When Catherine de Medici became Regent of France, few realised just how well suited and well prepared she was for the role. Her earlier years had forced her to develop many of the skills necessary to become a capable ruler. She would need every one of these skills, as France was about to enter one of its most deadly periods - the Wars of Religion. The turmoil was more than one leader could ever manage or control, but Catherine remained optimistic that peace and compromise could prevail.

Sources/Further Reading

Frieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of France

Goldstone, Nancy: The Rival Queens

Hollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent Queen

History Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulers

https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/

Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_Religion

Wikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

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When Catherine de Medici became Regent of France, few realised just how well suited and well prepared she was for the role. Her earlier years had forced her to develop many of the skills necessary to become a capable ruler. She would need every one of these skills, as France was about to enter one of its most deadly periods - the Wars of Religion. The turmoil was more than one leader could ever manage or control, but Catherine remained optimistic that peace and compromise could prevail.

Sources/Further Reading

Frieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of France

Goldstone, Nancy: The Rival Queens

Hollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent Queen

History Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulers

https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/

Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_Religion

Wikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

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Catherine de Medici was orphaned at only a week old, and her childhood didn’t improve much from there. Sent to live under house arrest at a convent, she was then married off to the second son of the French King. It was an unhappy marriage, since she was routinely ignored by her husband who preferred his much older mistress. However Catherine was never one to give up, and these early unhappy years would forge a character of steel.

Frieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of France

Goldstone, Nancy: The Rival Queens

Hollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent Queen

History Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulers

https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/

Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_Religion

Wikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine de Medici was orphaned at only a week old, and her childhood didn’t improve much from there. Sent to live under house arrest at a convent, she was then married off to the second son of the French King. It was an unhappy marriage, since she was routinely ignored by her husband who preferred his much older mistress. However Catherine was never one to give up, and these early unhappy years would forge a character of steel.

Sources/Further Reading

Frieda, Leonie: Catherine De Medici, The Renaissance Queen of France

Goldstone, Nancy: The Rival Queens

Hollingsworth, Mary: Catherine de Medici - The Life and Times of the Serpent Queen

History Extra: Catherine De Medici The ‘Serpent Queen” Who Became One of France’s Most Powerful 16th Century Rulers

https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/catherine-de-medici-serpent-queen-life-death-legacy-children-regency-france/

Tulchin, Allan Massacres During the French Wars of Religion https://www.academia.edu/219979Massacres_During_the_French_Wars_of_Religion

Wikipedia: Catherine de Medici https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de%27_Medici

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Isabella of Angouleme was one of Englands most unpopular Queens, married to one of its most unpopular kings. She watched as her husband lost most of his territories, and as he signed the Magna Carta. After his death, she ruled her own territory of Angouleme with some strength, and then married her own daughter’s fiance to increase her power. She betrayed her son by supporting his deadly enemy the King of France, and then turned around and (possibly) ordered the assassination of that same French King.

Sources/Further Reading:

Weir, Alison: Queens of the Crusades

Morton, Elizabeth: England’s Queens - From Boudicca to Elizabeth of York

Bennett Connolly, Sharon: Isabella d’Angouleme - A Complicated Queen https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2022/01/22/isabelle-dangouleme-a-complicated-queen/

Wilkinson, Louise: Isabella of Angouleme, Wife of King John https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/women-of-magna-carta/isabella-of-angouleme-wife-of-king-john/

Wikipedia: Isabella of Angouleme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Angoul%C3%AAme

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isabella of Angouleme was one of Englands most unpopular Queens, married to one of its most unpopular kings. She watched as her husband lost most of his territories, and as he signed the Magna Carta. After his death, she ruled her own territory of Angouleme with some strength, and then married her own daughter’s fiance to increase her power. She betrayed her son by supporting his deadly enemy the King of France, and then turned around and (possibly) ordered the assassination of that same French King.

Sources/Further Reading:

Weir, Alison: Queens of the Crusades

Morton, Elizabeth: England’s Queens - From Boudicca to Elizabeth of York

Bennett Connolly, Sharon: Isabella d’Angouleme - A Complicated Queen https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2022/01/22/isabelle-dangouleme-a-complicated-queen/

Wilkinson, Louise: Isabella of Angouleme, Wife of King John https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/women-of-magna-carta/isabella-of-angouleme-wife-of-king-john/

Wikipedia: Isabella of Angouleme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Angoul%C3%AAme

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Fanny Bullock Workman was determined to live life on her own terms - she was not interested in being a stay at home wife and mother, but wanted to see the world, lead expeditions and have adventures. She began with Mount Washington, moved on to Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and then graduated to the Karakorum Mountains - home to the world’s second highest peak, K2. Along with her husband and a team of guides and porters, she set a world record for women when she climbed up to 23,000 feet above sea level, a record that lasted for almost 30 years. Her exploits meant she was in high demand as a speaker and writer, and she also published several popular books.

