The Project Gutenberg eBook, King René d'Anjou and his Seven Queens, by Edgcumbe Staley
KING RENÉ D’ANJOU AND HIS
SEVEN QUEENS
The Ceremonious Entry of the “Lady of the Crest” Saumur Tournament 1446
From “Le Livre des Tournois” Painted by King René
KING RENÉ D’ANJOU
AND HIS SEVEN QUEENS
BY
EDGCUMBE STALEY
AUTHOR OF
“LORDS AND LADIES OF THE ITALIAN LAKES,” “GUILDS OF FLORENCE,” “FAIR WOMEN OF
FLORENCE,” “TRAGEDIES OF THE MEDICI,” “DOGARESSAS OF VENICE,”
“HEROINES OF GENOA AND THE RIVIERAS,” ETC.
WITH COLOURED FRONTISPIECE AND THIRTY-FIVE
OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS
“FIDES VITAT SERVATA”
King René’s Motto
LONDON
JOHN LONG, LIMITED
NORRIS STREET, HAYMARKET
MCMXII
TO
MY BROTHER VERNON
AND
HIS WIFE ETHEL
CONTENTS
| PAGES | |
| [CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY—KING RENÉ] | |
| King René’s titles—His character—A beau-ideal Prince—His occupations—Hiswork as an artist—Visits to Italy—Scrivani—“The BurningBush”—“Souls in Purgatory”—“La Divina Commedia”—“St.Madeleine preaching”—“Preces Præ”—“Pas d’Armes”—“Livresdes Heures”—René’s literary work—“Regnault et Jehanneton”—“Mortifiementde Vaine Plaisance”—“La Conquête de la DoulceMercy”—“L’Abuzé en Court”—“Le Tracte des Tournois”—Charlesd’Anjou-Orléans—Dance songs—Letters—Collections, books, curios,etc.—Work as a craftsman—Orders and Guilds—Agricultural tastes—Therose de Provence—Workshops—“Les Comptes de Roy René”—LaCheminée du Roy—Intercourse with his people—A troubadour King—Relics—Afamous winecup | [17-29] |
| [CHAPTER II YOLANDA D’ARRAGONA—I.] | |
| A Queen in labour—Natural children—Princess Juanita—“La GayaCiencia”—Troubadours—Iolande de Flandres—Bar-le-Duc—Highwaymen—Recruits—Fêtesgalants—Court of Love—Juan I., King ofAragon—A beauteous damsel—L’Académie des Jeux Floraux—A royalMainteneuse—Nails in their heads!—“Plucking the turkey”!—“Quiteas good as you!”—“A gay woman”—A royal baptism—PrincessYolanda—The Salic Law—A bridegroom-elect—Mauled by a wolf—Asilver throne—“The Queen!”—Bullfights—A royal trousseau—Abrilliant cavalcade—Louis II. d’Anjou—Attractive girls—Castle ofMontpellier—A royal progress—“The Loves of Louis and Yolanda”—AKing-suitor in disguise—An ardent kiss—A royal marriage—BeautifulArlésiennes—“A lovely creature!”—A splendid dowry—Gardensat Tarascon—Legend of St. Martha—A deadly dragon—State entryinto Angers—The castle and its contents—“Mysteries”—Inartisticfare—Feastings—Yolanda Lieutenant-General of Anjou—Englishinvasion—Rabbit with a medallion—Isabeau de Bavière—A wasp-likewaist—Jewels—Catherine de Valois—Yolanda’s first-born—The “BlackDeath”—Queen-Duchess Marie—Princess Marie—Taxes and tax-gatherers—Renéd’Anjou born—St. Renatus—The Queen’s enterprise—Cuttingoff his tail!—Claimants for a throne—A piteous little Prince—Aroyal betrothal—Henry V. of England—Louis II. in Italy—Hisdeath | [30-66] |
| [CHAPTER III YOLANDA D’ARRAGONA—II.] | |
| Royal mourning—Cardinal Louis de Bar—Yolande a constitutionalSovereign—The Duke of Burgundy—Matrimonial alliances—Tournaments—PrincessMargherita di Savoia—Louis III. fights for the crownof Naples—Queen Giovanna II.—Princess Isabelle de Lorraine—Astick for a bad woman!—René takes up arms—A vassal—Ordre dela Fidélité—The Van Eycks—Treasures—Gardens at Bar-le-Duc—Floralgames—Fortune is a woman!—Battle of Baugé—Birth ofLouis XI. of France—Jeanne d’Arc—A panel of matrons—Slanders—QueenYolande’s daring—Charles VII. inert—René Duke of Barrois—Adébauché Prince—A young widow—Preux chevaliers—A love-match—PrincessCatherine de Champagne burnt to death—René andIsabelle married—René Duke of Lorraine—Battle of Bulgneville—Aroyal prisoner—A foisted child—A beretta crown—Prince Jean—Dukeof Calabria—Princess Marie de Bourbon—Agnes Sorel, the most lovelygirl in France—Queen Yolande in private life—The Castle of Saumur—QueenYolande’s death—Her character—No trace of her grave—Théophainela Magine—A quaint epitaph—The stained-glass windowsof Le Mans Cathedral—“A good mother and a great Queen” | [67-93] |
