A noted beauty and leader of fashion; cultured and charming; the subject of gossip and slander; manipulated and imprisoned by relatives and rulers - Margot's gifts and misfortunes almost rivaled those of her sister-in-law, Mary Queen of Scots. Marguerite de Valois was youngest surviving daughter of Henri II and Catherine de Medici. Amorous by nature, like her husband Henri, King of Navarre, they were indifferent to each other, and whilst Henri's mistresses were ennobled and their children legitimised, Marguerite's affairs - real or rumoured - resulted in her being humiliated and imprisoned for a time by the King, her brother. After her husband's accession to the throne of France as Henri IV, Marguerite agreed to a divorce and lived on surprisingly friendly terms with her ex-husband and his new wife and their children. The last of the Valois, Marguerite survived both Henri and all her own family. Though focused on Marguerite, the lives of her brothers Charles IX, Henri III and François d'Alençon, are covered in some detail, giving insight into the unstable nature of the Valois men of that generation. You may also enjoy:... by the same author ... - "Henri II, his Court and Times", about Marguerite's father. [ASIN: B00SN70HE6] - "The Brood of False Lorraine: The history of the Ducs de Guise", about the family which was hugely influential in France throughout this period. [ASIN: B00VXUJIBI] ... by Andrew C. P. Haggard ... - "The Amours of Henri de Navarre and of Marguerite de Valois". [ASIN: B01FPS5NRG]. ... by Martha Walker Freer - "Henry III King of France and Poland: His Court and Times ", about Margot's brother and principal persecutor. [ASIN: B01CODDNCW] Check out Pinterest at http://uk.pinterest.com/kindleifier/ for portraits of many of the people mentioned in these books, and for images of places, people and objects connected with the sixteenth century.
