READINGS FROM FRENCH HISTORY.
P. 215, c. 1.—“Gallia.” For Gallia and the tribes Aquitani, Celtæ and Belgæ, see Professor Wilkinson on Cæsar in “Preparatory Latin Course.”
“Burgundians.” A race of early Germans who in 407 A. D. crossed the Rhine and settled between the Rhone and Saone. In 534 Burgundy was taken possession of by the Franks.
“Franks.” See page 63 of the present volume of The Chautauquan.
“Clovis.” See page 129 of the present volume of The Chautauquan.
“Salian Franks.” There were two tribes of the Franks, one called Salian, from the river Sala or Yssel, upon which they dwelt, the other Ripuarian, from the Latin ripa, bank, the name showing their location on the banks of the Rhine.
“Merovingians.” See notes, page 185 of present volume of The Chautauquan.
“Childeric,” or Hilderik. The race had become so weak that the rulers have been well described as the “shadow kings.” This last ruler of the Merovingians was thrust into a convent, where he soon died.
“Pepin,” pēpˈin. The son of Charles Martel. See page 129 of The Chautauquan. His wars were successful. The most interesting was against the Lombards, who were threatening Rome. He compelled them to give up to the Church of Rome a considerable territory which was, says a writer, “The foundation of that temporal power of the papacy, the end of which we have seen with our own eyes.”
“Charlemagne,” sharˈle-mānˌ. See page 131 of fourth volume of The Chautauquan.
“Hugues.” Hugh, in English; “Capet,” cāˈpet or căpˈet.
“Louis le Gros.” Louis the Great.
“Feudal system.” That system where land is held of superiors, on condition of military service.
P. 215, c. 2.—“Oriflamme.” From the Latin auriflamma, or flame of gold. A flag or banner of red or flame colored cloth, cut into long points at the end and mounted on a gilded lance. It originated in a certain abbey of France, where it was used in religious services.
“Touraine,” tô-rān; “Poitou,” pwä-tôˈ. These provinces had come to England on the accession of Henry II. (1154), to whom they belonged.
“Gallican Church.” The Catholic Church of France, which holds certain doctrines differing from those of the church at large. This church claims that the pope is limited as far as France is concerned, by the decisions of the Gallican Church, that kings and princes are not subject to him, and that he is not infallible. This pragmatic sanction of St. Louis in 1269 was the most important outbreak against Rome that ever took place in the Gallican Church.
“Le Bel.” The Beautiful.
“Navarre,” nă-varˈ. A province of France on the northern slope of the Pyrenees.
“Champagne,” shŏnˌpäñˈ. See map.
“Brie,” bre. A former province of France, lying between the Seine and the Marne.
“Valois,” väl-wäˈ.
“Salic Law.” According to this, “no woman could succeed to Salian soil.” The only descendant of Charles IV. was his infant daughter, and when the lords met to decide on the succession after his death, they followed this law; for as Froissart says, “The twelve peers of France said and say that the crown of France is of such noble estate, that by no succession can it come to a woman nor a woman’s son.”
P. 216, c. 1.—“Le Sage,” the wise; “Crécy,” krĕsˈe; “Poiters,” pwä-terzˈ; “Le Bien Aime,” the Beloved; “Agincourt,” ă-zhan-koor; “Le Victorieux,” the Victor; “Le père du peuple,” the father of his people.
“Valois-Orleans.” Louis XII. was the representative of the line nearest to the Valois family, that is, he was a son of the Duke of Orleans, and a grandson of the younger brother of Charles VI., thus representing both families.
“Valois Angoulême,” ŏnˌgooˌlāmeˈ. Louis XII. dying without heirs, the kingdom fell to the heirs of his uncle, the Count of Angoulême. Francis became a competitor with Charles I., of Spain, for the throne of Spain, but the latter was successful. This led to the war which was ended by Francis being made a prisoner at Pavia.
“St. Bartholomew.” There had been a struggle for many years between the Protestants and Catholics, which finally took the form of a conflict between the houses of Guise and Condé. Henry of Navarre was the successor to the throne—a marriage was arranged between him and the sister of the king, and August 18, 1572, was to be the wedding day. Many of the leading Huguenots were in Paris. It has been said that this wedding was but a scheme to bring them together; at any rate Coligni, a leading Huguenot, was fired upon by an assassin. The Huguenots became excited and threatened revenge. Catherine persuaded her son that they intended massacring the Catholics, and Charles gave an order for a general slaughter of the Protestants. The order was executed in nearly every city and town of France, and nearly 100,000 persons were put to death.
“Confederation of the League.” This holy league, or “Catholic Union,” as it was called, was supported by the pope and Philip II., of Spain. Its head was Duke Henry of Guise, who aimed at the French throne.
“Guise,” gheez.
“Bourbon,” boorˈbon. A French ducal and royal family, different branches of which have ruled Spain, France, Naples and Parma. The civil wars which were carried on between these houses were no less than eight in number.
