The massacre of Huguenots began in Paris, deeply associating Catherine with the event.
Beginning on August 24, 1572, the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre unleashed brutal violence against the Huguenots in Paris. The massacre followed the politically tense wedding of Margaret and Henry of Navarre, descending into days of slaughter. Long blamed for her involvement, Catherine's role remains a matter of historical debate. The massacre remains a somber chapter of Catherine’s regency and profoundly influenced religious policy and Protestant-Catholic relations in France.