Editing Château de Chenonceau (section)

===Catherine de' Medici===
After King Henry II died in 1559, his strong-willed widow and regent [[Catherine de' Medici]] forced Diane to exchange it for the [[Château Chaumont]].{{Sfn |Garrett|2010|p=93}}  Queen Catherine then made Chenonceau her own favourite residence, adding a new series of gardens.

[[File:Chateau de Chenonceau..jpg|thumb|left|View from the northeast showing the chapel and the library]]

As [[Regent]] of France, Catherine spent a fortune on the château and on spectacular nighttime parties.  In 1560, the first-ever fireworks display seen in France took place during the celebrations marking the ascension to the throne of Catherine's son [[Francis II of France|Francis II]].  The grand [[Long gallery|gallery]], which extended along the existing bridge to cross the entire river, was dedicated in 1577. Catherine also added rooms between the chapel and the library on the east side of the ''[[corps de logis]]'', as well as a service wing on the west side of the entry courtyard.{{sfn|Hanser|2006|p=61}}

[[File:SchlossChenonceauPlanvonKatharinavonMedici.png|thumb|Project for the expansion of the château from  [[Jacques Androuet du Cerceau|Du Cerceau]]'s 1579 book]]
[[File:Chateau de Chenonceau,vue d'avion..JPG|thumb|Aerial view of the château and its gardens]]

Catherine considered an even greater expansion of the château, shown in an engraving published by [[Jacques Androuet du Cerceau]] in the second (1579) volume of his book ''Les plus excellents bastiments de France''. If this project had been executed, the current château would have been only a small portion of an enormous manor laid out "like pincers around the existing buildings."{{sfn|Hanser|2006|p=61}}