Yet, we must ask: is it always treason? Or is it a reclamation of agency? For royal women, loyalty to the crown often meant self-erasure. A daughter who refuses to be her mother’s pawn—who chooses her own husband, her own faith, or her own throne—is labeled a traitor by the very system that denies her autonomy. Similarly, a mother who sees her daughter as a political asset rather than a child may commit the original betrayal of motherhood: using her offspring as currency.

Caterina de' Medici played a significant role in orchestrating the marriage between Marguerite and her brother-in-law, Henry of Navarre, a Protestant leader. The union was intended to strengthen the Catholic Church's hold on France and solidify the de' Medici family's power. However, Marguerite's loyalty was torn between her mother and her husband, leading to a complicated dance of allegiances. When the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre occurred in 1572, Marguerite's actions, or lack thereof, have been interpreted as a betrayal of her husband and the Protestant community.

The "proper text" or core narrative usually details their attempt to survive in exile or their return to court to clear their names and reclaim their status. Historical Parallels: