A three-volume work of historical biography, this book tells the story of Marie de Medicis, one of the most influential women of 17th century France. The author, Julia Pardoe, provides a detailed account of Marie's life, from her childhood in Italy to her marriage to King Henry IV of France, and her subsequent role as regent during the minority of her son, Louis XIII. This book is a fascinating look at the politics and culture of the French court during a turbulent period of history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.