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You can't use your children as pawns in your schemes to gain power. You have no power, 'cause I've taken it all away.


The relationship between Catherine de' Medici and Charles IX.

They have a loving mother and son relationship, and Catherine would do anything to protect him. At first Charles didn't trust his mother, but now he realizes that she will do whatever it takes to help him while he is King. Recently, Charles made the Privy Council vote his mother in as Regent to replace Narcisse. Presently Catherine is doing everything she can to protect her son from his younger brother who has returned and plans to try and take the throne away from him.

History[]

Early History[]

Charles was the 6th child born to Henry and Catherine. Charles has been away at school for some time, learning different things; however the young Prince has come back to France to take his eventual place as King. Charles did trust his mother, but after learning that she used him to try and murder an entire family he now no longer trusts her and to him she's not the mother he thought she was. Catherine however according to Charles knows more about politics and strategy than anyone at French Court.

In the Series[]

Season One[]

In Snakes in the Garden, Catherine is seen arranging the marriage of Charles to a young French Noble named Madeleine. Later the engagement party of Charles and Madeleine is celebrated.

In Royal Blood, When Charles and his brother Henry III are kidnapped; Catherine is determined to stop at nothing to find her children, though she is condemned to die.

Season Three[]

In Three Queens, Two Tigers, During a conversation between his mother and Queen Elizabeth I, Charles was the subject of possible marriage between him and Elizabeth; which would bring a possible alliance with England.

In Betrothed, Charles visits his mother who is imprisoned in the castle dungeons. During their tender visit, Catherine tells her son that she wants to be the Regent for him when he becomes King; however Charles tells her that Francis wants him to wed Mary when he dies, so so that he will be safe as will Mary. Charles further tells Catherine that Francis also wants him to wed Mary since she is already a Queen, an experienced ruler, and with her then he won't need a Regent.

Catherine is less than happy to hear this, and tells her son that she loves him, and would give her very life to protect him and his siblings; The Queen also tells him to pretend to want to wed Mary, and then when Francis dies cancel the engagement, make her the Regent and release her from the dungeon. Then she tells Charles to send a message to Lord Germain asking for a reckoning of the realms finances so that he can educate himself on the financial status of France. However unbeknownst to Charles the message contains an order to murder the entire House of Bourbon, and eliminate their claim to France permanently, when later Charles discovers that he almost ordered the killing of an entire family with children he is horrified that his own mother could do such a thing.

Later Catherine is confronted by Charles and Mary about the message she had sent; Catherine tells Charles about the Siege of French Court, and how: Mary was partially responsible, how she had to send him and his brother and sisters away for their safety, how Conde planned to kill the family in order to take over the throne of France, and how the Bourbons could try and take over France again by taking advantage of the situation with Francis being seriously ill.

That night Mary returns to tell Catherine that Charles and she will be wed upon Francis' death, that Charles may be willing to make the most horrible of sacrifices and kill his own mother when he becomes King, and in short that he no longer trusts her.

In Fight or Flight, When Catherine discovers that Lord Grenier is trying to buy her son's affections with gifts; she goes to extreme lengths while working with Mary to get him off the council. Charles tells Mary that his mother is the only one he wants to be Regent, because she will fight to protect him and his reign since he is her son. Later Catherine fights to represent her son at the privy council meetings. Finally that night with his mother by his side, Charles watches as Mary ends France's duty to Scotland, and when a Noble on the council tells Charles that his support will mean a lot and how he feels about her ruling by his side; Charles smiles and says that it will be a great comfort. Catherine then smiles as she tells her son that he's learning.

Trivia[]

  • Historically, Charles was Henry and Catherine's 3rd son and 5th child.
  • Catherine was the true power behind her son, because he never showed an interest in government affairs.
    • Historically, Charles was only 10 years old when he was crowned King; he also cried during this event and was comforted by his mother.
      • Charles helped his mother to become Regent.

Gallery[]

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