| [CHAPTER IV ISABELLE DE LORRAINE] | |
| Child marriages—“The Pride of Lorraine”—A mailed fist—Duchess’sbare feet—Satin skin—Cardinal matchmaker—Ten considerations—Woman’swit supreme—A charming boy—Jean “sans Peur”—“Polluyon”—ASovereign’s oath—“Noël! Noël!”—First free Parliamentin France—Veterans—Antoine de Vaudémont—“You may go!”—Bulgneville—Renéa prisoner—Insecurity of life—The Duke’s terms—Twoboy hostages—La Tour de Bar—René’s parole—Money the crux—Renéat Naples—The Golden Rose—A royal artist—Music and song—DuchessMargaret dies—“Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!”—The swordof Lancelot—A very young widow—Isabelle leads an army—Alfonsoin check—King René free—Women of Genoa—On the throne—Atroubled land—“Cette vraie Amazone!”—Fortune did not smile—“Toomuch blood”—A dastardly outrage—Peace—Princess Margueritebetrothed—Black armour—Jehanne de Laval—Black buffaloes—Greyhair—Splendid tournaments—Ordre du Croissant—Doublenuptials—Henry VI. of England—Ferri carries off Yolande—Cupid’s“Lists”—The spectre of war—Death of Queen Isabelle—“My hearthas lost its love!”—“Amour et Foy” | [94-142] |
| [CHAPTER V JEANNE D’ARC—“LA PUCELLE”] | |
| “Give me René!”—Village of Domremy—Village feuds—A busy mother—Aweird accouchement—Le Bois Chènus—Voices—St. Michael—MadJehanne—A coarse kirtle—She touched the hilt—Duke Charles’sstrange visitors—A dash around the courtyard—“Vive la nostreRoyne!”—A pilgrimage march—Priests and minstrels—A famoussword—Jeanne’s oriflamme—A dissolute Court—Charles VI. at Chinon—Awinning hazard—Certain secrets—Jeanne’s double ordeal—Bishopsand matrons—“La Pucelle” so named by Queen Yolande—Filles deJoie—White armour—An ultimatum—Divided counsels—The siege ofOrléans—“The Maid” wounded—En route to Reims—The “Sacré”—Jeanne’smodesty—Her apotheosis—“Sire, I bid you farewell”—Renéthe hero—Jeanne the heroine—To expel the hated English—Thefall of Paris—“The Maid” a prisoner—Deserted by everyone—Amock trial—A human wreck—Burnt to death—A maiden’s heart anda white dove—“Ma Royne est mort!” René’s lament—Charles’sremorse—The memory of Jeanne d’Arc | [143-173] |
| [CHAPTER VI MARIE D’ANJOU] | |
| “The little Queen of Bourges”—A master-stroke—A lovely bride, an ill-lookinggroom—An evil mother’s influence—Three fair witches—Yolande’sprestige—Woman’s power in France—Marie v. Agnes—UnhappyCharles VI.—The Châtelaine de Courrages—A gallows and aflagellation—Marriage of Charles and Marie—Impecuniosity—Nevertouched her below the chin!—Jacques Cœur’s loyal succour—Terribledisasters—A treacherous deed—Isabeau’s rage—Queen Marie’s speech—Alovely bevy of Maids of Honour—Outrageous fashions—Correcte’scrusade—“À bas les hennins!”—Scudding stones—Plain chapelles—Afaint-hearted King—Queen Marie’s “I will”—Marie d’Anjou andJeanne d’Arc—No place for the Queen!—Agnes Sorel, “la Belle desBelles”—Serge chemises—“The plaything of the most valiant King?”—Agnes’sfour daughters—A loving son—Boxed her ears!—Agnes’sheart in gold—“Males femmes”—“Everything for France!”—Disastersand delirium—Marie in shade and shine—A pillion—Poor littlePrincess Margaret!—“A curse on life!”—A dissolute Prince—Slanderand hypocrisy—The Bastard of Orléans—A tryst disturbed—Theobscene Fête des Fous—A royal repast-Tours for delicacies—Afamous pack of cards—The Queen as a business woman—Cocks andhens—Marie dies at Poitiers—“A good and devout woman” | [174-215] |
| [CHAPTER VII GIOVANNA II. OF NAPLES] | |
