CATHERINE DE MEDICIS (1519-1589), Queen of France . Letter signed to the Sieur de Bordillon (Imbert de la Platière, the King's Lieutenant General in Piedmont), St Germain-en-Laye, 28 August 1561, 2 pages, folio , countersigned by de l'Aubespine, integral address leaf (2 small holes caused by erosion of ink touching later endorsements at head, seal slits and fragments of small wax seal on both leaves in inner margin, papered seal at outer edge); [and] Charlotte de BEAUNE, Baronne de Sauves (b.1550, mistress of Henry IV). Document signed, 'Charlotte de Beaune', 6 October 1602, two countersignatures, half page, folio (fraying in outer edge). 'Aupres de Thurin avan este arreste ung courier de l'ambassadeur du pappe [et les] lettres qu'il portes veues ...'. A fine example of Catherine's deviousness in a diplomatic crisis, written on receiving a protest from the Spanish ambassador who has heard that the papal envoy's courir has been arrested at Turin, and the letters he was carrying, including some of his own on the King's business, have been read. Bordillon is to send a reply, which may be shown to anyone, so that the ambassador may see that she had nothing to do with it. The present letter is one of several sent to Bordillon by Catherine and de Laubespine (the others are published), referring to the arrest of the diplomatic courier. The arrest was in fact on Catherine's orders, so that Bordillon might secretly make copies of the courier's despatches for her, while the French ambassador at Rome was instructed to tell the Pope that Bordillon had acted on his own initiative and that the King (Francis II, for whom Catherine was Regent) was deeply shocked by the incident (H. de la Ferrière. Lettres de Catherine de Médicis , I, 230n.). 'Dame Charlotte de Beaune, Marquise de Novimoustiers' signs a notarial deed referring to property and a payment. Celebrated for her wiles and charms, she was lady-in-waiting to Catherine de Medicis and spied for her upon Henry of Navarre, whose mistress she became in 1573, during her marriage to the Baron de Sauves. She was also the mistress of the Duke of Alençon (Henry III) and played upon the jealousies between them. Catherine employed a bevy of young and beautiful women to further her intrigues. (2)
CATHERINE DE MEDICIS (1519-1589), Queen of France . Letter signed to the Sieur de Bordillon (Imbert de la Platière, the King's Lieutenant General in Piedmont), St Germain-en-Laye, 28 August 1561, 2 pages, folio , countersigned by de l'Aubespine, integral address leaf (2 small holes caused by erosion of ink touching later endorsements at head, seal slits and fragments of small wax seal on both leaves in inner margin, papered seal at outer edge); [and] Charlotte de BEAUNE, Baronne de Sauves (b.1550, mistress of Henry IV). Document signed, 'Charlotte de Beaune', 6 October 1602, two countersignatures, half page, folio (fraying in outer edge). 'Aupres de Thurin avan este arreste ung courier de l'ambassadeur du pappe [et les] lettres qu'il portes veues ...'. A fine example of Catherine's deviousness in a diplomatic crisis, written on receiving a protest from the Spanish ambassador who has heard that the papal envoy's courir has been arrested at Turin, and the letters he was carrying, including some of his own on the King's business, have been read. Bordillon is to send a reply, which may be shown to anyone, so that the ambassador may see that she had nothing to do with it. The present letter is one of several sent to Bordillon by Catherine and de Laubespine (the others are published), referring to the arrest of the diplomatic courier. The arrest was in fact on Catherine's orders, so that Bordillon might secretly make copies of the courier's despatches for her, while the French ambassador at Rome was instructed to tell the Pope that Bordillon had acted on his own initiative and that the King (Francis II, for whom Catherine was Regent) was deeply shocked by the incident (H. de la Ferrière. Lettres de Catherine de Médicis , I, 230n.). 'Dame Charlotte de Beaune, Marquise de Novimoustiers' signs a notarial deed referring to property and a payment. Celebrated for her wiles and charms, she was lady-in-waiting to Catherine de Medicis and spied for her upon Henry of Navarre, whose mistress she became in 1573, during her marriage to the Baron de Sauves. She was also the mistress of the Duke of Alençon (Henry III) and played upon the jealousies between them. Catherine employed a bevy of young and beautiful women to further her intrigues. (2)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
