Catherine
de Medicis (Royal Medicis Family of Italy)
* Neice of Pope Clement VII
* In 1533, married Henry de Valois (Henry II)
* Rumors of disease and mental illness started, when for 10 years, no
children
were born to this royal couple. Some blamed
an inherent disability in Catherine, since both her
parents had died of Syphillis within 22 days of her birth. After 10
years
though, children came annually, 10 in all. 3 died at
an early age. 3 became kings, two were queens. Although Catherine
outlived her husband and 3 successive royal sons,
her
children were all diseased or mentally ill. (Bk-1, 139)
Proceed on to Henry
de Valois
(King Henry II of Northern France)