1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of I Heart Radio 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: and Aaron Minky. Listener discretion is advised for just a moment. 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: When Margot of Valois woke in the darkness to the 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: sound of pounding on her door, she thought that it 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: might be her new husband. They had been married just 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: four days earlier. The ceremony was on a platform built 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: outside of Notre Dame Cathedral because her new husband was 8 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: a Protestant heretic, a Huguenot, and he couldn't come inside 9 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: for Mass. They had barely looked at each other through 10 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: the entire ceremony, and they hadn't looked at each other 11 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: afterwards when he had gone off to begin the feastings 12 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: and pantomimes and festivities of their wedding week, surrounded by 13 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: his Huguenot friends, and she Margot had gone to sit 14 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: in their palaces at the Louver with her sister. The 15 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: marriage hadn't been consummated yet her new husband, and Henry 16 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: of Navarre probably assumed from her stony face at the 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 1: ceremony that she wouldn't be willing and welcoming him to 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: her bed. But he should have known that Margot was 19 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 1: a girl who did her duty. That was the only 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: reason why she was there in the first place, marrying 21 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: a Protestant heretic at all, and so four days after 22 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: their wedding, when the festivities still raged on, when Margot 23 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: woke to a knock at her door. She assumed for 24 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: a moment that it was her husband, but the knocking 25 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 1: became more frantic, and then there was the crying, not 26 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: the crying of a woman or child, but the full 27 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: throated weeping of a grown man, like a wounded animal. 28 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: Then the shouting began, a stranger's voice screaming, please, Henry, Please, 29 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: There was a stranger in the hallway, shouting for her husband. 30 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: Her husband wasn't there, but pulling her white night dress 31 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: close to her body, Margo opened the door. A man 32 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 1: collapsed on to her, hugging her around the waist, sobbing 33 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: into her stomach. When he fell away, she saw that 34 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: her night dress was painted with blood. Before she could 35 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: react to the weeping man, Margot heard the clattering of 36 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: heavy footsteps and turned to see four men for archers, 37 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: with their arrows poised for a deadly shot. They began 38 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 1: to race up the hallway, no doubt, looking for the 39 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: man who was now cowering at her feet. The archers 40 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: were in her house colors. They were royal soldiers, serving 41 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: her brother, King Charles the Ninth, and serving her mother, 42 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: the formidable Catherine de Medici. When the soldiers saw Margo, 43 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: they lowered their weapons and gave brief bows. Their chests 44 00:02:54,840 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: heaved with exhilaration. Their shirts were translucent with sweat. This 45 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: man is under my protection, Margot said. The wounded man 46 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: began kissing her feet. The four soldiers hesitated for a moment, 47 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: but then moved on, running back down the hall with 48 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: their bows still strung. It's okay, Margot said to the stranger, 49 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: the bloody Huguenot, you're safe, but please tell me what's happening. 50 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: He didn't have to answer. At that very moment, the 51 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: street outside Margot's window ignited with the sound of misery 52 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: and death. The bells in the church had just rung 53 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: three in the morning, and that had been the signal 54 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: to unleash a massacre and the Huguenots that had all 55 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: arrived in Paris to celebrate the wedding of their leader 56 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: to a princess of France. It's impossible to know how 57 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: many lives were taken but estimates put the death toll 58 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: in Paris alone at three thousand. From there, things only 59 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: got worse. What Catherine de Medici and her son, Charles 60 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: the Ninth unleashed in France was a monster that to 61 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: inspiral out of their control, far beyond what they had 62 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: originally intended. But religious hatred isn't a weapon that can 63 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: be harnessed with any control. What should have been a 64 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: wedding to cement a religious peace became the catalyst for 65 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: an orgy of death and violence that lasted for months. 66 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: Young Margot Valois was caught between loyalty to her family 67 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: and to her husband, and she watched at the center 68 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: of a nation as it crumbled into chaos. I'm Dana Schwartz, 69 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: and this is noble blood. The monarchy in France was Catholic, 70 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: and the only thing they hated more than Protestants was Spain. 