress that played Catherine both was both ruthless,cunning and and extremely, intelligent. My true love is Mary queen of the Scott's!!! . I went on to learn so much about the medicis medicis, and other ruling kings and queens. Thank you so much for this documentary! The person who spoke was also amazing! Thank you again
she was 14 when married , went through grief by the court, I hope she gave them all hell. She was an amazing, intelligent woman and played politics like an ace.
Great narrative, yes, "Catherine de' Medici earned her nickname of “the Black Queen” because of her fascination with mysticism and astrology. Also, "The Château of Chaumont was witness to a legendary event in which the fall of the Valois dynasty was predicted".
@@Cobalt1520She had black clothes. Why are so many people influenced by american nonsene, not understanding words anymore In europe black was never associated with humans, either they were called moorish, african, sarazene or ethiopians
Thank you for this week-researched and fascinating documentary. I admire Catherine greatly as a single mother, survivor, and skilled monarch. Her faith, no doubt, accounts for why she was not embittered by her sad and abusive upbringing.
If it was not for this remarkable woman her sons Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III would not have been able to sit on the throne for long. She was the real power behind her sons throne. She had to play off the Bourbons and the Guises who both wanted her sons throne. What a strong willed woman.
Thanks for this excellent portrait of Catherine. My French ancestors were two Huguenot ministers of faith, who migrated to colonial Virginia in the 1730s. John Carter and Pierre Chastaine. Their sons would end up fighting England to gain religious freedom from the Church of England. It is unfortunate that two religions who profess to worship the same Lord and Savior would be so brutal to one another. Ignorance does not excuse actions.
Interesting articulation of the "black queen". The "Magna Carta" was written a few hundred years before she was born. The aristocracy held a tight grip on social affairs. The interphases of the sixteenth century was fascinating at the time of Catherine De Medici. I can see Catherine's use of metaphysics being wrongly conceived as "black" as the church held great restrictions . Thanku
There is a Chinese saying “When a person is placed in the current of history (Jiang Hsu),his body is not his own “. Only God can have the ability yo see the whole picture and be the rightful judge of a person’s soul and his or her actions. For the world we were and are living is so much broken.
I *LOVE* that, Eva!! This video gave me a whole new perspective on Catherine De Medici. There are far too many ~ in our times ~ that cannot put historical events in their proper "time frame"...it is very sad, but also not entirely their fault...it's obviously by design!!
And history is written by men who often do their research by reading letters and diaries but do not care of controlling official papers and comptability... so everything is easely biased...
@@keyanddracaryskillua6187 Samantha Morton is always excellent and she is the best part. The maid is a theatrical device used to tell her back story to us before jump into an important moment in her life when she becomes Queen Regent with real power. It should get interesting.
@@annastinehammersdottir1290 I agree. It is an interesting take on a large story and the POV from which it is told. This story has too much background, making it very confusing with a lot to take in. Too much detail to draw a parralel between the two stories.
What a traumatic childhood and adolescence. History of monarchies becomes much more clear when you realise how badly traumatised many princes and princesses were in their formative years - despite our fantasies of their pampered upringing.
And I was so eager and excited to watch the series The Serpent Queen every weekend not knowing it was actually the life of Catherine de Medici. I thought the series was so well made. It was actually a real life story. I'm blown away.
I, too, love The Serpent Queen, but am quite aware of the twists “historical” fiction makes of history. I actually think the real story would be more fascinating, but too complicated for easy viewing. Instead of a straightforward story, religion, culture, manners, politics and court intrigue would all have to be explored. One of those is more than can explored in two seasons!
@@sax_25 I loved the portrayal. She was an ardent Catholic and most likely was a zealot, evident by her stupidly thinking Scotland would welcome a Catholic queen who hasn’t been home since infancy with open arms. She’s been romanticized but in all likelihood she probably sucked as a person.
She is a truly wonderful and remarkable lady who lived in a time when women were mire pawns. A true heroine indeed. I admire her strength, determination and wit.
I believe that Catherine perhaps also got a bad wrap - like Marie Antoinette. When one studies these people in-depth you realise there are more facets to their story than what many history books relate.
Doing some reading up on her, I was surprised at how politically short sighted she could be and how dominated she was by the Guise family. Nancy Goldstone has a great book about her and her daughter, Marguerite Valois. I highly recommend
I might be short sighted too if people wanted me raped by troops as a child. Just saying. Society still to this day, blame women and treat us like shit and still expect loyalty. It's laughable really. If I lived in that time and I was her, I would have absolutely made sure I came out on top. Good or bad, we got shit on.
Catherine imported chefs, needlework specialists, lace-makers, dancers, musicians, the Italian use of Court Masques (for propaganda purposes) etc., etc. to the French Court. She was known as the "Peacemaker" for many, many years. The attempt by Admiral Coligny to influence (i.e., *to take her place with*) her feeble son , Charles IX, was what spurred Catherine to order his assassination. That led to the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, & Catherine is usually remembered for only that evil deed -- not for her decades of good deeds.
