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Caterina de Medici in 1547 alongside her husband Henry II of France arrived at court with her cooks, carpenter, tailors and all the skilled labour required for
habits acquired from her Tuscan upbringing. She exemplified how cooking could be employed for developing alliances and influencing politics. Despite her problematic political
role, as she ruthlessly fought with many people she is famed for her achievements. When her husband died at a young age and her three sons were all future kings, the matriarch
ruled from behind them in the ‘age of Caterina di Medici’. Hereby, she made many enemies in the French courts due to her hard-line policies and persecution. One such result
was the flight of the French Huguenots in order to escape death. Although unpopular politically, her lasting cultural legacy has underpinned much of the French social habits, and
represents a barometer and milestone in cultural development.
