Chapter I: Preface

In a former book I endeavoured, from information gathered out of the records of the first half of the fourteenth century, to give some idea of the court and social conditions of France at that time, and also of the first three Valois Queens, whose very existence appears unknown to the average English reader. This was no easy matter owing to the scarcity of details, which had to be carefully gleaned from amongst masses of histories and chronicles of battles, sieges, conspiracies, general councils, and other public events.

The present volume treats of the years between the latter part of the fourteenth and beginning of the sixteenth centuries, about which so much more information exists that I have found it necessary to abandon, for want of space, my intention of giving a short account of the courts of Marie d’Anjou and Charlotte de Savoie, wives of Charles VII. and Louis XI., who took very little part in public affairs; and to give a much shorter account of the reign of Anne de Bretagne.

Very little has been written about Isabeau de Bavière, and much less still concerning Jeanne de Bourbon, whereas a great deal is known of Anne de Bretagne, the history of whose life has more than once been related. To an interesting biography of her by Louisa Stuart Costello, and an invaluable one by Le Roux de Lincy I am much indebted. I have, as before, consulted many early chronicles, histories, and letters, French, English, German, Italian, and Spanish, besides the works of various excellent modern writers, whose names I quote. Accuracy being of the greatest importance in books like these, I give, in reply to the observation of a critic, that the lines I quoted referring to the siege of Cassel are incorrect, the original of De Nangis:--

“In dicto vero castro, in regis et totius Francorum exercitus
derisum et subsannationem, in quodam eminenti loco posuerant
Flammingi quemdam gallum permaximum de tela tincta, dicentes:
‘Quando gallus iste cantabit, rex Cassellum capiet vi armorum.’
Unde et gallice in gallo scriptum erat:

‘Quand ce coq chanté aura,
Le Roy Cassel conquestera.’”[1]

I quoted these lines from the “Grandes Chroniques.”[2]

To another critic who says he has never heard of the “Grand dictionnaire de Morèry,” and suggests that no such book exists, I can only reply that I have it upon my shelves. It is in several folio volumes, was published at Paris 1699, and is quoted by various historians. It is sometimes spelt “Morèri.”

CONTENTS

_REIGN OF CHARLES V. AND JEANNE DE BOURBON._

CHAPTER I. PAGE

The House of Bourbon--Marriage of Pierre de Bourbon and Isabelle
de Valois--Birth of their children--Betrothal of Jeanne to the
Comte de Savoie--To the Dauphin Humbert--Her marriage with the
heir of France--Character of Charles--Death of Philippe VI.
--Coronation of King and Queen--Charles invested with Duchy of
Normandy--Marriage of the Queen of Spain--Pedro el Cruel--
Marriage of the Comtesse de Savoie--Death of the Duc de Bourbon
at Poitiers 1

CHAPTER II.

France after the Battle of Poitiers--The Jacquerie--The Marché de
Meaux--The Comte de Foix and the Captal de Buch--Rescue of the
Dauphine--Vengeance of the nobles 16

CHAPTER III.

Return of Charles and Jeanne to Paris--Marriage of Catherine de
Bourbon to the Comte de Harcourt--The Céléstins--The Treaty of
Bretigny--Marriage of Isabelle de France to Giovanni Visconti--
Return of the King--Death of the children of the Dauphine--The
plague--The Duchy of Burgundy 33

CHAPTER IV.

King Jean returns to England--His death--Coronation of Charles V.
and Jeanne de Bourbon--Murder of Blanche, Queen of Spain--The
Céléstine Church--The Abbey of Chelles--The King’s library--
Magnificence of the Court--Birth and death of the second Princess
Jeanne 49

CHAPTER V.

Comet--Meeting of Parliament--Marriage of the Queen’s sister--
The Louvre and its gardens--Christine de Pisan--The Dauphin
--His christening--War--French victories--Prosperity of
France--Hôtel St. Paul--Birth of Marie de France--Capture and
liberation of the Queen’s mother--Bonne, Comtesse de Savoie--
Birth of Louis and Isabelle de France--Louis, Duc de Bourbon 68

CHAPTER VI.

Illness of the Queen--Her recovery--Floods in Paris--Death of
several princesses of the royal family--Bertrand du Guesclin--
Court of Charles V. and Jeanne de Bourbon--The peers of France
--The King’s will--Betrothal of his daughters--Visit of the
Emperor--The Emperor Charles and the Duchess-dowager de Bourbon
--Birth of the Princess Catherine--Death of the Queen--Of the
Princess Isabelle--Grief of the King--His death 89

_REIGN OF CHARLES VI. and ISABEAU DE BAVIERE._

CHAPTER I.

The House of Wittelsbach--Stephan von Wittelsbach and Taddea
Visconti--Birth of Isabeau--Negotiations for her marriage--
Her journey to Brussels--The fair of Amiens--Her interview with
the King--Her wedding--Charles and Louis de France 107

CHAPTER II.