Sources/Further Reading

Prince, Cathryn J: Queen of the Mountaineers - The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman

Ross, Donald and Schramer, James: Fanny Bullock Workman in American Travel Writers 1850-1915

Pauly, Thomas H: Fanny Bullock Workman, Feisty Mountaineer https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/03/vita-fanny-bullock-workman

McLoone, Margo: Women explorers of the mountains - Nina Mazuchelli, Fanny Bullock Workman, Mary Vaux Walcott, Gertrude Benham, Junko Tabei

Wikipedia: Fanny Bullock Workman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Bullock_Workman#Mountaineering_in_the_Himalayas

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fanny Bullock Workman was determined to live life on her own terms - she was not interested in being a stay at home wife and mother, but wanted to see the world, lead expeditions and have adventures. She began with Mount Washington, moved on to Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and then graduated to the Karakorum Mountains - home to the world’s second highest peak, K2. Along with her husband and a team of guides and porters, she set a world record for women when she climbed up to 23,000 feet above sea level, a record that lasted for almost 30 years. Her exploits meant she was in high demand as a speaker and writer, and she also published several popular books.

Sources/Further Reading

Prince, Cathryn J: Queen of the Mountaineers - The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman

Ross, Donald and Schramer, James: Fanny Bullock Workman in American Travel Writers 1850-1915

Pauly, Thomas H: Fanny Bullock Workman, Feisty Mountaineer https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/03/vita-fanny-bullock-workman

McLoone, Margo: Women explorers of the mountains - Nina Mazuchelli, Fanny Bullock Workman, Mary Vaux Walcott, Gertrude Benham, Junko Tabei

Wikipedia: Fanny Bullock Workman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Bullock_Workman#Mountaineering_in_the_Himalayas

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Isabella D’Este was one of Renaissance Italy’s most remarkable women. Born in the Duchy of Ferrara, she moved to Mantua at the age of 16 and in time would rule this small city state. It was a difficult political era - the larger Italian states were constantly at war with one another or with outside powers, and the smaller states were constantly stuck in the middle. But it was also an era of change and rebirth - when artists like Leonardo da Vinci or Titian were at work. Isabella was a highly capable political operator, but her first love was always art and antiques and she would amass one of the largest private collections of her day.

Sources/Further Reading

Meyer, Edith Patterson: First Lady of the Renaissance, a biography of Isabella D’Este

Hollingsworth, Mary: Princes of the Renaissance - The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic Revolution

Italian Renaissance Learning Resources: Isabella D’Este Collects https://www.italianrenaissanceresources.com/units/unit-8/essays/isabella-deste-collects/#top

Macquire, Kelly: Isabella D’Este https://www.worldhistory.org/Isabella_d'Este/

Emporium.org.au: Fashioning Isabella D’Este https://www.emporium.org.au/isabella-deste-titian

www.isabelladestearchive.org

Wikipedia: Isabella D’Este https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_d'Este

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isabella D’Este was one of Renaissance Italy’s most remarkable women. Born in the Duchy of Ferrara, she moved to Mantua at the age of 16 and in time would rule this small city state. It was a difficult political era - the larger Italian states were constantly at war with one another or with outside powers, and the smaller states were constantly stuck in the middle. But it was also an era of change and rebirth - when artists like Leonardo da Vinci or Titian were at work. Isabella was a highly capable political operator, but her first love was always art and antiques and she would amass one of the largest private collections of her day.

Sources/Further Reading

Meyer, Edith Patterson: First Lady of the Renaissance, a biography of Isabella D’Este

Hollingsworth, Mary: Princes of the Renaissance - The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic Revolution

Italian Renaissance Learning Resources: Isabella D’Este Collects https://www.italianrenaissanceresources.com/units/unit-8/essays/isabella-deste-collects/#top

Macquire, Kelly: Isabella D’Este https://www.worldhistory.org/Isabella_d'Este/

Emporium.org.au: Fashioning Isabella D’Este https://www.emporium.org.au/isabella-deste-titian

www.isabelladestearchive.org

Wikipedia: Isabella D’Este https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_d'Este

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.