A DEFENSE OF CATERINA de' MEDICI, How this woman, driven by a utopian dream of peace, did consent to violence to the point of becoming one of the actors in the Saint-Barthélemy massacre. even if there is debate on this subject, Saint-Barthélemy went against her will although she played a decisive role with her son Charles IX. The great motive is that of the "constrained" will. The planned marriage between Henri de Navarre and his daughter Marguerite de Valois was intended to stabilize the situation of precarious peace imposed by the treaty of 1570. But the assassination attempt of which Coligny was the victim on August 22, 1572, turned this dream of monarchical peace into tragedy and left the royal government faced with an inextricable choice: to initiate a procedure to investigate responsibility for the attack. to incriminate the Guises and set up against the king the partisans of ultracatholicism then very powerful in Paris; not doing justice to the Protestants gives them an argument to denounce the iniquity of the sovereign and thus justify a war that they could lead soon against a power considered tyrannical. The fragile edifice of peace arranged by Charles IX and his mother to bring Protestants back to the Court behind Coligny and make them dialogue with the Catholic princes threatens to collapse. It is because of the "secret necessities of the State" that the massacre is ordered by the king in agreement with his mother. There is here the evocation of a "political reason" which pushes to have some sixty Protestant captains assassinated, in order to say to behead the heads of military Protestantism, not to annihilate the Protestant reform, but for the compel it to remain in peace.
Why is everything always reflected on the victim like their the problem when it's the evil humans that did the dirt that is the problem that's clear jealousy. period!
Extremely well done. My knowledge of French and Italian nobility was sketchy at best. This really was a massive help for putting the pieces together, for me - thank you. I agree with what Henry lV said, " I'm surprised she never did worse". Anyone in her position would have done the same. I also wonder if her persistence at bringing peace between the religious factions, was more than just political.. Yes she may have believed in the 'stick' but that was only the last resort. How different Europe would have been had she been successful! I knew the French were ruthless but wow, the resulting massacres of Bartholomew's really underlines that. Fascinating stuff.
I started watching this to keep occupied during commercial breaks I muted on a stream of another show, but got so caught up I forgot to switch back over ;)
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Could you please tell me who the narrator is? He has such a sublimely melodious voice.
@@acmebrainsurgery Gareth Johnson as stated in the credits. Yes, he is a wonderful narrator. I must say this is the best documentary of Catherine de Medici I have ever seen as it is so well presented and in great detail.
@@CherylSimser Thank you, I see it now. God how I love that voice! It reminds me of Professor Eugene Weber. And, yes, it is a phenomenal documentary.
Catherine's de medici, wasn't so-call black".... she was a asiatic moor/mu"ur" which is now known as Europe"..... my moorish/m"uurish forebears were rruling the world up until very recently"...... only undeclared moors/mu"urs call themselves black".... there's no such thing as a black or white person".... black and white are adjectives"... corporate fictions".... black is also civiliter mortuus".... 3/5th of a person"..... both black and white are shades") not color's"..... the bottom line is that neither one of them have anything to do with skin pigmentation"..... the bottom line is that they're products of classism/ status/caste system"..... black also is a slave branding"..... which is a product of the Christian black code) everyone calling themselves black are perpetuating the spell that's attached to calling yourself black"....blacks are also stateless/ denationalized/ marginalized"....
@@CherylSimser Yes, definitely the best I've seen on her!
breaks my heart. orphaned less than a month after birth. held hostage as a child, moved from convent to convent, death threats and s*xual a*sult threats as young girl. her husband ignoring her most of their marriage, fathering bastards and openly having affairs, having to beg at the feet of her father in law to let her stay at court, first 10 years of her marriage and not children. being hated by the french people, and mistreated by those at court, loosing 3 children as infants and outliving 8 of her 10 children.
yes her life is fascinating but, my gosh was it tragic absolutely breaks my heart for her.
She had a hard life. But she was a satanist!
It's probable that she instigated the st Bartholomew's day massacre so don't be too upset :)
It's probalbe as you said. people hate her because she is neutral. People are extremists. They love to kill each other because of their difference. They don't allow others to be neutral.@@CJ-dp2pe
I don't believe she instigated the massacre because it is only ruin her. she is not that stupid.@@CJ-dp2pe
@DonnellxxOkafor the fact that others had it worse doesn’t negate her experience and how she was treated. Whatever position a person is in it can still be a bad experience. She may have been nobility, but had absolutely no control of her life. Just a means of acquisition of property, titles, and power.
The loss of a child especially how many she lost had to be hell (then add the pressure to have a boy that survives.) Also outliving majority of her children is painful, having to bury your children is awful.
Her fight for religious tolerance in a time of high emotional religiosity speaks volumes about her refined character and conscience.
WTF? CdM was responsible for the slaughter of French Protestants known as the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre
Well, it was just for political and practical reasons, not for true tolerance. She was just being pragmatic.
Great narration but it annoys me that the narrator mispronounces Medici. It is not Me-dee-chee but MED-I-CHEE. Accent on first syllable.
@@michaelgallardo5815 He sounds British, you know....sometimes get the impression they don't want to pollute their tongues with latinate languages.
@@michaelgallardo5815 It turned me off immediately. MED-i-ci!!!
It is such a pity that nobody tells about the cultural revolution she has made at the French Court! She taught them to use cutlery, table cloth and her numerous cooks she has brought with her, taught the French about refined recipes! And these are only some examples! The French never liked her and the negative propaganda lasts until today!
The black legend of Catherine lives in mediocre tabloids historian's articles.
Indeed, even the Lys flower emblem was from Her, as well the song God save the King. But, She ordered the death of many people.
She was a pretty cruel and awful mother to her daughters.
It's that France vs Italy gastronomy rivalry thing.
@@stephanebelizaire3627
Historical truth: it wasn‘t her! Dumas has written this! 😎
She played the hand she had been dealt with sensitivity and skill. Looking at the slaughters that took place during her lifetime despite her attempts to keep the peace, I wonder how much more blood would have been spilt without har efforts. Her work was repeatedly undermined by men lacking her vision and understanding. This was a documentary that did her justice. Thank you.
Best comment
The same with her daughter-in-law, Mary Queen of Scotts and to a lesser extent, Elizabeth 1. John Knox saw that power. It made him angry and fearful.
