Greg Jenner

Right, so Mary, queen of Scots, is now queen of France. Francois is king of France, but he's only 15. Shappi, you've got a teenage boy.

OK, how would he do at ruling the country?

OK, how would he do at ruling the country?

So what level of power does the king have compared to the mother, Catherine de' Medici, who's now really running the show?

So what level of power does the king have compared to the mother, Catherine de' Medici, who's now really running the show?

So the Guises, G-U-I-S-E-S.

So the Guises, G-U-I-S-E-S.

There's also another family who are jockeying at court. So we've got the Guises family. So that's Mary's uncles. They are pretty, pretty scary blokes. There's also the Bourbons who make delicious biscuits. They're led by Antoine, king of Navarre, which is Spain or sort of near Spain, Navarre.

There's also another family who are jockeying at court. So we've got the Guises family. So that's Mary's uncles. They are pretty, pretty scary blokes. There's also the Bourbons who make delicious biscuits. They're led by Antoine, king of Navarre, which is Spain or sort of near Spain, Navarre.

So Antoine and his brother Louis Condé. So you've got the Bourbon family, you've got the Guises family. They're on opposite sides politically and religion-wise.

So Antoine and his brother Louis Condé. So you've got the Bourbon family, you've got the Guises family. They're on opposite sides politically and religion-wise.

And the Guises effectively kidnapped François. Yeah. They sort of sweep into the palace and they sort of stick him in a cupboard and kind of rule for him.

And the Guises effectively kidnapped François. Yeah. They sort of sweep into the palace and they sort of stick him in a cupboard and kind of rule for him.

Yeah. OK. OK, so the Guises and Catherine are sharing power at court. Catherine doesn't have that much power. But the Guises renege on their loans. They cut their pensions. They don't pay the soldiers. They are not good at running the country. People don't like them, right? They send troops off to Scotland because of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Yeah. OK. OK, so the Guises and Catherine are sharing power at court. Catherine doesn't have that much power. But the Guises renege on their loans. They cut their pensions. They don't pay the soldiers. They are not good at running the country. People don't like them, right? They send troops off to Scotland because of Mary, Queen of Scots.

So the French are starting to go, hang on a minute. But they also, of course, they're cracking down on the Protestants because the Boardmans are the Protestants.

So the French are starting to go, hang on a minute. But they also, of course, they're cracking down on the Protestants because the Boardmans are the Protestants.

And the Guises are Catholics. Then we have more bad news. Francois II suddenly becomes very unwell, Shepi.

And the Guises are Catholics. Then we have more bad news. Francois II suddenly becomes very unwell, Shepi.

And Catherine, having seen her, or seen many people in her life die, knows what's about to happen.