Catherine d'medici SHoe

Catherine de' Medici was born to the Medici family of Florence in 1519. Her parents were Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne. Both of her parents died shortly after her birth leaving her as the sole heiress to all of the possessions and holdings of the Medici family.

Clement and King Francis I of France arranged that Catherine was to be married to his second eldest son, Henry of Orleans. At age 14, she was described as, "small and slender, with fair hair, thin and not pretty in face, but with the eyes peculiar to all the Medici”. Her arrival at the palace in France for the wedding ceremonies was supposedly a time of great celebration. Catherine wanted a great impression on the Royal Court of France. Although short in stature, she wanted to make a grand entrance. In order to do this she consulted a Florentine artisan for help, who had presented her with the first example of the modern high-heeled shoe. Her arrival in France, while wearing these shoes, caused quite a stir.