@@maxalberts2003 It was mens fault….of course….the women were perfect? The men were the product of their times just as the women were. They lived in different times and can’t be judged by today’s standards. Daughters were chess pieces and the mothers and fathers were all part of that long ago culture.
@@rashone2879 Did I say "the men"???? I mentioned Mary of Scotland and John Knox. And if you know ANYTHING about that period in history, you're certainly aware of the attitude men (males) held toward female regents. Not to mention the uncompromising, barbaric religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. If you want me to cite my texts chapter and verse I'm happy to do so. It seems to me that you missed not only my point, but that of the video. And by the way, if you're gong to lean on the "they were a product of their time" rationale, I'd suggest you take a good hard look around the world you live in and tell me it's any different.
And btw, she's the one who brought Italian cooking to France. The haute French cuisine we know today actually originates from Italy.
What I love most about these biographies is that whether you agree or disagree with much that is presented, they are entirely fair, even-handed, well-researched, and quite factual. I love them. Another great job here.
This is all lies. Catherine de Medici was a EUROPEAN and not black. Facts are facts. So much for the Left being science based. Africa has REAL history. There is no need to steal European history to make up a fake black history.
I couldn't agree more with you and they make compelling watching.
If all of the profiles are as you say _"quite factual",_ then on what basis would anyone disagree?
@@elmagodelmaryahoo Another useless troll. 😒😮💨😕🥱
Completely agree😁
Amazing history of an amazing woman, who lived long ahead of her time. Who also carried the intelligence and political ability of the Medici's.
@ Jorge Ortiz agreeing with you 100% .
@@EmperorDraconianIV l like her for what she and the rest of the Medici did for the art and sciences in Florence. I do not follow religions.
@@massbygusa few years ago, the Medici collection was travelled and amazingly landed at the Hyde museum in Glens Falls, NY. I had been able to see it. My name is Anna Medici and I was able to proclaim upon entering that "this collection was not to leave Florence!" I produced my license for them and we had a laugh. The paintings were beautiful.
I believe that Catherine de Medici was a Survivor and as strong Woman could ever hope to be.Her Devotion to her husband and children are evident. I greatly admire her . May She Rest In Peace
your naive infatuation is something she would have looked down and preyed upon...may I suggest you consider this woman's feat with regards to her Machiavelian times...
This documentary was fair to Catherine De Medici and that is unusual. Well done. I did not know that Catherine tried so persistently to broker peace between the Catholics and the Huguenots. It’s a tragedy that she didn’t succeed. Maybe nobody could have succeeded.
There's no way any peace was possible the hugenots were digging up saint's Graves and burning religious idols cx that's destruction of property of a church that wield temporal power, of course they were going to be harshly prosecuted especially after what was happening in germany.
@@justinallen2408 don’t act like the Catholics weren’t desecrating anything that didn’t involve their religion.
@@justinallen2408The protestants believed they were returning to the right path after reading the bible finally printed in their native language for the first time in a thousand years. Maybe they should have shipped the saints bones and idols to the Catholics . The Catholics were burning the Hugonots as heritics! Jesus was in all probably rolling- if he was in a grave!
Not with the Popes and their appetites for Power 😮
Catherine was a great woman of her time.
Just being able to survive is amazing and it took an extraordinary woman of rare talent to prevail and maintain power in the midst of so much turmoil.
Wow. The most dynamic single mother in history. Not discounting tremendous examples to date, but the level this lady took it to was beyond any other I've heard. Could only imagine what it took to survive. Thank you for sharing.
She was definitely one of them but Margaret Beaufort King Henry VIII's mother was also quite dynamic
Being a woman is a battle.
@@apricotsapricotsapricots 🙄
@@audrabrown3893 I found her nothing in comparison to Catherine!
@@RipleysSanatoriumdid this trigger you?
She is a person who had a hard life and did her best for her children.
AND FOR FRANCE. When his son-in-law had to divorce Margaret, she brought Mary from Florence to marry him and become queen of France (another Medicis...this time a chaste one!)
@@malvinaaparicio2900 Huh? Can you please re-read what you wrote and see why it is so confusing. Too many pronouns. Who are you talking about?
@@malvinaaparicio2900 she was dead when Marie de Medicis marry Henri IV ...
You re right, an protective italian mother
She didnt like her daughter Margaret.
ALL the Medicis of Florence are fascinating. The Boboli Park was donated by one of the Medicis to the people of Florence. They were once the richest people on earth at one time. Try visiting their palaces in Florence, you won't regret it. 😉
Yes! Thank u for your comment!! I can't wait to go! Planning a trip for after the need year..do have any more recommendations of places for me to possibly visit as well? I would very much appreciate it 👍
Yes a trip to Italy worth every penny..If only I were Rich..would Live there
@@12bucklemyshew Katrina, Firenze or Florence is steeped in history and culture at every turn. I read a lot about the Medicis so I planned my trip and excursions mostly around them. One courtyard of theirs was so Zen, I didn't want to leave. Italy could do with people of this mettle to enter their corrupt government. Enjoy your trip, nevertheless as these are some of my best memories. 👌
@@shielanunn3484 I'm with you on that one but you'll have to fight the mafia if you were to open a business, say. Protection comes at a high price. You could sell your property and get out of America ASAP as Biden has ordered the removal of the dollar and an intro to digital currency. Europe is more sophisticated and you'd be looked after under the EU rules 😉 of residency. Go for it!
I wouldn't miss it for all the world
I am a descendant of the French Huguenots, and very proud of this heritage. Catherine tried to maintain some semblance of cooperation between the Catholics and the Huguenots, but alas people couldn’t be persuaded to deal with different religious dogma. Hindsight is 20/20.
