Join Us in France · Sunday, July 26, 2026
Francis I of France arranged the marriage between his second son, Henry, and Catherine de Medici. This was because Catherine, despite her family's immense wealth, was not deemed to have enough 'royal blood' for Francis's first son and heir.
“And unlike a lot of other kings, he decides that one of the Medici daughters, or one of the members of the Medici family, who are their creditors actually, would be a good wife for not his first son, who is destined to be king, but his second son, a young man named Henry.”
“And the reason why is because in spite of her being the daughter of, I think it was considered to be the council, the dukes of Medici in Florence, she was not considered to have enough royal blood.”
“Not quite good enough. It wasn't blue enough for him for the first son.”