| “Like Queen Giovanna!”—Anjou succession in Naples—A lover suffocated—KingLadislaus—Many suitors—Hard to please—A rare quality—Marriagering torn off—Louis d’Anjou’s advance—A poor old Queen—Butterflycourtesans—A champion of physical beauty—A wily woman—Thecord of St. Francis—A base-born athlete—The chief of the pages—TheQueen’s master—Vampire kisses—Louis v. Alfonso—A romanticstory—Fair Leonora—Not a tool of the Queen—Fierce rivals—Pulledthe Queen’s hands—Giovanna in her lover’s arms—Flashing eyes—Beneaththe lips—Superb entertainments—Giovanna discovers theliaison—René bravest of the brave—Treason—Duchess Covella Ruffoand her jewelled poniard—René at Naples—“Il galantuomo Re”—TheJews—Alfonso defeated and a prisoner—Belated pious deeds—Giovannaas the Virgin Mary!—An embassy from Naples—Manyclaimants for the throne—Isabelle a virago Queen—A macaroni basket—“I’llnot fight with a woman!”—Colossal orgies—A Spartan mother—Decisivebattle of Troia—End of the Angevine dynasty—Jean, Dukeof Calabria, raises the flag in vain | [216-252] |
| [CHAPTER VIII MARGUERITE D’ANJOU] | |
| “The loveliest Princess in Christendom”—A storm-rocked cradle—Achild’s kiss—Troubadours and glee-maidens—An eligible suitor—Thelove of all the boys—Neglected education—A delighted grandmother—Marriagetangles—Philippe, Count de Nevers, repudiated—Henry VI.of England looking for a Queen—The “Three Graces of Armagnac”—CardinalBeaufort charmed with Marguerite—An unpainted face—“Ohfie! oh fie!”—An autograph letter—Splendid nuptials—LaConfrèrerie de la Passion—Too poor to buy her own wedding dress—Apeachy blush—Fine fashions—Gold garter chains—Sumptuous hair-dressing—A“Marguerite” flower-holder—A sorrowful parting—Atruly royal train—The entente cordiale—The Queen short of ready cash—Astormy passage—Chicken-pox?—The King’s ring—A famous tire-woman—Extraordinarypresents—Pageants—Queen Margaret crowned—“LaFrançaise”—The Queen’s strong character—The Duke ofYork nonplussed—Pious foundations—The King’s seizure—She had toplay the man!—The Prince of Wales—York’s dastardly insinuations—Acostly churching-robe—Civil war begins—Margaret leads theLancastrians in person—Success and failure—York’s grey gory head—“LoveLady-Day”—Lord Grey de Ruthen’s treason—King Henry aprisoner in the Tower—“Fie on thee, thou traitor!”—The Queen inScotland—King Louis’s double game—A shipwreck—A common robette—GalantSir Pierre de Brézé—“Une Merrie Mol!”—The kiss ofetiquette—Thorns—All the poets sing of Margaret—All is lost!—Margaretat home again—Earl of Warwick’s loyalty—A diplomaticmarriage—The sea flouts Margaret—Perjured Lord Wenlock—Atreacherous blow—The Prince murdered—“Bloody Edward”—The“she-wolf”—Hands tied behind her back—King Henry killed—TheQueen in a dungeon—René’s pathetic letter—The great heroine of theWars of the Roses—Repose at Reculée—A lioness at bay—“The grimgrey wolf of Anjou”—A sad and lonely death | [253-305] |
| [CHAPTER IX JEHANNE DE LAVAL] | |
| Roses—“December” and “May”—A famous House—The Queen ofBeauty—All in love with Jehanne—The champion’s crest—A tournamentbanquet—The Grand Prix—René struck with Jehanne—HisGenoese innamorate—“Devils at home”—A second marriage desirable—TheKing bemoans Isabelle—No festivities—A moral allegory—Anew course of life—Costly offerings—“Les Tards-Venus”—Court ofLove at Les Baux—“La Passe Rose”—A coffin full of golden hair—Ruralizingroyalty—Jehanne, nymph of the bosquets—“Pastorals”—“Regnaultet Jehanneton”—All fall in love, and all fall out!—Anallegory of chivalry—Cuer reads the strange inscription—Louis XI.’soutrageous behaviour—“L’Abuzé en Court”—René the victim—ThePageant of the Pheasant—An elysium of love—The Queen’s virtues—Herportrait—René’s school of architects—St. Bernardin, the King’sconfessor—René’s heart—Pious Sovereigns—Relics—The crown ofCatalonia—Queen Jehanne and Queen Margaret—Church spectacles—Magnificenthospitality—Demoiselle Odille—La Petite Hélène—Patronessof crafts—“The Golden Rose”—René’s green old age—“Lebon Roy est mort!”—Marie de la Chapelle’s children—Queen Jehanneretires to Beaufort—A studious widow—“I have no other rôle toplay!”-“La Reine” in an iron cage—The Queen’s sweet death—Herwill—Her monument and René’s—“Priez pour la bonneJehanne” | [306-356] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| FACING PAGE | |
