The king, on quitting Paris, went to visit other towns, such as Rouen, Troyes, and Orleans, into which he made his public entry attended by his princes and nobility. These and other towns which he visited received him most honourably, and tried to rival each other in their exertions to display greater magnificence and more splendid entertainments on the king's coming among them, so much was he respected and beloved throughout his kingdom.
FOOTNOTES:
[107] See a preceding note.
CHAP. XXXVII.
THE DEATH OF POPE SIXTUS IV.—HE IS SUCCEEDED BY POPE INNOCENT VIII.—OF THE VICTORIOUS WAR OF KING CHARLES IN BRITTANY.—HE MARRIES THE PRINCESS ANNE DAUGHTER TO THE NOBLE DUKE FRANCIS OF BRITTANY.—OTHER EVENTS.
In the course of the latter end of this year pope Sixtus IV. died at Rome: he had been general of the Franciscans, and had well and catholicly ruled the holy see during the space of nearly thirteen years. He had been very solicitous about the public welfare, in the reparation of churches, and in embellishing the city of Rome, without sparing his private purse where he thought the honour of God was any way interested.[108]
On the 13th of August, he was succeeded in the papal dignity by Innocent VIII.[109] He was from Genoa, of parents in the middle ranks, but much respected and beloved. His father's name was Aaron, but his own was John Baptista,—and he was a cardinal-priest, under the title of Cardinal of St Cecilia, but commonly called the cardinal of Melfe. He was the poorest and most humane of the whole college of cardinals, and was deserving of his election to the papal chair for his benignity and humility.
He was magnanimous, and very prudent in all his actions,—and from his conduct during his legation at Sienna, he gave a good example to his brother-cardinals, and of what might be expected from him if raised to the popedom. On that event taking place, he opened the treasures of the church to all faithful Christians for the remission of their sins. He lived in good union with the Romans and all other people in Christendom.
At this period, king Charles, with the advice of his council, made arrangements for the war in Picardy. The command of that army was given to sir Philip de Crevecoeur, lord des Cordes; for Maximilian duke of Austria, who had married the heiress of the late duke of Burgundy, had raised a powerful army, to enable him to demand with success the country of Artoise, and other parts in Burgundy, although they had been occupied by the late king, Louis XI. and were since peaceably possessed by his son, the present king.
The lord des Cordes was therefore ordered into Picardy, to resist any hostile attempts that should be there made, and to oppose Maximilian. According to the chronicle of master Robert Gaguin, a severe war broke out in the year 1485, in Brittany, which was so prudently conducted on the part of king Charles that he victoriously gained almost the whole of that duchy. During this war, duke Francis of Brittany died, leaving two daughters: the one called Anne succeeded shortly after to the duchy, on the death of her sister. The king now took the field in person, and attended by many great lords and valiant captains, made several attacks on the town of Nantes, to prevent these daughters of the late duke of Brittany from marrying without his consent. This campaign, however, was not very successful: for king Henry VII. of England had sent a large force to the assistance of the Bretons, although, a short time before this, Henry had fled from that country as a fugitive, and sought an asylum with king Charles. He remained with him some time, as he was liberally aided with money and men, with whom he crossed the sea to England, where, after the death of king Richard, he peaceably enjoyed that kingdom, by means of the aid he had received from king Charles, which clearly shows the ingratitude of the english monarch[110].