MARIA DE' MEDICI, ma-re'a da m3'd6-eln'• (1573-1642). The second wife of Henry IV. of France. She was the daughter of Francis 1., Grand Duke of Tuscany, and was horn at Flor ence, April 26. 1573. She was married to Henry IV. in 1600. and in 1601 gave birth to a son. afterwards Louis N 1 1 1. The union did not prove happy. Maria. though beautiful, was an obstinate, ambitious, passionate. and Ilull heatle41 woman. and her quarrels with Henry over her favorites and the King's gallantries soon became the talk of Paris. Two Italians, Leonora Galigai and her husband. Concini (see ANciml, exercised a powerful influence over her mind. and encouraged her dislike to her husband, who on his part avoided her as much as possible, She was not publicly crowned as (peen until the day before Henry's assassination (May. 1610). For the next seven years she governed as Regent, hut proved incapable as a ruler. After the murder of C'oncini, in 1617, Louis XIII. as sumed royal power. aided by his favorite, the Duke de Luynes. who had put Concini out of the way. Maria was kept under surveillanee in the castle at Blois. She escaped in 1619. and began a war against the King and Court. being allied with certain of the disappointed nobles. The con flict, was brief. and ended in the discomfiture of
Maria. In 1621 the death of led to her return to Court. Maria hoped to will over Richelieu to her party. and he was created ea r dinal and Minister of State, partly through her influence. She soon found out. how ever, that he had no mind to be ruled by her, whereupon she resolved to undermine his influence with the King. Iler intrigues for this purpose in 1630 failed, and she was imprisoned in whence she escaped to Brussels in 1631. She finally found her way to Eng land to the Court of her son-in-law. Charles I., but was compelled to leave London in 1641, and her last, years were spent in utter destitution. She died at Cologne on duly 3, 1642. Maria de' Medici was a lover and patron of the tine :Irk, and Paris owes to her the Luxem bourg Palace and other public works. Ginsidt: Pardoc, Life and Times of .Marie de' Medici ( London, 1852) ; Henry el Marie de lh'dieis (Paris. 1877 ) , anel La minorit(' dr Louis I'M-Marie dr .11(Wieis et Sally. 11;10-1a12 lib.. 18021; id., La minorile dr Louis llarie do .1I('dieis et l'illcron 18971 ; Freer, Henry I and Marie rte' Medici (London, 1561).
See II EN IlY I V. ; FR.\ MT.