page_title: Château de Blois
section_title: Henry III
hierarchical_section_title: Château de Blois / History / Henry III
caption_attribution_description: The infamous "chambre de secrets" at the Chateau de Blois, rumoured to be where Catherine de Medici kept her poisons. Very likely apocryhal. Taken by me.
context_page_description: The Royal Château de Blois is located in the city center of Blois at the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans.
  The Château of Blois effectively controlled the town of Blois and comprises several buildings. Construction of these buildings began in the 13th century and ended in the 17th century. There are four architectural styles represented at the Chateau of Blois which include: 13th-century Medieval fortress, The Louis XII Gothic wing, The Francois I Renaissance wing, and the Gaston of Orleans Classical wing. It has 564 rooms and 75 staircases although only 23 were used frequently. There are 100 bedrooms, with a fireplace in each.
context_section_description: Driven from Paris during the French Wars of Religion, King Henry III lived at Blois and held the Estates-General convention there in 1576 and 1588. During the December 1588 convention the king had his arch-enemy, Henry I, Duke of Guise assassinated. The following day, the Duke's brother, Louis II, Cardinal of Guise was also assassinated.
caption: The "chambre des secrets", allegedly believed to be Catherine de' Medici's secret hiding place for poisons.
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