Every time I walk near the Temple of the Oratory of the Louvre, I admit to have a small pinching out in front of the discreet statue of the Admiral Gaspard de Coligny. Oh! It is not both in front of this major figure of the Protestantism of the 16th century, murdered during the famous massacre of Saint-Barthélemy, that I am moved. Even if, somewhere, we share a similar Protestant faith.
No, in passing in front of this testimony of the violent story of France, I cannot refrain by thinking that the story belongs certainly to the winners. There is no thing new under the sun as would say the Ecclesiastes. Coligny, 5 centuries after his murder stays a hidden character whose tourist would have difficulty to notice the presence behind the bars of an eternal captivity. The religious wars, the pacification during the Henri IV reign, then the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV erased the tracks of a reformation which disturb this big country during almost two centuries. Although Cevennes are still marked by this historic Protestant presence.
You will have certainly understood this, I like the history in general and it is true that I was always fascinated by the history of Saint Barthélemy. Go to know why. But when I was a teenager I love Dumas and his musketeers. I had nevertheless no occasion to deepen the question. I thus stayed on this idea of Catherine de Médicis influencing her son, Charles IX king of France.
So, when I find this historical novel of Balzac dealing with the character of this queen of France come from Florence, I was delighted at the idea to kill two birds with one store: Firstly make a deep research of the history and then approach my first text of Balzac. I was not disappointed.
It is necessary to notice that the back cover of this paperback announced an extremely aggressive point of view and the legal action of Médecis. This approach is politically incorrect, by making wear to the Queen mother a coat soiled by blood.
I must say it; this reading was fascinating, rich and it carried by a high writing. The author mentioned the various actors of several decades of fight for the power under several reformations.
If Catherine de Médicis is in the center of this story, the context in which she evolves is dissected with accuracy: the intrigues of the house of the Way, the catholic leaders on several generations, the expectations of the kingdom of Navarre embodying the younger royal branch said Bourbons and the middle class, the occult advisers, the foreign queens, the common law wife.
Catherine de Médicis is an outstanding woman. Ambitious and woman of power was dedicated to the black arts, deprived of influence during the reign of her husband Henri II for the benefit of his common law wife, Diane de Poitiers, she is going to wait for the advent of her children in order to steer the country at war.
There is something extremely moving but also shocking. It was to notice that the reasons of state seemed to prevail over the life of her offspring.
The various interests of that period were examined by the 19 century author.
If the reformation impact is deep in the French society, in particular in the denunciation of the Roman Catholic Church, Balzac convinced that it remains a tool in the hands of belligerent in order to allow them to weigh in the fight of power which seems to escape to the Valois.
The portrait which he is raising of Jean Calvin is also rather surprising. According to him, Robespierre and Calvin: the same fight, the same initiative, the same madness? In spite of the modesty of the protesting in opposition with the excesses of the Roman, the man under the feather of Balzac one of his characters in search of the absolute power. This point of view must be developed.
The tempestuous episodes of this period both in Florence and in France are approached - even if Saint Barthélemy is finally evoked by fragments.
It is a good text.
Honore de Balzac - Sur Catherine de Medicis
Gangoueus and Moon Deley
