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and pierced with windows. The façade consisted of a centrally placed arched doorway
surmounted by an arcade of windows and topped with a simple pediment.
Although Henri de Gondi was the primary benefactor of the Jacobins of the rue Saint-
Honoré, Maria de’ Medici provided further support for the religious. In addition to authorizing
the establishment of the reformed order in Paris, she also paid for the construction of the Saint-
Hyacinthe chapel, located to the right of the high altar. Despite its prominent position within the
church and the patronage of the queen of France, the chapel was only described as having a
painting of St. Hyacinthe by Nicolas Colombel and a silver reliquary acquired by Anne of
Austria containing a relic of the saint. 46 A great deal more attention was devoted to the chapel
directly across the nave, bought by Catherine de Rougé du Plessis Belliere, widow of François de
Blanchefort de Crequi, maréchal de France. Descriptions of it include a detailed account of the
altar, with Ionic columns, an entablature, and a pediment, in addition to the kneeling statue of the
marshal. 47 The attention given to the latter chapel suggests that the one supported by Maria de’
Medici lacked more noteworthy elements, including royal insignia such as the royal arms,
monograms, or fleurs-de-lis.
Summary
Although Maria de’ Medici’s contribution to the churches she supported during the
regency varied considerably, the one consistent element is the lack of royal imagery tying the
buildings to their prestigious patron. The dual forces behind this approach to religious
architecture were the queen’s need to legitimize her authority and her desire to promote the
Catholic faith. The introduction of the Tridentine reforms through the establishment of numerous
religious orders and the lack of visual signs referencing the sovereign authority of a foreign
queen helped Maria de’ Medici to accomplish the overarching goals of the regency.
By 1617 Maria de’ Medici’s grip on power seemed assured. She had recently squelched
a rebellion ignited by Henri II de Bourbon, prince of Condé, while succeeding to fill the royal
council with numerous advisors sharing her political outlook. 48 Reinforcing the queen mother
was the growing power assumed by her favorite advisor, Concino Concini, who after securing
increasingly lucrative titles within the kingdom was on the verge of making himself duke and
peer of the realm. 49 Royal circles outside the sphere of Maria de’ Medici increasingly held the
ambitious advisor in disfavor. Not only had he provoked a rebellion among the nobles, but he
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