“Richelieu,” reshˈeh-loo.
“Mazarin,” măz-a-reenˈ.
“Fronde.” A faction which opposed putting all the power of France into the hands of the government, as Richelieu and Mazarin both attempted. The name of frondeurs (slingers) was applied to them because in their sneering and flippant attacks upon Mazarin they were said to resemble boys throwing stones from slings.
“Tiers état.” Third estate. Before the reign of Philip the Fair, the people had had no voice in the government; but in his struggle with the papacy, as he desired to have the whole body of citizens on his side, he convened an assembly of the middle class of citizens, beside the clergy and nobility. The third body was called the third estate.
P. 216, c. 2.—“États Généraux,” States general. An assembly of the nation, which consisted of representatives of the clergy, nobility, and the third estate.
“National Assembly.” Upon the meeting of the states general, the nobles and the clergy insisted that the meetings of the body and its deliberations should be conducted according to class distinctions; this met with the opposition of the third estate, who finally declared themselves the only body having a right to act as the legislature of France, and summoned the clergy and nobles to attend their deliberations. They called themselves the National Assembly.
“Bastille,” bas-teelˈ. The state prison and citadel of Paris. It was begun in 1366; destroyed in 1789.
“Marie Antoinette,” mäˈrēˌ ŏnˌtwäˈnĕtˈ.
“Dauphin.” The title given to the eldest son of the king of France, under the Valois and Bourbon lines. It corresponds to “Prince of Wales” in England. It originally belonged to the counts of Dauphiny.
“Cis-Alpine,” sis-alˈpin. On this side of the Alps, that is, on the south or Roman side.
“Marengo,” ma-rĕnˈgō; “Prestige,” prĕs-tijˈ.
P. 317.—“D’Artois,” darˌtwäˈ; “Louis Phillippe,” loo-ē fe-leep; “Coup d’état,” a stroke of policy in state affairs; “Sedan,” se-dänˈ, a town of France, 130 miles northeast of Paris; “Bordeaux,” bor-dō; “Thiers,” te-êrˈ; “Grèvy,” grā-vē.
P. 317, c. 2.—“Champs-de-Mars,” shân-duh-marce. An extensive parade ground of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine. It has been the scene of many very remarkable historic events, and is now used for great reviews, etc. The buildings of the exposition of 1867 were erected upon it.
“Friesland,” freeceˈland. A province of Holland.
“Teignmouth,” tinˈmuth.
“Hengesdown,” henˈges-down.
“Narbonnese,” narˌbonˌnesˈ. One of the four provinces into which Augustus divided Gaul was named from Narbonne, a city near the Mediterranean, Gallia Narbonensis or Narbonnese Gaul.
P. 318, c. 1.—“Montfort.” The wife of the duke of Brittany, who had succeeded his brother, Jean III. It seems that the latter had left the duchy to his nephew, Charles of Blois, but Montfort took possession. War was declared, and the king of France aided Blois, the king of England, Montfort. The latter was taken prisoner and his wife took the field.
“Blois,” blwä; “Penthièvre,” pĕnˈtĕvrˌ.
“Van Artevelde,” vän arˈta-velt. A citizen and popular leader of Ghent, who for a long time was almost ruler of Flanders. In this war the people, under Artevelde, supported the English, while the nobility were in sympathy with the French.
“Froissart,” froisˈärt. (1337-1410.) A French history writer.
“D’Harcourt,” därˈkōrtˌ.
“Harfleur,” har-flurˈ; “Cherbourg,” sherˈburg; “Valognes,” väˌloñˈ (n like ni in minion). “Carentan,” käˈrŏnˌtŏnˌ; “Caen,” kŏn; “Louviers,” looˌve-āˈ; “Vernon,” vĕrˌnōnˈ; “Verneuil,” vĕrˈnuhl; “Mantes,” mants; “Meulan,” moi-lăn; “Poissy,” pwâ-sē; “Ruel,” roo-äl; “Neuilly,” nuhˌyēˈ; “Boulogne,” bou-lōnˈ; “Bourg-la-reine,” boor-la-rain.
“Béthune,” bā-tün; “Ponthieu,” pŏn-te-ŭh.
P. 318, c. 2.—“Hainault,” ā-nōl; “De Vienne,” deh ve-enˈ; “De Manny,” deh mănˌneˈ.
P. 319, c. 1.—“Eustace de St. Pierre,” eūsˈtace deh sănˌpe-êrˈ; “D’Aire,” d’air; “Domremy,” dôn-rŭh-me; “Neufchâtel,” nushˌäˌtelˈ; “Vancouleurs,” vŏnˌkooˈluhrˌ; “Baudricourt,” bōˈdrēˌkoorˌ; “Chinon,” she-nōng.
“Cap-a-pie,” kăpˌa-peeˈ. From head to foot.
