of Lorraine. Besides, René had to pledge himself to pay a heavy ransom to the Duke of Burgundy, to give his two sons as hostages, and to allow Yolante to go and live with her new mother-in-law. At the same time, the baby Margaret was promised in marriage to Pierre, Count of St. Pol, but in consideration of her youth she was permitted to stay at home. So out of their four children these unhappy parents took back only one to Nancy, where they were living.
All René's efforts to raise the ransom failed, and there was nothing left for him to do but to deliver himself up at last and go back to prison. His son John went with him, while Louis, the younger one, was restored to his distressed mother.
Two years passed away, and Louis, King of Naples, died. René was his rightful successor, and his faithful wife immediately took steps to claim the throne for him. She was a woman of superior talent, courage, and energy, and as she lived at the time when the renowned Joan of Arc was flourishing, it did not appear in any way odd or strange that she should fight for her rights. She at once assumed the title of Queen of the Two Sicilies, and went to live in the Castle of Tarascon, on the banks of the river Rhone.
Her two children became such pets among the Provençals, who loved their captive prince, that they were almost worshipped. Every time they went out the people would follow them in crowds, sing and strew flowers in their path, and present them with offerings of wreaths. At night they would light bonfires in front of the castle, because there was a superstition among them that it was the way to keep off pestilence. Once when a band of people, calling themselves witches and fairies, came with the crowd to see the pretty children, they were all burned alive, the ignorant of those times believing that pestilence was brought by the magic of such creatures. Notwithstanding this precaution a plague really did break out, and the queen was obliged to hurry away with her little ones. They embarked at Marseilles and went to Naples, where there was an ancient palace belonging to the family of Anjou.
The queen then had her husband proclaimed King of the Two Sicilies. At this ceremony she was seated with her children in the chair of state, which was covered with velvet embroidered with gold, and borne through the streets of Naples. She never ceased working until she obtained her husband's freedom, and witnessed his grand entry into Naples on a stately white charger, followed by a Provençal army.
A.D. 1435. In the treaty for his liberation the following very remarkable article, proposed by the Duke of Burgundy, appears:—"And to cement the peace between the two powers, Margaret of Anjou, second daughter of King René, shall espouse the young King of England." Margaret was then only six years of age. Her parents removed to a magnificent palace, where she and her brother Louis pursued their studies together for several years. Then Louis died and Margaret experienced in this loss her first real sorrow.
King René's territories fell into the hands of the English, and he was reduced to such poverty that he retired with his family to Lorraine, where he spent his time writing verses and composing music that was the delight of all Europe. It was he who invented the opera ballet, and while thus pleasantly engaged he bore his trials with perfect indifference.
In the meantime, Margaret's engagement with St. Pol was broken off on account of the prospect of an alliance with the King of England. She had become a beautiful girl, and had created quite a sensation at the court of her aunt, the Queen of France, by her wit and accomplishments. When Henry VI. heard of her charms he sent a gentleman to find out if they had not been exaggerated, and at the same time to bring him a correct portrait of the Lady Margaret. The messenger returned with an eloquent description of her, partly because it was really deserved, and partly because he, as well as many persons of both the English and the French nations, hoped that this alliance would bring about a lasting peace between their countries. Henry was then in his four-and-twentieth year, good-looking, with a cultivated, refined mind, and excellent morals.
A.D. 1444. In 1444, commissioners met to arrange a treaty of peace, which was to be strengthened by the marriage of Henry and Margaret. When King René's consent was asked he gave it on condition that the dominions of Anjou and Maine were returned to him. This was granted by Henry and his council, and neither money nor lands were required for a dowry with the bride, her beauty and talents being considered sufficient "to outweigh all the riches in the world."
There was some opposition made to this marriage by the Duke of Gloucester and his party, who did not want peace with France, nor a daughter of the house of Anjou on their throne; but it was all arranged in spite of them, and the Duke of Suffolk sailed from England with a splendid train of nobility to conduct Margaret to her future home.