Cosimo Ruggeri, in France called Côme Ruggieri (died 28 March 1615), was an Italian

astrologer Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that propose that information about human affairs and terrestrial events may be discerned by studying the apparent positions ...

alchemist Alchemy (from the Arabic word , ) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. In its Western form, alchemy is first ...

haruspex In the Ancient Roman religion, religion of ancient Rome, a haruspex was a person trained to practise a form of divination called haruspicy, the inspection of the entrails of Animal sacrifice, sacrificed animals, especially the livers of sacrifi ...

favourite A favourite was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In Post-classical Europe, post-classical and Early modern Europe, early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated signifi ...

, and influential adviser of the queen regent of France,

Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici (, ; , ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian Republic of Florence, Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to Henry II of France, King Henry II. Sh ...

. 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 a favorite of the queen mother, who asked him for 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 other ...

, 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 (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...

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

Marie de' Medici Marie de' Medici (; ; 26 April 1575 – 3 July 1642) was Queen of France and Navarre as the second wife of King Henry IV. Marie served as regent of France between 1610 and 1617 during the minority of her son Louis XIII. Her mandate as rege ...

, he was a personal friend of the queen's favorites

Concino Concini Concino Concini, 1st Marquis d'Ancre (23 November 1569 – 24 April 1617) was an Italian politician, best known for being a minister of Louis XIII of France, as the favourite of Louis's mother, Marie de Medici, Queen regent of France. In 1617, he ...

and

Leonora Dori Leonora Dori Galigaï (19 May 1568 – 8 July 1617) was a French courtier of Italian origin, an influential favourite of the French regent Marie de' Medici, mother of King Louis XIII of France. Galigaï was married to Concino Concini, the later ...

. When he died in Paris in 1615, riots broke out because of rumors about magicians caused by his refusal to receive sacrament on his deathbed, which was also the subject of a libel against him, denouncing him as a sorcerer.

Legends

Many famous legends are told about Cosimo Ruggeri, his relation to Catherine de Medici and his alleged knowledge in the occult. He was summoned by Catherine de Medici after

Luca Gaurico Luca Gaurico (in Latin, Lucas Gauricus) (Giffoni March 12, 1475 – March 6, 1558, in Rome) was an Italian astrologer, astronomer, astrological data collector, and mathematician. He was born to a poor family in the Kingdom of Naples, and studi ...

, the Bishop of Civita-Ducale, predicted that "St. Gervais shall see you erdie". Catherine de Medici requested his presence as an entertainer, but also as a consultant due to his knowledge of and experience with the occult. She gave him the Abbey of St. Mahé in Brittany to entice him to stay in her service. The prediction made about Catherine's death was supposedly fulfilled because her attending physician at her deathbed bore the same name. He allegedly correctly predicted to Catherine de Medici that three of her sons would be kings, and how long they would reign, by the help of an enchanted mirror in the Chaumont-sur-Loire.

References

* Eugène Defrance, Catherine de Médicis, ses astrologues et ses magiciens envoûteurs : Documents inédits sur la diplomatie et les sciences occultes du xvie siècle, Paris, Mercure de France, 1911, 311 p. *Paul Christian & Ross Nichols, The Practice and History of Magic, United States, New York, 1969, 6 p. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruggeri, Cosimo 16th-century births Year of birth unknown 1615 deaths French courtiers Italian chemists Poisoners Italian astrologers 16th-century astrologers Italian occultists Italian alchemists 16th-century occultists 16th-century Italian scientists Household of Catherine de' Medici Witch trials in France

Life

Legends

See also

References