The Rise of Catherine de Medici
“I like to think of the Medicis as the Kardashians of Renaissance Europe. At the very least, they had the same intuitive understanding of how to create and exploit a personal brand. Just the mention of the Medici name conjures up images of vulgar opulence, moral decay, and murderous treachery. Machiavelli’s Prince was dedicated to Catherine de’ Medici’s father. It was rumored that each of her children carried a copy with them at all times. Catherine herself inspired such nicknames as Serpent Queen, Black Queen, and Maggot. She was also called Merchant’s Daughter, a dig at her family’s origins.”
From “Queens of Infamy” by Anne Theriault for Longreads; Illustration by Louise Pomeroy
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