In the time of Catherine de Medici, "Italian" wassynonomous with "poisoner." Henry II is dead, and Catherine is now QueenRegent. But this spirited, somewhat morally decrepit woman is loved by few,if any. Although her children are terrified of her, Catherine will scheme --and kill -- to keep the Medici line on the throne. Strategic marriages andunexplainable deaths are apparently run-of-the-mill for this ambitiousQueen: a Queen who was second in power probably only to Elizabeth I.