71 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: That's what Admiral Decliny was counting on when he came 72 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: to court to try to convince the young King Charles 73 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: the Ninth to support the Protestants campaign in the Netherlands 74 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: against the Spanish. Charles was only ten when he ascended 75 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: to the throne, and by all accounts He was a 76 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: wish yoshi leader, enfeebled by his dependence on his mother, 77 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: Catherine de Medici, who controlled all of Court with her 78 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: brilliant maneuvering and infinite network of spies. But Catherine was 79 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: not a stranger to bloodshed, and she wasn't above disposing 80 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: of an enemy when it suited her. But she was 81 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: against war in particular. She was against an expensive war 82 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: in the Netherlands to help the Protestants of all people, 83 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: when the real threat to her power was coming from 84 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: much closer to home, from the scheming noble Geese family 85 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 1: there in France, and from the ever looming presence of 86 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: Elizabeth the First in England. But Charles the Ninth was 87 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: a young man and a young king. Young Men and 88 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: young kings want to prove themselves in war. Peace is 89 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: a far less immediate glory. All Cologny needed to do 90 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: was get Charles the Ninth alone. It wasn't too difficult. 91 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: Charles the Ninth had been so young when his father, 92 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: the King died in a tragic jousting accident, and Coligny 93 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: was Protestant, sure, but he was also charming and patient 94 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 1: and persuasive. He spent hours with Charles, listening to his 95 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: plans and ideas, goading him on. Colanny even went to 96 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: Mass with him, even if he made a special point 97 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: not to remove his hat. Colony began pulling young Charles 98 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: further away from his mother. He told Charles not to 99 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: share their plans for the Netherlands with Catherine. Those plans, 100 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: he said, are not for the ears of clerks or women. 101 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: Catherine fumed, why did achieving peace need to be such 102 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: a battle? As a dowager queen. One of her most 103 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: important remaining chess pieces was her daughter, Margot. Nineteen year 104 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: old Margot celebrated as one of the most beautiful and 105 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: cultured girls in the world, who spoke four languages with 106 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: ease and impressed all who saw her with her wit 107 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: and the way she danced as if she were gliding. 108 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: The people loved her and loved her even more when 109 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: they heard that she was in love with the equally 110 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: charming Duke of Geese, two shining, beautiful Catholic teenagers to 111 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: represent the future of France. The people were thrilled, except 112 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: there was no way Catherine de Medici would allow her 113 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: daughter to marry a Geese. The Geese family was already 114 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: too powerful, too threatening to her family line. When she 115 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: found a love letter written from Margot to the Duke, 116 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: she had Margot brutally beaten and her lover banished from court. 117 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: He was forced to marry another woman. Margot would also 118 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: be forced to marry a Protestant, which for the devout 119 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: young woman was a fate worse than death. Henry of 120 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: Navarre was the de facto leader of the French Protestants 121 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: or Hugo Nuts, ever since the death of his mother, 122 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: who died while finalizing marriage negotiations with Henry's future mother 123 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: in law, Catherine de Medici. The rumors were that Katherine 124 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: had Henry's mother murdered with a pair of poisoned gloves. 125 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: There were a few reasons Catherine de Medici was forcing 126 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: her daughter to marry the leader of an enemy faction. 127 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: For one, the religious wars between the Catholics and the 128 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: huge Gnats had been raging in France for decades. A 129 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: big wedding between a Catholic and a Protestant, assuming they 130 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,719 Speaker 1: could get the approval of the Pope, would be a 131 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: massive symbolic gesture to signal a unified France. Henry was 132 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: a high ranking noble King of Navarre and not too 133 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: far down the line for the throne of France himself. 134 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: By marrying him, Margot would be uniting two major French houses, 135 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: hers the Valois and his the Bourbons, all the better 136 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: to face off against the third family, the Geezas, and 137 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: claiming Henry was also a defensive move. Rumor was that 138 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: Coligny had sent an envoy to try to arrange a 139 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: marriage between Henry and Queen Elizabeth the First in England, 140 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: two important Protestant monarchs united. It was unthinkable Henry would 141 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: marry Margot. He would have to if he wanted any 142 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: French support at all for that Protestant campaign in the Netherlands. 143 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: Margot was one of the most cultured women in Europe 144 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: in the world. She was the sister to a king, 145 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: the daughter of a king, but she was above all 146 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: a daughter, and so her purpose was to serve as 147 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: a pawn through a strategic marriage. But as it turned out, 148 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: Marco was going to be more than just upon. She 149 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: was going to be bait. Margot of Valois and Henry, 150 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: King of Navarre arrived at their wedding in all of 151 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: this splendor that could be expected for their status Margot 152 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: wore a blue gown with a train ten ft long. 153 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: Henry was in a yellow cape embroidered with diamonds and pearls. 154 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: The two of them, beautiful and nineteen years old, glittered 155 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: like gems themselves in the crowded Parisian street. The capital 156 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: was filled with people. There were citizens who came from 157 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: all over the country to see their beloved Margot married. 158 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: There were protesters furious she wasn't marrying the dashing Duke 159 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: of Geese that everyone knew she was secretly in love with, 160 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: and Henry's followers, the Huguenots, came from all over as well, 161 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: wearing their customary black and white, carrying bags heavy with 162 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: armor and weaponry so they could go straight from the 163 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: festivities in Paris to the battlefield against the Spanish in 164 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: Flanders and the Netherlands. The marriage took place on a 165 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: hastily erected wooden platform outside of Notre Dame Cathedral, out 166 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: in the air, where everyone could see. During the ceremony, 167 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 1: when the bishop asked Margot if she took this man 168 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 1: to be her lawfully wedded husband, she stood completely still, unmoving, unspeaking. 169 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: Her brother, King Charles the Ninth, was standing behind her, 170 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: he forced her head down in a nod of assent. 171 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: The wedding ceremony was complete, at least the ceremony that 172 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: involved Henry was complete. Margot and the rest of her 173 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 1: Catholic family went inside the cathedral for Catholic Mass, where 174 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: the roll of Margot's groom was symbolically occupied by Margot's brother, Anjou. 175 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 1: As massive as a royal wedding between a Catholic and 176 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: a Protestant king should have been, something even more consequential 177 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: happened the very next afternoon. Admiral de Colgny, in Paris 178 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: for the wedding, decided to take an afternoon walk, and 179 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: while Colanny was walking, he happened to notice that a 180 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: buckle on his shoe was undone. Colonny bent down to 181 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:48,079 Speaker 1: adjust his shoe when an arrow came whizzing past him, 182 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: severing a finger and breaking his elbow. Had he not 183 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: been bending down at that very moment, it would have 184 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: hit him directly in the heart. There would be assassin 185 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: fled and went uncaptured. If you were to ask Catherine 186 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 1: de Medici who was behind the failed assassination, she would 187 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: tell you that, no doubt it was the Geese family. 188 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: After all, everyone knew the geese As had a long 189 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: held grudge against Colony for personal reasons. They held Colony 190 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: responsible for the death of their family patriarch during one 191 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: of the many religious wars that had plagued France over 192 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: the decades. But maybe the Gheese family had come to 193 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:34,359 Speaker 1: Catherine to inquire about a possible assassination of the admiral. 194 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 1: And if they had, not, saying they did. But if 195 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: they had, well, why wouldn't she say, yes, an assassination 196 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: of Colony you would solve two of her problems at once. First, 197 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,959 Speaker 1: it would rid her of that pesky Protestant who had 198 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 1: so much undue influence over her son. And since everyone 199 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: knew the Gheese family hated Colony, everyone would assume they 200 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: were the ones responsible for it. Win win. But after 201 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: the assassination failed, the Huguenots were furious. They had come 202 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: into the city to celebrate a marriage meant to cement peace, 203 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,079 Speaker 1: only to suffer an assassination attempt on one of their 204 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: most prominent leaders. It was a disgrace. Colony went to 205 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: King Charles the Ninth himself in order to demand that 206 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: he got to the bottom of it. Charles promised a 207 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: full investigation and the full force of his justice wherever 208 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: it led. As it turns out, it led to his mother. 