The Children of Adam and Eve

She was active in French politics during the reign of her son, Louis XIII.
In 1600 she became the second wife of Henry IV. They had six Children,
the eldest of whom became King as Louis XIII when his father was
assassinated in 1610. As regent during her son's minority, Marie was
dominated by her Italian advisers and, unlike her husband, followed a
pro-Spanish policy; she arranged to marry both Louis and his sister
Elizabeth into the Spanish royal family. At home, she proved unable to
control the turbulent French nobles. She was excluded from power by her
son in 1617, but was Readmitted to the royal council five years later.
Marie promoted the advancement of Armand Du Plessis de Richelieu, using
her influence to have him made a cardinal in 1622 and Louis's prime
minister in 1624. When Richelieu reversed her policy of alliance with
Spain, she turned against him. After failing in a plot to remove him in
1630, she went into permanent exile.

Marie de M?cis was a patron of the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens,
who illustrated her life in a brilliant series of 21 paintings (1622-24).