Catherine de' Medici marries into the French court as an orphaned teenager and is expected to bring in a fortune in dowry and produce heirs only to discover that her husband is in love with an older woman and that she cannot conceive children.
Episode 1
Queen Catherine begins to tell the story of her life to Rahima, a servant girl, revealing how she came to enter the French Royal Court at the age of 14.
Episode 2
Young Catherine begins to learn how to outwit the royal household in order to secure her future.
Episode 3
Prince Henri returns from war with a new mistress, Filippa, and a baby. Catherine resorts to extreme measures to produce an heir.
Episode 4
Catherine has become a mother. King Francis suffers a fall from his horse while hunting with Henri and Catherine.
Episode 5
King Henri departs to lead an army to defend France and places Catherine in charge as Regent, allowing her to test her powers further. Catherine asks Rahima to search Mary's room for a letter.
Episode 6
Catherine has a dream that predicts that her husband will be wounded while jousting. Catherine and Henri decide that their son Francis should delay his wedding to Mary.
Episode 7
Mary visits Rahima and recounts her side of the story of life at the Royal Court. Catherine and Mary have conflicting views when it comes to freedom of religion in France.
Episode 8
The planned kidnapping of King Francis goes awry but Catherine devises a new plan to allow her control of the country.