Catherine de' Medici left 400,000 écus to her servants, from doctors to maids of honour
Catherine de' Medici, hated by many and regarded as a spiteful, heartless schemer and a royal mischief-maker, spent her last minutes drawing up her will. It is even said that the will took so long that her son had to finish dictating his mother's last wishes for her. In her final document the Medici forgot no one: she listed not only those she had disinherited but also, for instance, all her servants. Everyone from her populous household received a share. To her servants she bequeathed 400 thousand écus. The money went to 23 physicians, 50 chambermaids, 51 singers from her chapel, 58 councillors, 76 gentlemen of the court, 108 secretaries and 112 ladies-in-waiting and maids of honour. Besides these 500 or so people, even labourers, cooks and footmen were mentioned in the will. Generous. So I am sure that, rumour notwithstanding, at least five hundred people remembered the deceased kindly.