209 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: When he came to her, Catherine de Medici closed the 210 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: doors of the meeting. The fact of the matter was 211 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: whoever planned the assassination attempt. The Huguenots were angry, and 212 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: the Huguenots ready to leave for battle were armed. They 213 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: were probably planning their revenge, now a plot to overthrow 214 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: the monarchy, to kill the king and put their own 215 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: Henry of Navarre in charge. King Charles and his entire 216 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: family was in danger, but there was one thing he 217 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: could do. Katherine de Medici coud he could strike a 218 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: preemptive attack. She and her ministers had made up a 219 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: list of all of the most prominent Huguenot officials all 220 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: in the city for the wedding. All they had to 221 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: do was strike while they still had the advantage. The 222 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,239 Speaker 1: weak king weighed his options. He looked into the smiling 223 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: faces of his mother and his brother and their advisers, 224 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: and then he looked back down at the list. Okay, 225 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: King Charles the Ninth said kill them all. The night 226 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: before the massacre was scheduled to begin Margot spent the 227 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: evening with her sister Claude in the side of the 228 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: palace where their family and the rest of the Catholic 229 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: wedding guests were staying, segregated from the Protestant Huguenot visitors, 230 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: where Margot was supposed to be sleeping with her new husband. 231 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: Since the wedding ceremony, Margot's new chambers were on the 232 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: Huguenot side. Claude had been in rooms where the Catholics 233 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: had been making their furtive plans, rooms where they discussed 234 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: daggers and ways into bedrooms where they had agreed upon 235 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: the three a m Church bell as their starting signal. 236 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: Margot knew nothing. Their mother had made that very clear. 237 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: Margot could not know anything, so now here she was 238 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: in Claude's room while Claude stroked and brushed her hair, 239 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: completely oblivious to the fact that in five hours Hell 240 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: would be unleashed upon her new husband's clan. Claude looked 241 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: down at her younger sister. Margot's head was on Claude's 242 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: lap and her eyes were closed. Claude tried to attract 243 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: their mother's attention without rousing marg Go. Claude made her 244 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: eyes wide. Katherine de Medici looked away. Mom Claude said, finally, Camp, Margot, 245 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: sleep in our rooms tonight, just for tonight. Catherine, doing 246 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: her sewing, barely seemed to register what her daughter was saying. 247 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: Whatever four she responded, mom Claude said again, her voice 248 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: beginning to strain around the edges. Who knew how violent 249 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 1: the morning's assassins would be, Who knew the extent of 250 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: the chaos and anarchy that could put beautiful Margot in danger? 251 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: She can just stay in our rooms just tonight. Don't 252 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: send her back. By now Margot was awake and concerned 253 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: by the urgency and her sister's voice. Catherine continued sewing. 254 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: Margot has to go back to the Huguenot rooms, otherwise 255 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 1: it would arouse suspicion, arouse suspicions about what. Margot asked, 256 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: what's going going on? Neither Catherine nor Claude answered her, 257 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,719 Speaker 1: and neither made eye contact with Margot as she wrapped 258 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:09,919 Speaker 1: herself in her gown and made her way down the 259 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: long hallway back to the rooms on the other side 260 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: of the palace, rooms that in only a few hours 261 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: would be tripping in blood. The three am Church bells 262 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: echoed through the moonless night. The first target was Admiral 263 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: de Cologne, who had survived one assassination attempt but would 264 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: not survive another. Half a dozen of the King's men, 265 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 1: Swiss mercenaries, came into Colonny's room and beat him to 266 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: death before they threw his body out the window. The 267 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 1: soldiers were shaking with fear and adrenaline when they came 268 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: to kill Colangnye, but Colonny himself was remarkably calm. Hours later, 269 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: when all of the killing was over, one of the 270 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,360 Speaker 1: mercenaries would remark that he had never seen a man 271 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: less afraid of death. Perhaps he would have been afraid 272 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: if he had known what was to come. The dozen 273 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: or so names of the Huguenot leadership on the list 274 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: were murdered in under two hours, and yet the killing 275 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 1: did not stop. Soon it became dreadfully apparent that the 276 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: King's mercenaries were no longer the only ones doing the killing. 