P. 319, c. 2.—“La pucelle,” the maid; “Trémoille,” trāˌ-mooyˈ; “Boussac,” booˈsäkˌ; “Xaintrailles,” zanˈträlˌyeˌ; “La Hire,” läˌērˈ; “Dunois,” düˈnwâˌ; “Jargeau,” zharˌghōˈ; “Meung,” mŭng; “Beaugency,” bōˈgán-cēˌ; “Patay,” pa-tāyˈ.
P. 320, c. 1.—“Compiègne,” kŏmˌpe-ānˈ; “Ligny,” lē-nyē; “Vendôme,” vŏnˌdōmˈ.
P. 320, c. 2.—“Épernon,” āˈpĕrˌnōnˌ; “Angoumois,” ŏnˈgooˌmwäˈ; “Saintonge,” săn-tōnzhˈ.
P. 321.—“Sancy,” sanˈcē; “Ile de France,” eel-deh-frŏnss; “Picardy,” picˈar-dee; “Auvergne,” ō-vĕrnˈ; “Gaetano,” gā-ā-täˈno, usually written Cajetan.
“Sorbonne,” sor-bŭn. The principal school of theology in the ancient university of Paris. Its influence was powerful in many of the civil and religious controversies of the country.
“Arques,” ark; “Dreux,” druh; “Evreux,” ĕvˈruhˌ; “Ivry,” ēvˈrēˌ; “Eure,” yoor.
P. 321, c. 2.—“Reiters,” rīˈters; “Mayenne,” mäˌyenˈ; “Meaux,” mō; “Senlis,” sŏnˌlēsˈ.
P. 322, c. 1.—“Brisson,” brēˌsōnˈ; “Grève,” grāv.
“Sully.” A French statesman, the chief adviser of Henry IV.
P. 322, c. 2.—“Bèarnese,” bāˈarˌnēseˌ. Bèarn, a former southwest province of France, belonged to the kings of Navarre. From this possession Henry IV. received the title of the Bèarnese.
“Eustache,” uhsˌtäshˈ; “Merri,” mā-rē; “Guincestre,” ghinˈcestrˌ; “Villeroi,” vēlˈrwä; “Vervins,” vĕr-vănˈ.
“Escurial,” ĕs-koo-re-älˈ. A palace and mausoleum of the kings of Spain.
P. 323, c. 1.—“Saluzzo,” sâ-lootˈso; “Rosny,” ro-ne; “Gontaut de Biron,” gŏnˈ-toˌ deh beˌ-rōnˈ; “Malherbe,” mälˌêrbˈ.
P. 323, c. 2. “Praslin,” präˌlănˈ; “Montbazon,” mōnˌbäˌzŏnˈ; “Crèqui,” krā-keˈ; “Mirabeau,” meˌräˌbōˈ.
“Equerry,” e-quĕrˈry. An officer of nobles, charged with the care of their horses.
“Cœur Couronné,” etc. The crowned heart pierced with an arrow.
“Curzon en Quercy,” kür-sōnˈ ĕng kwerˈcēˌ.
P. 324, c. 1.—“Bruyère,” brü-eˌyêrˈ. (1646?-1696.) French author.
“Fouquet,” fooˌkāˈ. (1615-1680.) A French financier, convicted of dishonesty and treason under Louis XIV.
“De la Vallière,” deh lä väˌle-êrˈ; “Montespan,” mŏnˌtes-pănˈ.
“Bossuet,” boˌsü-āˈ (almost bosˌswāˈ). (1627-1704.) French bishop and orator.
“Lauzun,” lōˌzŭnˈ. (1633?-1723.) A French adventurer.
“Pignerol,” pē-nyŭh-rŭl. A city of Piedmont, Italy.
“Iron Mask.” The man in the iron mask was a prisoner who died in the Bastile in 1703. He was brought there in 1698, from the state prison of Marguerite, by the governor who had been changed to the Bastile. His face was covered with a black velvet mask, fastened with steel springs. He was never allowed to remove this, nor to speak to any one except his governor. After his death everything he possessed was burned. There have been many theories as to his identity, but no one has been thoroughly proven.
P. 324, c. 2.—“Marcillac,” mär-ceelˌlakˈ; “Rochefoucauld,” roshˌ-fooˌkōˈ; “Marèchal,” mäˌrāˌshalˈ; “Fontanges,” fōnˌtanzhˈ.
“Scarron,” skărˌrōnˈ. She had been the wife of Paul Scarron, a French author, who died in 1660. “Maintenon,” mănˈtŭhˌnōn.
P. 325, c. 2.—“Della Guidice,” dĕlˈlä gweeˈde-cā; “Alberoni,” ăl-bä-roˈnee.
P. 326, c. 1.—“Lettres de Fénelon,” etc. Letters of Fénelon to the duke of Chevreuse.
P. 326, c. 2.—“Nunc et in,” etc. Now and in the hour of death.