PLATE IV.
THE FUNERAL OF PHILIP OF VALOIS, KING OF FRANCE.
Charles, son of Philip the Fair, having died in the year 1326 without heirs male, though thrice married, the twelve Peers and Barons of France assembled at Paris, and with one consent gave the throne to Philip of Valois, nephew of Philip the Fair, to the exclusion of Isabella, Queen of England, and her son, who stood in the more direct line, she being sister to the late king; the Council, however, determined, according to Froissart, “that the kingdom of France was of such great nobleness, that it ought not to fall by succession to a female;” thus, says Froissart, “as it seemed to many people, the succession went out of the right line, which has been the occasion of the most destructive wars and devastations of countries, as well in France as elsewhere, as you will learn hereafter; the real object of this history being to relate the great enterprises and deeds of arms achieved in these wars; for, from the time of good Charlemagne, King of France, never were such feats performed.”
The son of Isabella, when crowned King Edward III., was soon persuaded to lay claim to the throne of Philip, who, during a reign of twenty-four years, maintained the war with various success, suffering among his reverses the ever-memorable defeat of Crecy. He died at Nogent-le-roi, in the year 1350, and his burial, which took place at St. Denis, is graphically delineated in the accompanying Illumination.
The architectural portion of the picture is very carefully drawn, and the dresses of the figures bearing the coffin are executed in a very beautiful manner. The style of arrangement is somewhat different from many other of the Illuminations in this noble MS.; the figures being fewer and larger in proportion to the picture, and the landscape portion made quite subordinate, whilst it is generally treated with extreme care as a principal feature of the composition.