The Hugenots were persecuted relentlessly by the powers of Europe. They were very brave people.
We need to stop trying to decide if historical figures were either bad guys or good guys. They were products of their time. Many doing a lot of good and a lot of bad. They aren't heros and they aren't devils, for the most part. We have hindsight and they did not. We are a product of our time and they, theirs. We can admire someone and equally be disgusted at certain things they did.
Der Fuhrer and Benito agree
Well she didn't run did she...she kept going. Brave Queen really.
I loved hearing about her and all that happened in her life. I had learned about Mary Queen of Scott and her life and this tied in nicely with more information. I admire her endeavors. She was a strong woman smart and learned more during her life. I do believe because she was a woman that she never got credit for the way she ruled. I cannot imagine a life like that 😕 😪.To top it off her last son took advantage of her weakness and made reckless decisions. Thank you for your well researched documentary. ❤
I see her story as a cautionary tale of how a moderate can slide into radicalism during times of factionalism.
Sounds like the USA in 2020.
Kamala the "Black"?@billfarley9167
Such an extraordinary woman and a complex period. I studied her life as research for two novels I wrote about her and there were so many layers to this woman. Not a particularly pleasant character but vastly underrated as a diplomat and negotiator yet I think she is best judged by the period she lived in.
So much of her behaviour and actions are objective and whether or not she was the obsessed schemer who poisoned her enemies as was generally observed by many scholars we will never know for certain. Much was written about her before sources and documents were available to study her in greater depth. “The Serpent Queen” is ridiculous of course, historically speaking, but it’s good to have her name spoken of in any medium. You could study for a lifetime and never truly understand her, but it is that which makes her all the more enigmatic.
Mysterious how after 10 pressure filled years of childlessness, and eventually trying “every method” Queen Catherine de Medici finally became a mother of 8! I feel Nostradamus and his “herbal remedies” somewhere in that mix. Prolly why her sons the kings, were so frail and infirm, conjured, rather than conceived. Not at all the innocent Catholic woman she wished to be seen as. By any means necessary, indeed. 😉 🖤
She used those children as uncooperative puppets for her ambitions because women couldn’t rule then! She could only be Regent or behind the scenes negotiator. As I said, necessity is the mother of invention! Why, Queen de Medici was marked for death the first breath she took as her Mother died in birthing her (sepsis brought on by her father’s dissolute syphilis taint, which also killed him (!) shortly thereafter) and leaving her a vulnerable girl child orphan. She was a shrewd survivor and if she had to stoop to Nostradamus flim-flam, then she did. Seems she had no true taste for the religious slaughter but…I don’t think she was really interested, she was simply born into it.
Thank you Mr Mowbray. Is your book Serpent of the Valois? If so I can’t wait to read it. I’ve always been intrigued by her story
Hi Aida - yes that is the title
I hope you enjoy it!
She definitely had an exhausting and stressful life--not what one thinks of when considering the luxury of the life of a Queen. It was much harder than to today to survive at that time, whether because of all these wars and conflicts, or because of the higher chances of dying thanks to limited medical knowledge to cure people.
Very well done. A complex and often ignored part of history that is a key to understanding the age. I am much in your debt. Thank you.
This guy is my favorite narrator! His voice is so relaxing!
Not at all. He rushes his speech and his pronunciation is horrid.
I'm now 89 years old, a Canadian and a descendant of Huguenots from my mother's side of the family. Apparently, they fled to England in 1573 and became English subjects, as did hundreds of others during that tumultuous period. I remember my great grandmother whom I met when I was 6 years old. That was in 1939. She was tiny with black piercing eyes and black hair. That's all I remember. She was a descendant of the Pussard family whose lineage was Huguenot. As for me, I was born in 1933 and am descended from Irish, Scots, English, French and Norwegian. A true Canadian!
This video shone a huge light on the events leading up to their migration to England. Thank you for that.
With all respect for the mentioned info. Did you type this using smart phone or keyboard?
I want to show your response to my parents in their late 60s 😊 as an example to follow of dealing with technology.
European blood sure 😉
Were the Huguenots Moors or Jews?
@@jlau979 Neither. They were French Protestants. The events that are described in the video is the French War of Religion in which it was a clash between the minority Protestants, and the Roman Catholics which constitutes the majority of the French population at the time. The term Huguenot (from what I understand), is the term used to refer to the DESCENDANTS of the French Protestants. These descendants can be found all over the world in UK, USA, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia, etc. This is the result of their French Protestant ancestors who had to flee their home country of France as religious refugees.
Example of modern-day Huguenots are Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Jessica Chastain, both are descended from Huguenots: Pierre Dieppe/Deppe, Pierre Chastain who arrived in the American colonies around mid-1600s to 1700s.
I'm sorry to contradict you but huguenot is simply the name given to the protestants of France and Navarre during the war of religion.
It can still be used to this day, but we now generally prefer the term Protestant.
Very beautifully portrayed! As a researcher, I especially appreciated the presentation as a balanced view, leaving it to each of us to consider for ourselves. A bonus was the exquisite verbal presentation using fluid and natural pronunciation. The latter is sometimes “slaughtered.” Thank you. Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson
She is a real mother in all sense. Nurturing and protective both to her family and France. She could win a Nobel Peace award in our day for her conciliatory initiatives to have peace between the protestants and the catholics.
She was a monarch before her time, a true pioneer in diplomacy, which was an alien concept to her warring times.
I know very little about Catherine De Medici but from what I have learnt from this great video, I think she clearly had a massive role to play as a wife, a mother, a woman in royal power. Whilst not all her decisions were necessarily great choices, she ultimately had to make them and do what needed to be done. As another person stated in a comment earlier, being a royal in that era, one automatically had a target on one’s back. I’m keen to learn more and/or rewatch this video, was a lot to absorb without any prior knowledge about her. I am definitely looking into watching the movie someone else had recommended, ‘La Reine Margot’. Apparently it is great.