277 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: The assassinations of the Huguenot leaders unleashed a volcano of 278 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: simmering religious resentment, and before long, Catholic citizens in the 279 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: streets were murdering the visiting Huguenots indiscriminately. It wasn't just 280 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: the men who were killed. Women young and old were 281 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 1: pulled into the street by their hair and drained of blood. 282 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: Children were slaughtered. Bodies were flung into the sin, which 283 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,919 Speaker 1: began to bubble red. Chains had been strung across the 284 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: streets to prevent Huguenot from escaping. They were trapped, and 285 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 1: the massacre was only beginning. The next afternoon, the king 286 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: himself rode out onto the streets and demanded that the 287 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: violence cease, that no more lives be taken. His words 288 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: went completely ignored. Margo managed to save a few lives 289 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: by allowing them refuge in her room, and her husband, 290 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: Henry of Navar, survived by making a quick pledge to 291 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: convert to Catholicism in order to make it out of 292 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: Paris and escape. The killing kept going for days. Estimates 293 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 1: put the number of victims at three thousand in Paris alone. 294 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: I say Paris alone, because as soon as word traveled 295 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: that the king had allowed killing of Protestants, the massacre 296 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: spread to the provinces. In at least twelve other major cities. 297 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: Protestants were slaughtered a blood bat that lasted all the 298 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: way from the summer until October. The number of deaths 299 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 1: changes depending on whether you ask the Protestants or the Catholics, 300 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: but estimator as high as thirty thousand souls. The wedding 301 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: that was meant to end the religious warfare in France 302 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: lead to its bloodiest chapter. That's the story of the St. 303 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: Bartholomew's Day massacre. Peace would eventually come to France, but 304 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: it would take just a little bit longer. Keep listening 305 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: after this brief sponsor break to hear about what Henry 306 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: of Navarre did next. The throne in France operated under 307 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: Salak law, which meant that only men linked through a 308 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: patrol in old bloodline were eligible to become king. After 309 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: the death of King Charles the Ninth at fourteen from tuberculosis, 310 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,680 Speaker 1: his brother Henry the Third became king. But Henry didn't 311 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: have any children, and so when the family's final son, Anjou, died, 312 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: the next man in line for the French throne became 313 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: Henry of Navarre, a Protestant. The thought of a Protestant 314 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: taking the throne launched what became known as the War 315 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,360 Speaker 1: of the Three Henry's, with King Henry the Third facing 316 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 1: off against Henry of Navarre, while a third, Henry, the 317 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: Duke of Gus, tried to establish his own claim to 318 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: the throne with the help of his many Catholic supporters. 319 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:47,680 Speaker 1: Margot's brother, her husband, and her first love were waging war. 320 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 1: Henry the third had the Duke of Guy's murdered, thinking 321 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: that if he were the only Catholic Henry left, he 322 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: surely would have support of the people. Unfortunately, the Duke 323 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 1: of Gus was beloved, and so the move utterly backfired, 324 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 1: with Henry's populace rising up against him. The kingdom was fractured, 325 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:12,479 Speaker 1: threatened both internally and externally by Catholics who hated Henry 326 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: the Third and hated Henry of Navarre, but for different reasons. 327 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: When Henry the Third died, assassinated by a fanatical monk, 328 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,719 Speaker 1: Henry of Navarre became King of France, but in name only. 329 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: He had not been able to take Paris militarily. But finally, 330 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: in fifteen ninety three, Henry of Navarre did something unbelievable, 331 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: something the royal court had been hoping that he would 332 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: do since back when he first became engaged to their 333 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: beautiful Margot. He converted to Catholicism. Famously. He's thought to 334 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 1: have said Paris is well worth a mass. The French 335 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: population accepted him as their king. The Pope undid his excommunication, 336 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: and in Henry of Navarre signed the Edict of Nant, 337 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: which offered religious freedom, of conscience and basic civil rights 338 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: for the Protestants. He had once led, well, he still 339 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 1: led them now he was after all, they're king. Noble 340 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: Blood is a production of I Heart Radio and Aaron Mankey. 341 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: The show is written and hosted by Dana Schwartz and 342 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: produced by Aaron Mankey, Matt Frederick, Alex Williams, and Trevor Young. 343 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: Noble Blood is on social media at Noble Blood Tales, 344 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: and you can learn more about the show over at 345 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: Noble blood Tales dot com. For more podcasts from I 346 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 347 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.