Catherine de' Medici

Catherine de' Medici (13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King Henry II and the mother of French Kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. The years during which her sons reigned have been called "the age of Catherine de' Medici" since she had extensive, if at times varying, influence in the political life of France.

Issue

 * 1) François of France (later King François  II) (19 January 1544 – 5 December 1560) married Mary, Queen of Scots but had no issue.
 * 2) Élisabeth of France (2 April 1545 – 3 October 1568) married Philip II of Spain and had issue.
 * 3) Claude of France (12 November 1547 – 21 February 1575) married Charles III, Duke of Lorraine and had issue.
 * 4) Louis of France, Duke of Orléans  (3 February 1549 – 24 October 1550) died in infancy.
 * 5) Charles of France (later King Charles IX) (27 June 1550 – 30 May 1574) married Elisabeth of Austria and had issue.
 * 6) Henri of France (later King Henri III) married Louise of Lorraine but had no issue.
 * 7) Marguerite of France (14 May 1553 – 27 March 1615) married Henry IV of France but had no issue.
 * 8) François of Fraunce, Duke of Anjou (18 March 1555 – 10 June 1584) never married.
 * 9) Jeanne of France born and died 24 June 1556)
 * 10) Victoire of France (24 June 1556 – 17 August 1556) died young.