“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.