Thank you for this wonderful video/documentary☺️
‘La Reine Margot” I’m interested also. Cable…Netflix…??? TX
I hear your account of this historical period... and my mind goes back to my beloved Dumas books in which he portraits this time so beautifully.... I was 14 or 15 when I read them... and at that time he ignited in me a passion for history which he was a master at making novels with. ❤
I think that those determined to think the worst of you, will never be swayed by something so insignificant as the truth.
I notice that there seems to be some sparing going on between different versions of history, which causes some dissonance in itself, as people prefer to think of history as an unquestionable truth.
I find Catherine to be an extremely interesting historical figure. I am interested in all the versions of her. I have learned so much about personality disorders so late in life, sometimes I just sit and ponder my life through this new lens. Catherine was born a woman during interesting times. I cherish her as a visible link between the royal families of Europe and the Papacy. Her life really brings a lot into focus. Imagine having her perspective during that time. It was obvious that those around her had no idea that she believed differently than them or why.
💕
@@apricotsapricotsapricots szdds🙂🙃🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣🫐🐼🙉🐧🐽🤲😿🫶
Yes. The papacy. What an influence to be wary of as a queen. She was obviously intelligent. People who start wars always blame a figurehead.
An excellent and fair-minded documentary of a powerful woman of dubious reputation. Whether or not she was an instigator of the St. Bartholomew massacre or not, it has stuck to her name like glue. A large number of Huguenots managed to flee to the Netherlands and to the Scandinavian countries who had all become Protestant at this point in time. There are people today in Denmark who are direct descendants of these French Huguenots.
I descend from some of those Huguenots, some of the earliest French immigrants to Virginia.
St. Bartholomew...really conjecture.
I love how long your videos are getting. You don't see too many long form videos anymore! Awesome work!
I prefer the long ones as well.
@@e.hulting7610 Then whey are you here?
You should check out "fall of civilizations".
@@mysterbadger1633 that channel is wonderful.
@@e.hulting7610 I guess you are a Tik Tok fan.
Always happy to learn some history of my city. Regards from Florence, worldwide friends!
❤️⚜️💜
I LOVE Your Beautiful City!!!!I Felt Such A Sense Of Deja Vu My Entire Experience In ITALY!!!!I PRAY TO BE BLESSED TO BRING MY HUSBAND TO SUCH A STUNNING COUNTRY,HIS GRANDFATHER IS FROM NAPLES.MANY PRAYERSNLUV WWG1WGA AND HAPPY, BLESSED NEW YEAR'S TO YOU 👼👼✝️✝️❤️🔥❤️🔥🙏🙏🕊️🕊️🌹🌹💃💃💝💝👑👑
to the narrator -
I don’t know who you are, but I love listening to you and I look forward to anything featuring your voice. ❤
I admire the way you talk about history.Thank you!
I really like this narrator. Great work!
Agrèe. Good speed of delivery. Clear and concise.
About to watch this; I hope they talk about her chateau at Chenonceau. It's the most beautiful chateau I've seen. Not as big as others but so beautiful.
Catherine De Medici; a woman of her time, of great ambition and courage. Thanks for uploading.
Thanks..
Kemal attaturk
@@dororo2597 Thank you..
Thanks.
She was an evil woman.
She was mother to 3 kings of France. she was a staunch catholic and a major buzzsaw about it. She convinced one of her king sons to initiate the night of St Barthlemew where most of the protestants in Paris were killed. Nevertherless she was a very smart woman who had real staying power in a time when being a royal meant you walked around with a target on your back.
The Medicis were a cunning family
So true!! Being a royal was very much so, very tough life to survive.
She was a JEZABEL
Someone either didn't watch or didn't believe this documentary. There's evidence that she fought for religious tolerance and would gain little or nothing from the St Bartholomew Day massacre.
So many kids for nothing.
Catherine in my opinion was the most successful and powerful queen of France to exist. She was a queen yet had the mind and eye sight of a king. Can you imagine what she could have accomplished if she were a man? Rest in peace your majesty, you make me proud to be italian. 👑
Catherine de Medici was not to be messed with, especially not if you were a Protestant Huguenot in France.
The protestants and high princes despised her. She had zero power ! Only through her sons.
I almost never watch medieval french history. But this was a superb delivery.
I agree, excellent doc! (But just one thing...she was a Renaissance queen like Elizabeth I; Catherine of Aragon, Mary Queen of Scots etc..)
Ive been looking for a Documentary on Catherine De Medici. Thank you so much for you're time & efforts. This is amazing historical information 👏.
Watch the Serpent Queen
Hail to Queen Mother Catherine De Medici. She was all that and more. An inspirational historical lady💐💐
Waiting so long for this one thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for this documentary. It cleared up a lot of the questions I had. Hello as a Huguenot from SA 👋 Mothers side, De Le Grange. 🙏
For all the things this lady has passed through on her life, she is incredible!
The ignorant ppl ruining the comment section,who did not watch the video,taking “Black” and running with it. Causing drama in the comments .
Margaret Beaufort, the Red Queen, would be really interesting, too. Then, people could complain that she wasn't really "red." Seriously, though, please consider Margaret. Powerful women throughout history are always fascinating and maligned.
She was one hell of a woman and her family, the Medicis, I have always admired them for what they did for the city of Florence. Despite the racism I have suffered in that city, I still love that wonderful city ❤️
Long live the name Medici 🙏
Agreed
Man, you learn something new everyday!!! So much of true history is being revealed each day.
