History Matters

Nostrodamus was famous for correctly predicting that King Henry II of France would be killed in a tournament in 1559. The royal sons were children, so rule went to Queen Catherine de Medici and her councillors. The Queen had brought from Italy sidesaddle riding and underwear (to cover her legs). Protestants in France were a minority but had a capable military commander, Coligny. In 1572 Coligny was invited to Paris for the wedding of the Queen's daughter. Catherine was afraid that Coligny wanted to join Protestants in the Netherlands in their fight with Spain, and that this would bring France into war with Spain. She decided Coligny had to be assassinated. As the assassin fired Coligny's shoe buckle broke. He was only wounded. It took a fight to kill him. The Paris mob went on the rampage killing Protestants. It was 24 August - the St. Bartholomew Day's massacre.