| Ceremonious Entry of the “Lady of the Crest” | [Frontispiece] |
| Queen Yolanda d’Arragona | [30] |
| Entry of a Queen into her Capital | [40] |
| Favourite Recreations | [50] |
| A Mystery | [60] |
| King Louis II. of Sicily-Anjou | [68] |
| Communion of a Knight | [74] |
| A Royal Repast | [80] |
| Street Scene in Aix | [86] |
| Queen Isabelle de Lorraine | [94] |
| King René (circa 1440) | [106] |
| Royal Patronesses and Crafts | [118] |
| “Cœur” and “the Island of Love” | [130] |
| “The White Queen”—Jeanne d’Arc | [144] |
| Expulsion of Gay Women | [152] |
| Siege of Orléans | [160] |
| Sacré of Charles VII. | [168] |
| Queen Marie d’Anjou | [174] |
| A Besieged Castle | [184] |
| King René and his Court | [194] |
| Queens, Judges, and Knights | [204] |
| Queen Giovanna II. da Napoli | [216] |
| Homage of a Vassal | [226] |
| King and Queen in Stone | [236] |
| King René and Guarini da Verona | [246] |
| Queen Marguerite d’Anjou | [254] |
| Before the “Lists” | [268] |
| King René in his Study | [280] |
| Agricultural Pursuits | [292] |
| Queen Jehanne de Laval | [306] |
| St. Madeleine preaching | [320] |
| “The Burning Bush” | [334] |
| King René (circa 1470) | [348] |
PREFACE
King René d’Anjou and his Seven Queens—yes, I stand by my title, and offer no apology to the captious and the curious.
René was the most remarkable personality in the French Renaissance. How many English readers of the romance of history, I wonder, know anything about him but his name? Of his “seven Queens,” two only are at all familiar to the English public,—Marguerite d’Anjou and Jeanne d’Arc,—and their stories as commonly told are unconvincing. The other five are not known even by name to the majority of people; therefore I have immense pleasure in introducing them to any clientèle: Yolanda d’Arragona, Isabelle de Lorraine, Jehanne de Laval, Giovanna II. da Napoli, Jeanne d’Arc and Marguerite d’Anjou. This galaxy of Queens, fair and frail, will appeal as something entirely new in sentimental biography to those in search of novelty.
Turgid facts of history and dryasdust statistics of the past are, of course, within everybody’s ken, or they are supposed to be—this is an age of snobbery! Piquant stories of the persons and foibles of famous men and women are my measure, and such you will have in plenty in my narratives. To get at my facts and fictions I have dug deep into the records of Court chroniclers, and I think I have blended very successfully the spirit of the troubadours and the spirit of the age of chivalry. At the end of the volume I have added a Bibliography, for the benefit of sententious students, and my Index is as full as possible, to assist the casual reader.
The illustrations which adorn my pages have been gathered from many sources. I think they will greatly assist the appreciation of my work. With respect to portraits of my “Queens,” there are no extant likenesses of Yolanda and Jeanne: for the latter I have chosen to reproduce the historical imaginative fresco of M. Lepenveu, at the Pantheon in Paris; for the former the stained-glass window effigy at Le Mans Cathedral must do duty. Queen Isabelle is an enlargement of a miniature by René; Queen Marie is after a French picture of the School of Jean Focquet, now at the National Gallery, London, but wrongly entitled. Queen Giovanna II. is from an altar-piece in the National Museum at Naples. Queen Marguerite is from a miniature by her father,—her portraits in England are eminently unsatisfactory and non-contemporary,—Queen Jehanne is from the right wing of the Aix triptych, by Nicholas Froment.
