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Romancing the Renaissance:
the Feminization of Early Modern Culture in Twentieth Century Mass Media

English 339

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Margeurite de Valois (Queen Margot)
Marguerite de Navarre

Biography:

1553-1615

Born: May 14, 1553

Parents: Henry II of France, Catherine de Medici

Little is known of the young Marguerite. Born at the palace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye during a period of celebration of the defeat of Charles V, it seems this young woman desired to celebrate life until her death. One of 10 children, she was viewed by most as the most balanced and healthy. Her mother, Catherine de Medici ruled her children with an iron heart, the same heart she relied upon in her political manipulations. It seems that her daughter Marguerite inherited her strong will from her mother. This future Queen is to become well known for her beauty and her own manipulations between the sheets. Her Father, the King, Henry II died at the age of 41, leaving Catherine, the Queen mother, as the power behind the Kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. This cold and cruel woman will decide the future of her beautiful daughter.

Marguerite was used as a center point of sibling rivalry between her brothers King Charles IX and the Duke of Anjou. At the tender age of 16 her brother the Duke of Anjou who previously held her in disdain, advised her to become his ally and to become close in her mother's circle of influence. This new alliance was not to last long. Marguerite's eyes soon landed on the handsome and dashing Henri, Duke of Guise. Thirteen years her senior this military hero had all the grand displays of manhood. His biggest down fall was the age-old battle for power between Catherine and the Guise family. When word got round of the couple's romance and a question of marriage both Catherine and the Duke of Anjou stepped in. There was no way that Catherine was going to allow his family anywhere near her throne. This denial of the Duke's affections on behalf of Anjou and Catherine was the foundation for a battleground between brother and sister. Catherine's plans for Marguerite included a royal marriage, a political marriage. What is to come is a bloody marriage laced with adultery and religious upheaval.

Henri of Navarre

Navarre a country stuck between France and Spain, ruled by the Huguenot Queen Jeanne d'Albret, the beloved mother of Henri of Navarre. The idea of a marriage between Marguerite and Henri, approached by her father, was introduced when Henri was 5. This marriage would reunite the family ties and create harmony between the two clashing religions. This ideal with is brought into play with murderous backdrops by Catherine de Medici. Although first against a marriage of her beloved son to a corrupt and vile family Jeanne was persuaded by Montmorencies to sacrifice her son for the good of their religion. In January of 1572 Jeanne accompanied by her small daughter Catherine left for Blois to negotiate the marriage. A battle began between the two strong mothers and months later Charles intervened fixing the wedding date for August 18. On June 4 in Paris still battling against the marriage Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre went on a shopping adventure in a perfumerie highly recommended by the devious Catherine. Falling sick that evening, she died only 5 days later at the age of 44. Deeply grieved, the new young King of Navarre preceded to Paris and his nuptials in mourning.

On August 18,1572, Henri of Navarre and Marguerite de Valois were pronounced man and wife, as King Charles forced the nod of Marguerite's head, involuntarily becoming the Queen of Navarre.

Saint Bartholomew Massacre

The wedding finished the festivities set a sad stage for Catherine's bloody intentions. Continually threatened by the influenced of Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, the Huguenot leader on her son King Charles, and Catherine set to motion a plan of assination. Having only wounded the Admiral the wheels were now set into motion for a blood bath.

As Catherine's plan took shape it placed her own daughter in a dangerous position. From Marguerite's memoirs she describes her dilemma: "The Huguenots regarded me with suspicion because I was Catholic and the Catholics because I had married the King of Navarre, who was a Huguenot." The night of the Massacre, Catherine sent her own daughter in a dangerous den, Marguerite's bedchambers. Filled with Huguenots, this was not the scene of a newly married couple.

White crosses painted on the doors of the Huguenots and armbands on the killer's Anjou and Catherine set the plan into motion, willing to sacrifice Marguerite. Near dawn the Huguenots began to leave the bedchamber and sleep was safe for the new Queen. A cry outside her door changed her life. Her husband arrested the young Queen began to save Huguenot's lives. Bodies stripped naked and bloody lying in the Paris sewers; the marriage of peace weeding gift was rumored to be 100,000 Huguenot lives.

La Mole

At the age of 44, Joseph Boniface Hyacinth, Lord La Mole entered in Marguerite's world. A friend of her brother, Alcencon, La Mole was a man of rare talents and beauty was right up Marguerite's alley, her first lover. It was in defense of her husband that the axe fell on La Mole's neck. It was said that Marguerite had La Mole's head embalmed and placed in a jeweled casket after his execution.

Queen of Navarre

Henri trapped in the clutches of Catherine, converted to the Catholic

Religion to save his life. When he finally escaped back to Navarre, he left behind his wife. The kingdom now in the hands of Henry III (Duke of Anjou), Marguerite was now in dangerous territory. Treated like a prisoner in her own home finally she was allowed to travel where she spent time with her brother Alencon in Flanders. Finally granted leave to reunite with her husband. For the next 3 ½ years the two lived in Pau and a scandalous life. Both enjoyed the company of other lovers, which later led to violent quarrels. After sickness in 1582 Marguerite returned to her brother's court in France only to b ill received. Marguerite's life began to fall apart, her husband began a rite of formal separation and her brother publicly humiliated her. After long debate Henry decided to take Marguerite back. Further humiliation was to follow upon her return; Henri was in love with the Countess Gramont. Disgraced she went to Agen in order to make her independent with the aid of the League. Overtaxing the city, she soon was forced to depart to the castle of Carlat, where she remained for 18 months. She was soon abducted by the Marquis of Canillac, in Usson. He fell in lust with the woman and this was her strongest tool of escape. With the help her old friend the Duke of Guise she was surrounded by soldiers and the Marquis withdrew.

She was now saved by her former sister in law Elizabeth of Austria, the widow of Charles IX. Resorting to pawning her jewels Marguerite remained in Usson from 1587 to 1605. Her beauty faded and her lust still intact. Hounded by creditors, Marguerite returned to the bosom of her family only to be buried in the Chapel of the Valois.

Marguerite de Navarre was known to have a list of 22 lovers. Her memoirs reflect back on her life always reminding us that she was a woman and a Queen, in a time when being a Queen meant leaving behind your womanhood. A strong and interesting woman of the Sixteenth-Century.

Movies

Queen Margot,

Reviews at the following websites:

http://inst.augie.edu/~ssfish/cercle/english/engmarfol.html

http://inst.augie.edu/~ssfish/cercle/english/engmarmmc.html

http://inst.augie.edu/~ssfish/cercle/english/engmarcjw.html

http://cinemax.com/reviews/queen_margot.shtml

Map of Navarre

http://www.u-net.com/maps/spain/navarre.htm

Books

Chamberlain, E.R. , Marguerite of Navarre, The Dial Press: New

York. 1974.