Bellísimo video , históricamente precíso el inglés bellísimo perfecto frances y precioso italiano estoy encantada y admirada , agradezco mucho este precioso documental , lo aprecio y de nuevo agradezco Catherine de Medicici es una de las mujeres extraordinarias de la Historia , buena o mala … gran Reina y mujer. Gracias
A very interesting and informative show.. a clever,educated, determined lady ahead of her time.
I am realizing that I prefer documentaries that also include a presenter and/or other academic contributors (historians). Currently, some of favorite historian presenters are Dr. Lucy Worsley, Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb, Dr. Eleanor Janega, Dr. Tracy Bormand, Dan Jones, and Prof. Kate Williams. They are engaging.
David Starkey.
Agreed. They bring the past alive.
I watch her story on Starz, what she went through in her childhood, losing both parents, kidnap, almost killed and forced to married a husband, who never cared for her, then Henry II had a favorite mistress 'Diane de Poitiers', who seduced him in his teens, she was almost 40 years old and remained his mistress for 25 years. Catherine De Medici was smart, I admired her and she had no choice to be ruthless at times, such turmoil in that time period, with 2 religions, who were constantly fighting and killing each other, always the innocent people and children, had to pay that price.
possibly ... not "ruthless" ...she wanted co-existence ... .
@@tinadavy3990 That is very true also, she had to do what she needed to survive and her life is so interesting.
Beautifully told. I think Catherine was extraordinary for her time. The resurrection of her story helps to demonstrate the marginalized as a great untapped resource. The patriarchal form taken by societies has served humanity very little.
The "patriarchal " society has kept humanity going forward since the beginning of time. Men did the fighting, the exploring, the scientific/medical discoveries and the dying doing such things.
Dana Smith You're right
Which is why I will continue to downplay her, if not outright pretending that she does not exist. For the glory of the patriarchy. 🤵
@@olliefoxx7165 What a sexist statement! None of these men accomplish anything without the support of women. In a patriarchal society, the contributions and achievements of women are always ignored so that egotistical men can keep overinflating themselves!
@@tehreemkhurrum5884 You call me sexist then go on to bash men. Pot meet kettle. Women of wealth or born into aristocratic families had way more rights than the males shackled to the land, sent to die in countless wars, worked to death, sent to prisons for the smallest crimes to die.... Equality looks like oppression to the entitled and privileged. You've had your mind poisoned by miserable academics. Life was very brutal for men. The old saying "Save the women and children first" was literally what society did back then. Men were expendable beasts of burden, cannon fodder, explorers, inventors and scientist. You should be grateful for what our ancestors endured to ensure we are here today discussing this in the most privileged society that ever existed. You've had your head programmed to hate men by puppeteers much more concerned with their agendas than any perceived wrongs in a past you will never understand.
The birth of the French Cuisine took place under her reign. She brought the grand brigade with her when she moved to France.
It's an 18th century hoax. There are several studies on this subject. You should read the article "The illusory story of Catherine de Medici, a gastronomic myth" by Dr. Antonella Campanini from the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo. She's not french and it's in english.
Just discovered this channel. Wow, I'm impressed so subbed! Great narration voice, perfectly spoken and executed. Do you use the same narrator on all these? I haven't watched any others yet, but am already doing a list of those I want to listen to. Brilliant work👍💜💜
Glad you like them.
Really excellent! Thanks so much - always top notch! 🙌
I think Catherine was a devoted mother and did what she had to do to ensure her sons' reign. People always bad mouth women that are inspiring change and going against the grain. Frankly, I like her.
She was partly responsible for thousands of Protestants being murdered. I also descend from a few Huguenots that were later sentenced to death for their faith. They only survived by fleeing the country.
@@moomyung9231 protestants also killed many Catholics sooo🤷🏾♀️
Not every woman bad mouthed in history is an innovent victim. Women like men were products of their time. Catherine was ruthless and massacred thousands of protestants
@@jamiemohan2049 ok...
The picture of choice is misleading to the black Queen
My Aunt Francis was born in Abruzzi. Her birth name was Alfonsina. My grandmother named my mother after the Princess of Italy, Yolanda, because we have ties to The Duke Of The Abruzzi. When I was in Italy in 1972 I was invited to have dinner at Princess Orsini’s home in Rome. The legend came full circle. 👑
Thank you for sharing the historical information about Catherine De Medici.
Alexandre Dumas' novel "La Reine Margot" also contributed a lot to her bad reputation. The novel was made into a good movie in the 1990s, with Isabelle Adani, Asia Argento et al. Good actors, filmed in the right locations, great story (though not a documentary).
one of my favorite films of all time, just gorgeous
actually was quite historical , and the queen margot was a trollop and she slept with at least one brother
You are right a beautiful film
Excellent movie … ❤
What is the name of the novel? Thank you.
I don't have a multitude of knowledge about Florence and France, but listening to this story, Catherine's life was no bed of roses, it started with challenges, she married a man who spent more time with his mistress and only wanted to be with her to produce heirs. Then upon his death, she ascended to the throne, but didn't have the power she needed until her sickly oldest son took the throne.
She then became a dedicated mother who helped her first born son rule the kingdom. She then dealt with the harsh realities of her son's health which eventually took the lives of all of her boys who, all ascended to the throne and became kings.
What an accomplishment!!
My thoughts about her is that she was a fierce leader, a woman who ruled with her sons to make life better for the people of France and stop the growing and ongoing violence spearheaded by the Roman Catholic Church. She was no saint but, she tried to rule with honesty and fairness according to the times she lived in.
She wasn't white either.
