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He was married to Catherine Maria Romula di Lorenzo de Medici. The Medici family actually ruled Florence. Originally bankers, they came to great wealth and power by funding European monarchs. Catherine’s father Lorenzo II Medici, Duke of Urbino, was not originally a Duke of Urbino and became so thanks to his uncle Giovanni Medici, Pope Leo 10. Thus, despite the ducal title, Catherine was of a relatively low birth. However, her mother, Madeleine de La Tour, Countess of Auvergne, belonged to one of the most famous and ancient French aristocratic families. This greatly influenced the future marriage of Catherine.
The death of Pope Leo 10 led to a break in the power of the Medici family on the holy throne, until in 1523 Cardinal Giulio di Medici became Pope Clement 7.
In 1527, the Medici in Florence was overthrown and Catherine became a hostage. The Pope had to recognize and crown Charles 5 of Habsburg, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. In exchange for his help in the return of Florence and the release of the young duchess. In October 1529, the troops of Charles 5 laid siege to Florence. During the siege, calls and threats appeared to kill Catherine and hang her on the city gates or send her to a brothel to dishonor her. Although the city resisted the siege, on August 12, 1530, famine and plague forced Florence to surrender. Clement met Catherine in Rome with tears in his eyes. It was then that he started looking for a groom for her. Considering many options, but in 1531 the French king Francis 1 proposed the candidacy of his second son, Henry. Clement jumped at the chance right away. The young Duke of Orleans was the most profitable party for his niece Catherine.
At the age of 14, Catherine became the bride of the French prince Heinrich de Valois. Her dowry amounted to 130,000 ducats and vast estates including Pisa, Livorno and Parma.
Catherine was not beautiful. She looked like a discarded fish on the seashore with the same bulging colorless eyes, as if she had a suffocating disease. A large mouth with thin, colorless lips and an incomprehensible light shade of hair in small curls. Some even claimed that she was an exact copy of Pope Leo 10. At a young age, being like a holy father is by no means a compliment.
A wedding held in Marseilles on October 28, 1533. Became a big event marked by extravagance and giving out gifts. Europe has not seen such a congregation of the highest clergy for a long time. The ceremony was attended by Pope Clement himself, accompanied by many cardinals. After the wedding, 34 days of continuous feasts and balls followed. At the wedding feast, Italian chefs introduced the French court to a new dessert made of fruit and ice; this was the first ice cream.
But, Pope Clement 7 died unexpectedly. Paul 3, who replaced him, terminated the alliance with France and refused to pay Catherine’s dowry. Catherine’s political value suddenly vanished. Having thus worsened her position in a foreign country. King Francis 1 complained: «The girl came to me completely naked.» Catherine, who was born into a merchant family in Florence, where her parents were not so preoccupied in order to give their offspring a versatile education, was very difficult in the refined French court. She was an ignoramus who did not know how to construct phrases gracefully and made many mistakes in her letters. Not able to be graceful in such a refined society. Behind her eyes they called her a merchant
Several days passed. Poitiers did not meet Henry. De Tamp did not write new pamphlets, which indicated that Henry kept her little secret. And she breathed a sigh of relief. The thought of him was undoubtedly pleasant to her. He’s still incredibly sweet. Poitiers thought. Walking with the ladies and the old widow along the alleys of the palace park. Arriving in this frame of mind, she noticed a figure approaching in the distance, recognizing her as Henry.The ladies noticed him too. It was evident in the way they perked up as they chirped and tweaked their hairstyles. Poitiers noticed the ladies’ animation. She seemed to be pricked by something sharp and unpleasant somewhere inside. She snorted to herself at the ladies. Throwing a prickly gaze full of needles at them. The ladies pretended not to notice. But, nevertheless, they quieted down. Heinrich approached, smiling at them all with his sweet, amiable smile. It seemed to her that a little more and the ladies would begin to dance in curtsies, they bowed so earnestly. She sat down in an elegant curtsy. After greeting him. He fixed his gaze on her and smiled at her affably. Turned to an old widow. With a few niceties to the old lady. Why she became even more like an owl.
Diana involuntarily smiled at this.
