Cosimo Ruggeri, in France called Côme Ruggieri (died 28 March 1615), was an Italian astrologer, favorite, and influential adviser of the queen regent of France,

Catherine de Medici Catherine de' Medici ( it, Caterina de' Medici, ; french: Catherine de Médicis, ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Florentine noblewoman born into the Medici family. She was Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to King ...

. He was the subject of many legends in the folklore of Catherine de Medici, and reputed as a master of the occult, black magic, and witchcraft during his lifetime.

Life

Cosimo Ruggeri's presence at the French royal court is first attested in 1571. He was a part of the entourage of the Tuscan ambassador to France, Petrucci; known for his scholarly knowledge, he was a tutor of the Italian language to

Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France Elisabeth of Austria (5 July 1554 – 22 January 1592) was Queen of France from 1570 to 1574 as the wife of King Charles IX. A member of the House of Habsburg, she was the daughter of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maria of Spain. ...

. After claims of being able to predict the future through his knowledge in astrology, he was no longer well seen by Elisabeth, but reported to have become be a favorite of the queen mother, who asked him of advice in matters of state because of his alleged ability to predict the future, and is said to have came to exert influence over her with his alleged occult knowledge in the dark arts. In 1574, he became implicated in the attempted homicide of

Joseph Boniface de La Môle Joseph Boniface de La Môle (c. 1526 – 30 April 1574) was a French nobleman. He was the son of Jacques Boniface, seigneur de la Môle et de Colobrières, of Marseille. Life La Môle was the Provençal lover of Marguerite de Valois, among others ...

, when he was reputedly hired to bring about the death of Charles IX by the use of sorcery. He was arrested and sentenced to the galleys for complicity. However, the verdict was never made use of, and in 1585, he was also pardoned formally. The reason for this is regarded to have been his relation to the queen mother. In 1598, he was prosecuted for having manufactured a doll of

Henry IV of France Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

with the intent of murder through sorcery, but freed. During the queenship of

Marie de' Medici Marie de' Medici (french: link=no, Marie de Médicis, it, link=no, Maria de' Medici; 26 April 1575 – 3 July 1642) was Queen of France and Navarre as the second wife of King