On This Day
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Prince Henry of France (later Henry II) (14) marries Florentine noblewoman Catherine de' Medici (14) in Marseille

Catherine de' Medici was an Italian Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II.

Catherine de' Medici was an Italian Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II. She was the mother of French kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, and a cousin to Pope Clement VII. The years during which her sons reigned have been called "the age of Catherine de' Medici" since she had extensive, albeit at times varying, influence on the political life of France.

Catherine was born in Florence to Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and his wife, Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne. In 1533, at the age of 14, Catherine married Henry, the second son of King Francis I and Queen Claude of France, who would become Dauphin of France (heir to the throne) upon the death of his elder brother Francis in 1536.

Historical Significance

Catherine de' Medici was an Italian Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II.

Key People

Henry II

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Catherine de' Medici

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Events Before

  1. Lisbon hit by Earthquake; about 30,000 die

    The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40…

  2. King Henry VIII is recognized as the supreme head of the Church in England by the Convocation of Canterbury

    King Henry VIII is recognized as the supreme head of the Church in England by the Convocation of Canterbury

  3. King Henry VIII of England secretly marries Anne Boleyn (officially married January 25, 1533)

    Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

  4. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captures Inca Emperor Atahualpa after a surprise ambush at Cajamarca in the Peruv

    Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captures Inca Emperor Atahualpa after a surprise ambush at Cajamarca in the Peruvian Andes

  5. Parliament of England bans payments by the English Church to Rome

    Parliament of England bans payments by the English Church to Rome

Events After

  1. French explorer Jacques Cartier claims for France the lands around Gaspé by erecting a 30-foot cross at Pointe-Penouille

    French explorer Jacques Cartier claims for France the lands around Gaspé by erecting a 30-foot cross at Pointe-Penouille [1]

  2. English Parliament passes the Act of Supremacy, making Henry VIII and all subsequent monarchs the Head of the Church of

    English Parliament passes the Act of Supremacy, making Henry VIII and all subsequent monarchs the Head of the Church of England

  3. Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent occupies Baghdad

    Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the Ottoman sultan from 1520 to 1566.

  4. French King Francis I signs classified treaty with Landgrave of Hesse

    French King Francis I signs classified treaty with Landgrave of Hesse

  5. Pope Paul II affirms George van Egmond as Bishop of Utrecht

    Pope Paul II affirms George van Egmond as Bishop of Utrecht

More from the 1530s

King Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church of England

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

England's King Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn, his 2nd wife

Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII.

Lisbon hit by Earthquake; about 30,000 die

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40…

English King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by Pope Clement VII

English King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by Pope Clement VII

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 28, 1533?
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II. She was the mother of French kings Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, and a cousin to Pope Clement VII. The years during which her sons reigned have been called "the age of Catherine de' Medici" since she had extensive, albeit at times varying, influence on the political life of France.
Why is Prince Henry of France (later Henry II) (14) marries Florentine noblewoman Ca... significant?
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II.
Who was involved in Prince Henry of France (later Henry II) (14) marries Florentine noblewoman Ca...?
Key figures include Henry II, Catherine de' Medici.

Explore More

October 28 in HistoryYear 1533