Let me steal your lady, madam. He finished his tirade of courtesies to the widow.
I promise to return her to you soon. He assured the old lady.
Unless madam doesn’t mind. He turned already to Poitiers.
She smiled at him and of course she didn’t mind!
They walked away under the envious glances of the ladies. They walked in the park, enjoying the scent of roses, birdsong and each other’s company.
He wrote new verses and read them. This time the poems were about the rose and its beauty and fragrance. She, of course, realized that he dedicated his poems to her. Comparing it to a wonderful flower. He finished reading and looked at her carefully.
Asked.
Do you like it? He was clearly worried.
Hiding his worries, but he barely succeeded.
She smiled at him, noticing his concern.
Answered.
They are beautiful.
Do you think they might be missing something too? He asked at last.
She smiled at him, scolding herself in her hearts for the fact that the last time her statements about his poems might have hurt Henry.
No, no. They are great! There is nothing to add to them, she said.
After a minute she added.
I can only add, she said quietly.
That the rose blooms and fragrant, delighting everyone with its beauty only under the rays of the loving sun that caresses it. She finished.
And their eyes met like two bottomless oceans.
Yes, you are right, Heinrich replied worriedly.
And added. What do you think?
Will the rose bloom under the rays of the loving sun?
She smiled at him. Feeling that her cheeks are reddening treacherously.
I think so. She answered very quietly. As if afraid that he would still hear her words.
They met every day in the alleys of the park, wandered and chatted about everything in the world. Listening to beautiful music written by nature itself. Singing birds and the sound of the wind playing with the foliage of the trees. And strangely enough, they both noticed all these metamorphoses of nature, which every single day plays its magnificent plays under people’s noses. But, for many, they seem to be invisible. But, not for Diana and Heinrich. They noticed everything. And everyone was genuinely happy. Realizing that he met someone who could see the world the same as he saw it himself. Once passing by a small fountain hidden among the bushes, which have long been abandoned. The fountain depicted a deer defeated in a hunt, with a dog hanging over its prey. The water in the fountain was cloudy and completely green. Diana, enchanted by the colors of this picture, looked into the water surface. After becoming silent, as if bewitched and peering into the depths of the whirlpool, she suddenly said.
You know, this is the most beautiful fountain in this garden!
Someone seems to be living in the depths of its waters. She suddenly perked up. Turning from the fountain to Heinrich.
He raised an eyebrow and laughed cheerfully.
Who do you think lives there? He asked cheerfully.
Well, I don’t know. Pouting her lips, Poitiers said. Obviously pretending to be offended that he does not believe her. She answered with childlike spontaneity.
Maybe a mermaid or some kind of spirit. She was inspired, fantasizing.
He continued to laugh. Touched by her fantasies. She pouted her lips even harder, offended by his skepticism. He stopped laughing and raised his hands to feign surrender.
You know, I didn’t notice him at all before. He said. Glancing again at the green smooth surface of the fountain, and whispering in her ear.
There really is someone living there! Her eyes lit up in the hope that her words were true.
And that’s it, he finished.
Definitely frogs!
He laughed again, hoping to see her cute pouting lips again. She looked at him resentfully, almost childishly. I repeated it seriously.
Heinrich, right! There, nevertheless, someone lives.
He was still laughing while admiring her.
Diana dear! If you like. That, there will live everyone whom you wish to settle there!
Whether it’s a mermaid or your beloved Mademoiselle de Tamp!
She might pass for a ghost! He said.
He was already having fun and laughing heartily. Hearing about the prospect of de Tamp living in a green swamp. Diana could not resist and laughed merrily with Heinrich. This idea was very to her liking.
Heinrich, really, how cute you are. She said laughing and kissing him on the cheek. He stopped laughing. He looked at her silently, with eyes full of adoration and added.
Well, since you like deer, I invite you to hunt. He said.
Hunting
Hunting?! Diana was surprised.
She was not a fan of the kind of hunting that was done at court. When an unfortunate animal is driven into a trap from all sides and simply deprived of its opportunity to escape. She thought it was a disgusting, unfair murder!