Looks pretty white to me
@Nigel Mcgiver the black is a reference to her reputation for ruthlessness.
Her brother was black
She wasn't black, they called her the black queen because they thought she was into witch craft, LOL.
As a 'Typical' Aries Ruler...She had the very best brains for ruling as long as she did. My most Favorite Queen!
Thank you for producing such a well researched programme and thank you for your balanced assessment of a much misunderstood Queen
Not only was she a devoted mother but also an astute statesman.
Wonderful portrayal of an amazing woman.
Catherine de Medici was remarkable woman in her times. She managed to make 3 of her sons King's of France amidst civil wars between Catholics and protestants and the powerful and fanatical Guise family who were consistently conspiring against her alongside Spain and England. She tried mediation between her Catholic and protestant subjects. But the Guise family sabotaged her efforts with Spanish backing. I don't condone St Bartholomews massacre which she played a major part. But you have to understand as to what were the circumstances that led to it.
In a few hundred years, when all those pesky survivors have died off and the need to consider the real life effects is no longer a pressing concern- I wonder if there will be social commentary like this about the holocaust?
@@alecblunden8615 by
@@BoringTroublemaker that will never happen, the real reason for the holocaust will never be understood by non aristocratic people.
Too much drama for me. Sounds like the peasant class were tossed to and fro from intrigue to intrigue, while the gentry could do whatever they wanted. The guillotine put an end to that BS.
@@billfarley9167 I think some world leaders have not got that memo yet 😳
She was intelligent, fearless, proud, and prideful. A woman like Catherine de Medici, should be loved and feared.
@RR CC get well soon
So much information . What a brave woman she became to after going through so much heartache. I'm glad drinking mules urine didn't catch on. Great work
Yes I agree!
Imagine if does work....🤢🤮
@@tawanawatson3052 Haha
Gross
I am amazed every time I read or hear about her. I first saw her in Raign, the actress that played Catherine both was both ruthless,cunning and and extremely, intelligent. My true love is Mary queen of the Scott's!!! . I went on to learn so much about the medicis medicis, and other ruling kings and queens. Thank you so much for this documentary! The person who spoke was also amazing! Thank you again
she was 14 when married , went through grief by the court, I hope she gave them all hell. She was an amazing, intelligent woman and played politics like an ace.
So nice to see some quality videos on history devoid of the nonsense that passes for biography today. What we can't prove we can't say.
Great narrative, yes, "Catherine de' Medici earned her nickname of “the Black Queen” because of her fascination with mysticism and astrology. Also, "The Château of Chaumont was witness to a legendary event in which the fall of the Valois dynasty was predicted".
Im sure there are already those you-know-who, that are already claiming "see, I told you, the Médici were blacks, black aristocracy of Europe!"
@@Cobalt1520She had black clothes. Why are so many people influenced by american nonsene, not understanding words anymore
In europe black was never associated with humans, either they were called moorish, african, sarazene or ethiopians
Thank you for this week-researched and fascinating documentary. I admire Catherine greatly as a single mother, survivor, and skilled monarch. Her faith, no doubt, accounts for why she was not embittered by her sad and abusive upbringing.
Woah we got royalty over here, roll out the UA-cam red carpet
This is wonderful! More more about Catherine!
If it was not for this remarkable woman her sons Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III would not have been able to sit on the throne for long. She was the real power behind her sons throne. She had to play off the Bourbons and the Guises who both wanted her sons throne. What a strong willed woman.
Thanks for this excellent portrait of Catherine. My French ancestors were two Huguenot ministers of faith, who migrated to colonial Virginia in
the 1730s. John Carter and Pierre Chastaine.
Their sons would end up fighting England to gain religious freedom from the Church of England.
It is unfortunate that two religions who profess to worship the same Lord and Savior would be so brutal to one another.
Ignorance does not excuse actions.
Interesting articulation of the "black queen". The "Magna Carta" was written a few hundred years before she was born. The aristocracy held a tight grip on social affairs. The interphases of the sixteenth century was fascinating at the time of Catherine De Medici. I can see Catherine's use of metaphysics being wrongly conceived as "black" as the church held great restrictions . Thanku
Astrology & mysticism, which interested Catherine were regarded as witchcraft & called 'the black arts' in those times.
HISTORY IS ALWAYS GOOD TO KNOW!! THANK YOU !!!
There is a Chinese saying “When a person is placed in the current of history (Jiang Hsu),his body is not his own “. Only God can have the ability yo see the whole picture and be the rightful judge of a person’s soul and his or her actions. For the world we were and are living is so much broken.
I *LOVE* that, Eva!! This video gave me a whole new perspective on Catherine De Medici. There are far too many ~ in our times ~ that cannot put historical events in their proper "time frame"...it is very sad, but also not entirely their fault...it's obviously by design!!
And history is written by men who often do their research by reading letters and diaries but do not care of controlling official papers and comptability... so everything is easely biased...
I think she was Forever between "A Rock And A Hard Place " History will Forever HAVE The Power Of NARRATIVE
I believe she's also the subject of the new series on Starz called THE SERPENT QUEEN.
Does it get better after the first episode? Didnt like the style mucj
@@adi2k88 I don't like the style much either. I'm watching it but it's not great in my opinion.
I think it’s ok. It’s a different style ,though.But, i love both actresses and that’s what sold me.
@@keyanddracaryskillua6187 Samantha Morton is always excellent and she is the best part. The maid is a theatrical device used to tell her back story to us before jump into an important moment in her life when she becomes Queen Regent with real power. It should get interesting.
@@annastinehammersdottir1290 I agree. It is an interesting take on a large story and the POV from which it is told. This story has too much background, making it very confusing with a lot to take in. Too much detail to draw a parralel between the two stories.