Royal Family and Court of France--Birth and death of Charles and
Jeanne de France--Dress and amusements--The Abbey of St. Denis
--Knighthood of the King of Sicily--The ball--Duchesse de
Berry--Valentine Visconti 124

CHAPTER III.

State entry of Isabeau into Paris--Magnificent fêtes--Southern
tour of Charles and Louis--Bad health of Charles--Bonne
d’Artois and Jean de Clermont--Dreadful storm--Birth of Dauphin
--Death of Blanche, Duchesse d’Orléans--Pierre de Craon and the
Constable de Clisson--Madness of the King 147

CHAPTER IV.

Tyranny of the Duchess of Burgundy--Birth of Marie de France--
The Duchesse de Berry saves La Rivière--Doctor Hassely--The
King recovers--The Masquerade--Dreadful fire--King ill--
The sorcerers--King recovers--Dr. Fréron--King ill again
--Accusations against Louis and Valentine d’Orléans--Birth of
Louis de France--Betrothal of Isabelle de France to Richard II.
of England--Their marriage--Disastrous crusade--Marriage of
Jeanne de France to Duc de Bretagne--Marie de France takes the
veil 166

CHAPTER V.

Illness of the King--Execution of the sorcerers--Birth of Jean de
France--Death of Queen Blanche de Navarre--Household of Isabeau
--Ludwig of Bavaria--Ancient Paris--The Queen’s châteaux
--Burgundy and Orléans--Henry of Lancaster--The plague--
Revolution in England--The Dauphin Charles 192

CHAPTER VI.

Courage of the young Queen of England--Death of the Dauphin--
Birth of Catherine de France--Intrigues of Louis d’Orléans, and
quarrels at Court--Return of the Queen of England--Burgundians
and Orléanists--Birth of Charles de France--Dreadful storms--
Death of Duke of Burgundy--Illness of Duc de Berry--Conduct
of Savoisy--Frère Jacques Legrand--The Princess Marie’s choice
--Accident in the forest--The King and the Dauphin--Jean
Sans-peur--The King ill--Eclipse--Royal weddings--The great
winter--Murder of Louis d’Orléans 212

CHAPTER VII.

Departure of Royal Family--Hundred Years’ War--Valentine
d’Orléans--Queen’s return to Louvre--Death of Valentine--
Forced reconciliation--Philippe de Bourgogne and Michelle de
France--Misconduct of the Duc de Bretagne--Death of Isabelle de
France--Of the Duc de Bourbon--Quarrels of the Duke and Duchess
of Aquitaine--Of the princes 242

CHAPTER VIII.

Riots led by Burgundy--The Duc d’Aquitaine’s ball--His quarrels
with Burgundy--The Comte de Charolais--The Battle of Azincourt
--Death of Louis d’Aquitaine--The Dauphin Jean--His court
--His death--Imprisonment of the Queen--Jean Sans-peur
rescues her--Enters Paris by night--Massacre of Armagnacs--
The Dauphin Charles--Murder of Jean Sans-peur--Marriage of
Catherine de France to Henry V.--Departure for England--Birth
of a son--Return to Paris--Festivities--Death of Henry V.--
Death of Charles VI.--Retirement of the Queen--Henry VI. enters
Paris--Treaty of Arras--Death of Isabeau 260

Marie D’Anjou, wife of Charles VII.; Charlotte de Savoie, wife of
Louis XI. 299

_REIGN OF ANNE DE BRETAGNE, WIFE OF CHARLES VIII. and LOUIS XII._

CHAPTER I.

Birth of Anne and Isabelle--Their childhood--Louis d’Orléans--
Alain d’Albret--Death of François II.--First council--French
war--Marriage ceremony--Siege of Rennes 303

CHAPTER II.

Joustes before Rennes--Death of Isabelle--Betrothal of Anne--
Marguérite of Austria--Marriage of Anne to Charles VIII.--Birth
of the Dauphin--Italian war--Return of Charles--Death of Dauphin
--Birth and death of other children--Death of Charles VIII. 316

CHAPTER III.

Despair of the Queen--Resumes duchy--Friendship with Louis XII.
--Returns to Bretagne--King’s divorce--Charlotte d’Aragon--
Marriage of Anne to Louis XII.--Italian war--Birth of Claude
de France--Splendour of the Court--Hôtel des Tournelles--The
Maids of Honour--Disasters in Italy 328

CHAPTER IV.

Ludovico Sforza--Shipbuilding--Queen’s gardens--Library--
Treasures--Dress--Betrothal of Claude de France--Archduke’s
visit--Illness of King--Maréchal de Gié--Second illness of
King--Queen in Bretagne--Second betrothal of Princess Claude 341