Whether it was, when she went hunting with her father a long time ago. Nobody drove the beast. The hunter and the beast were equal. And the one who turns out to be better was decided only by who turns out to be more cunning, more agile, well, or faster. If the beast, then he will not be caught, if the hunter, then the prey will be his. This is the only hunt she respected.
Such a hunter earned her respect. And Heinrich was just such a hunter. He did not recognize any other hunt. He needed a fair fight! In such a hunt, the beast and the hunter were on equal terms. The hunters themselves could be injured by the beast, or they could even die.
Diana remembered that she did not have a suitable horse for hunting and told Henry about it.
Sheer trifle, said Heinrich, taking her hand.
Come on, honey.
He walked, with his brisk step, dragging her along and heading towards the stables.
Approaching the royal stables, he paused and waved his hand theatrically to indicate the horses in the stalls.
Choose whichever one you like, he said.
Hunt tomorrow morning. I leave you while you make your choice.
Take your time, he added.
And kissing her hand, he departed, with the same quick, confident gait.
She entered the stable accompanied by the old groom. And her heart sank with delight. Never before had she seen so many magnificent, purebred beauties of various stripes and breeds. Her heart was beating with joy so that she heard his pounding in her ears. She walked along the stall. But, the horses were one better than the other. She walked around, as if spellbound and could not make a choice. Suddenly she stopped, seeing a smoky handsome man. The stallion was with thin, long legs and a thin, outlined graceful head, with a powerful and at the same time graceful chest. He pricked up his pointed ears at the sight of Diana and widened his nostrils, frowning unkindly. Arrogantly, as if looking down at her, snorting disdainfully. Like telling her to get away. She gasped at his beauty. She turned, like a small child, at the sight of the desired toy to the old groom.
Saddle this one! She exclaimed, almost clapping her hands in delight.
The old man served in the royal stable as a groom for many years, almost all his life. And as often happens with old faithful servants, he could afford what other servants could not even imagine. For example, protest this lady. He furrowed his brows in displeasure.
No way. The old man answered not quite.
Poitier furrowed her eyebrows. Trying to make her look as strict as possible and giving herself a special menacingness, she stamped her foot.
Didn’t you hear what you were ordered?! Or are you deaf?!
His Highness the Prince has ordered you to saddle any horse I please!
I tell you saddle this one! And don’t argue with me! Diana was indignant.
But it seems that the old servant of the royal stable did not want to surrender without a fight.
I tell you madam, you can’t saddle this. He sighed, trying to get rid of her like an annoying fly.
This time, her eyebrows moved even more on the bridge of her nose. The old man, seeing that the lady was not going to retreat, sighed.
It is impossible, madam, because this is a stallion of His Highness Prince Henry. He only hunts on it and drives. The old man tried the last try.
Okay, I understand. Irritated, Poitiers added. Trying to pretend not to lose this battle to the malevolent old groom.
Okay, then I’ll pick another horse to hunt, she didn’t quit.
Now saddle this one. I want to ride it now
But the old man was clearly not going to surrender.
Not as bad as it gets, madam.
He is not accustomed to the female saddle.
With malice and undisguised malice, he added as if he had already won this difficult battle. She shot him with narrowed eyes like arrows and added with even greater malice in her voice.
And you saddle man! Gloomy, she sang.
What are you talking about, madam! The old man was taken aback.
This is how!
Would you like to ride like a man?!
Not decent, after all, God have mercy on you, madam! As if he didn’t believe her, the unfortunate groom cried out.
Yes, and you will die, you madam, by God! It’s a gray devil, not a stallion! Only his Highness the Prince is dealing with him! After all, this devil does not admit anyone else.
You will die, and then I will answer. The old man lamented. Trying with the last bit of strength to reason with Poitiers.
Saddle up! Told you! Poitiers screamed, losing her temper and making a formidable face.
Rejoicing in my soul that such a difficult battle with the groom will end in her favor. The old man finally gave up and went to get the saddle.
And where did you come from on my head. The old man muttered under his breath, putting the saddle on the handsome gray man.
Kill you!
Oh, kill yourself!
Answer me.