The story was done amazing on Netflix. I go back all the time and watch the show Medici.
What a traumatic childhood and adolescence. History of monarchies becomes much more clear when you realise how badly traumatised many princes and princesses were in their formative years - despite our fantasies of their pampered upringing.
Agreed. They're like purified metal...andvthey can't resign if they dislike the job.
She was indeed the light of the family, thank you for this series it has greatly enriched my understanding of her life and the period she lived in.
And I was so eager and excited to watch the series The Serpent Queen every weekend not knowing it was actually the life of Catherine de Medici. I thought the series was so well made. It was actually a real life story. I'm blown away.
The CLOTHES !! The JEWELRY!! The HAIR PIECES!!
I, too, love The Serpent Queen, but am quite aware of the twists “historical” fiction makes of history. I actually think the real story would be more fascinating, but too complicated for easy viewing. Instead of a straightforward story, religion, culture, manners, politics and court intrigue would all have to be explored. One of those is more than can explored in two seasons!
It was well done. The only thing I didn’t care for was the portrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Yeah, I can’t wait for the second season.😊
@@sax_25 I loved the portrayal. She was an ardent Catholic and most likely was a zealot, evident by her stupidly thinking Scotland would welcome a Catholic queen who hasn’t been home since infancy with open arms. She’s been romanticized but in all likelihood she probably sucked as a person.
She is a truly wonderful and remarkable lady who lived in a time when women were mire pawns. A true heroine indeed. I admire her strength, determination and wit.
Wow what a documentary! The best one I have ever watched on this amazing channel!
I've been watching "The Serpent Queen" so I had to watch this of course to get the real story.😁
I believe that Catherine perhaps also got a bad wrap - like Marie Antoinette. When one studies these people in-depth you realise there are more facets to their story than what many history books relate.
Doing some reading up on her, I was surprised at how politically short sighted she could be and how dominated she was by the Guise family. Nancy Goldstone has a great book about her and her daughter, Marguerite Valois. I highly recommend
I’m reading that book now, very insightful and compelling
Anti C
What is the book called?
C de M had been anything but politically shortsighted
I might be short sighted too if people wanted me raped by troops as a child. Just saying. Society still to this day, blame women and treat us like shit and still expect loyalty. It's laughable really. If I lived in that time and I was her, I would have absolutely made sure I came out on top. Good or bad, we got shit on.
What an awesome documentary 👏 I truly enjoyed it.
Please keep on making more interesting and educational documentaries!!
Catherine imported chefs, needlework specialists, lace-makers, dancers, musicians, the Italian use of Court Masques (for propaganda purposes) etc., etc. to the French Court. She was known as the "Peacemaker" for many, many years. The attempt by Admiral Coligny to influence (i.e., *to take her place with*) her feeble son , Charles IX, was what spurred Catherine to order his assassination. That led to the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, & Catherine is usually remembered for only that evil deed -- not for her decades of good deeds.
Sounds to me that among other things, she brought to France those things France is so proud of being essentially French, fashion, cuisine, elegance!
what a fascinating story. Somebody should create a TV series around her life.
Serpent queen on Starz
NO... Would distort and add too much fiction... This Doc gets it !
A DEFENSE OF CATERINA de' MEDICI, How this woman, driven by a utopian dream of peace, did consent to violence to the point of becoming one of the actors in the Saint-Barthélemy massacre. even if there is debate on this subject, Saint-Barthélemy went against her will although she played a decisive role with her son Charles IX.
The great motive is that of the "constrained" will. The planned marriage between Henri de Navarre and his daughter Marguerite de Valois was intended to stabilize the situation of precarious peace imposed by the treaty of 1570.
But the assassination attempt of which Coligny was the victim on August 22, 1572, turned this dream of monarchical peace into tragedy and left the royal government faced with an inextricable choice: to initiate a procedure to investigate responsibility for the attack. to incriminate the Guises and set up against the king the partisans of ultracatholicism then very powerful in Paris; not doing justice to the Protestants gives them an argument to denounce the iniquity of the sovereign and thus justify a war that they could lead soon against a power considered tyrannical. The fragile edifice of peace arranged by Charles IX and his mother to bring Protestants back to the Court behind Coligny and make them dialogue with the Catholic princes threatens to collapse.
It is because of the "secret necessities of the State" that the massacre is ordered by the king in agreement with his mother. There is here the evocation of a "political reason" which pushes to have some sixty Protestant captains assassinated, in order to say to behead the heads of military Protestantism, not to annihilate the Protestant reform, but for the compel it to remain in peace.
Catherine was a great mother. She secured the throne of France for decades. Today she would be a ROCKSTAR!
Thanks for this upload .
The serpent Queen series is one of my fav shows
Excellent documentary. She had so much on her hands. She tried her best for her sons, but shame for disowning her daughter
Being married at 14 then getting cheated on 😭😭😭 Christ people have had terrible lives
Why is everything always reflected on the victim like their the problem when it's the evil humans that did the dirt that is the problem that's clear jealousy. period!
Extremely well done. My knowledge of French and Italian nobility was sketchy at best. This really was a massive help for putting the pieces together, for me - thank you. I agree with what Henry lV said, " I'm surprised she never did worse". Anyone in her position would have done the same. I also wonder if her persistence at bringing peace between the religious factions, was more than just political.. Yes she may have believed in the 'stick' but that was only the last resort. How different Europe would have been had she been successful!
I knew the French were ruthless but wow, the resulting massacres of Bartholomew's really underlines that.
Fascinating stuff.
I started watching this to keep occupied during commercial breaks I muted on a stream of another show, but got so caught up I forgot to switch back over ;)