There is, I think, nothing more to add to my preface, so I leave “King René and his Seven Queens” tête-à-tête with my discerning public. If they are found to be entertaining company I am repaid.
EDGCUMBE STALEY.
CHRONOLOGY
| 1399. | Marriage of Louis II. d’Anjou and Yolanda d’Arragona. |
| 1408. | Birth of René d’Anjou. |
| 1411. | Giovanna II. succeeds to throne of Naples. |
| 1417. | René adopted by Cardinal de Bar. |
| 1420. | Marriage of René and Isabelle de Lorraine. |
| 1422. | Marie d’Anjou marries Charles VII. |
| 1424. | René, Duke of Barrois. |
| 1429. | Jeanne d’Arc and René at Siege of Orléans. |
| 1431. | René, Duke of Lorraine; prisoner at Bulgneville. |
| 1433. | René’s campaign in Italy. |
| 1434. | René, King of Sicily, etc. |
| 1435. | Giovanna II. dies; René, King of Naples. |
| 1437. | René released finally from Tour de Bar. |
| 1441. | René retires from Italy. |
| 1442. | Queen Yolanda dies. |
| 1445. | Marriage of Marguerite d’Anjou and Henry VI. |
| 1448. | Order of the Croissant established. |
| 1453. | Queen Isabelle dies. |
| 1455. | Marriage of René and Jehanne de Laval. |
| 1463. | Queen Marie dies. |
| 1465. | René proclaimed King of Catalonia. |
| 1470. | Jean, Duke of Calabria, King of Catalonia, dies. |
| 1473. | René retires from Anjou, which is seized by Louis XI. |
| 1480. | René dies. |
| 1482. | Queen Marguerite dies. |
| 1498. | Queen Jehanne dies. |
KING RENÉ D’ANJOU AND HIS
SEVEN QUEENS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
“René, King of Jerusalem, the Two Sicilies, Aragon, Valencia, Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica; Duke of Anjou, Barrois, and Lorraine; Count of Provence, Forcalquier and Piemont,” so runs the preamble of his Will. To these titles he might have added Prince of Gerona, Duke of Calabria, Lord of Genoa, Count of Guise, Maine, Chailly, and Longjumeau, and Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson!
He was famous as a Sovereign, a soldier, a legislator, a traveller, a linguist, a scholar, a poet, a musician, a craftsman, a painter, an architect, a sculptor, a collector, a sportsman, an agriculturist, and incidentally a chivalrous lover. About such a many-sided character there is much to tell and much to learn. His times were spacious; the clouds of Mediævalism had rolled away, and the Sun of Progress illuminated the heyday of the Renaissance; art and craft had come into their own. Venus disarmed Mars, Diana entranced Apollo, and Minerva restrained Mercury, and all the hierarchy of heaven was captive to the Liberal Arts. René d’Anjou, figuratively, seems to have gathered up in his cunning hand the powers of all the spiritual intelligences alongwith the life-lines of practical manifestations. He has come down to us as the beau-ideal Prince of the fifteenth century.
“A Prince who had great and pre-eminent qualities, worthy of a better future. He was a great Justicier and an enemy to long despatches. He said sometimes, when they presented anything to signe, being a-hunting or at the warre, that the Pen was a kinde of Armes, which a person should use at all times”—so wrote the historian Pierre Mathieu, in his “History of Louis XI.,” in 1614. He goes on to say: “The reign of so good a Prince was much lamented, for he intreated his subjects like a Pastor and a Father. They say that when his Treasurer brought unto him the Royale Taxe,—which was sixteen florins for every kindled fire, whereof Provence might have about three thousand five hundred,—hee enformed himselfe of the aboundance or barenesse of the season; and when they told him, that a mistrall winde had reigned long, hee remitted the moiety and sometimes the whole taxe. Hee contented himself with his revenues, and did not charge his people with new tributes. Hee spent his time in paintings, the which were excellent, as they are yet to be seen in the city of Aix. Hee was drawing of a partridge when as they brought him newes of the loose of the Realme of Naples, yet hee could not draw his hande from the work and the pleasure hee took here in.… They relate that he dranke not wine, and when as the noble men of Naples demanded the reasons, he affirmed that it had made Titus Livius to lie, who had said that the good wine caused the French to passe the Alps.… He was perhaps better suited to make a quiet State happy than to reduce a rebellious one.”
King René’s career and work as a Sovereign, a soldier, a legislator, a traveller, a poet, and a lover, are treated in full in the letterpress of this volume. His work as an artist, a craftsman, an agriculturist, and a collector, is here given under different headings, as introductory to the expression of his personal talents.