Isabeau de Baviere
The Duke of Burgundy therefore went to the lodgings of the Duchesse de Brabant and Princess Isabeau, and the arrangements were concluded. The Duke, at the council, wished the wedding to be at Arras, but the King declared he would not have any more delay, as he could neither sleep nor rest. He sent the Princess a splendid crown, and the wedding was celebrated at the cathedral of Amiens a few days afterwards, in presence of the whole court, and followed by banquets and various festivities, which lasted for some days. The wedding was so hurried on that there was no time to finish the trousseau ordered for the young queen.[91] And thus were two spoilt, self-willed children of fourteen and sixteen placed at the head of what, in those days, was the most powerful kingdom in Christendom.
Many people who have a slight acquaintance with French history picture to themselves Charles VI. as the miserable invalid he became in later years, and know nothing about the tall, handsome young Prince, high-spirited, passionate, generous, and as eager for glory, as fond of pleasure, magnificence, and love-making, as his great-grandfather and grandfather the Kings Philippe and Jean, and his great uncle, Duke Philippe d’Orléans. To their own father, the sickly, studious Charles V., who hated riding, war, and rough games, but in whose reign, nevertheless, the English invaders were driven out of France and the French navy re-established; neither Charles VI. nor his young brother Louis bore the slightest resemblance, except that Louis had inherited, with the beauty and gallant grace of the Valois, the love of books, art, and study, which distinguished Charles V.[92] By far the most brilliant of the two brothers, he had been, at the time of his father’s death, too young to give much indication of what he would turn out like; indeed about the only details mentioned respecting him are his beauty and the admiration it excited at the last great pageant of court,[93] where just before his mother’s death the Emperor was so splendidly received and entertained; and the devout way in which he used to say his prayers, kneeling before the image of the Virgin. But the hasty, impetuous temper of Charles, his incapacity for any serious study, his excitable, unstable temperament, his passion for pleasure and display, had been an anxiety and grief to his father, who recognised in the boy all the qualities, attractions, and faults of his race, which had already been so fatal to France. In fact, as it often happens, the lad was everything his father did not want him to be, and Charles V., as long as he lived, used every means in his power to counteract the tendencies which he considered so dangerous. He forbade any love-stories to be told to the Dauphin, and when on one occasion one of the gentlemen of his household disobeyed this order, dismissed him.[94] He gave him the best tutors that could be found, and tried to influence and educate him by constant supervision. At the earliest age his tutor observed his delight in anything that had to do with war, and his father, probably seeing that he would never make a scholar or statesman, and thinking that he might perhaps become a great leader and soldier, encouraged this taste. One day he showed him the royal treasury of crowns, jewels, and objects of inestimable value, telling him to choose whatever he liked for himself. The child looked around and pointed to a sword which hung up in a corner of the room, and which was given to him accordingly. Some days afterwards, at a state banquet, the King caused to be placed before him a soldier’s casque and a magnificent crown of gold and precious stones, asking which he would like best—to be crowned King with the one, or to wear the other amidst the dangers of war. Without hesitation the Dauphin replied, “Monseigneur, I like the casque better than the crown.” This answer delighted the nobles, who, amidst acclamations of loyalty, swore to serve and defend the boy whenever he should become their King, after which Charles V. ordered the casque and sword to be hung up by the Dauphin’s bed, and a little suit of armour and weapons to be made for him,[95] that so gallant a spirit might be encouraged. If Charles V. and Jeanne de Bourbon had lived to look after their sons it seems most likely that the ruin and misery which fell upon them and upon France might have been averted.
For many years Charles V. had felt sure that his life would not be a long one; but his hope was that the Queen, who had good health, would survive him and would be guardian to the children, her brother, Louis de Bourbon—called “the good Duke Louis”—being always at hand to help her. After the irreparable calamity of her death, and finding his own health rapidly breaking up, he did what he could for his children by making the Duc de Bourbon guardian to the young King and his brother, and by preventing the Duc d’Anjou, who, as the eldest of his brothers, had to be regent, from having more power than he could help. The Ducs de Berry and Bourgogne were also joined in the government of the country and the young princes. With many misgivings he entreated them to carry out his directions and to bring up the King properly; nearly his last words to them on the subject having been, “Soignez-le, mes frères, et prenez grande attention de le bien former à la royauté, car l’enfant est jeune et de l’esprit léger.”[96]
Those princes did nothing of the kind. It is true that the Princess Catherine was given into the sole charge of her grandmother, the old Duchesse de Bourbon, who since the Queen’s death had lived a saintly life at the convent of St. Marcel; but Charles and Louis were brought up together at the hôtel St. Paul in an atmosphere of flattery, folly, and corruption, which was eventually fatal to them both. The three brothers of the late King were eager to secure for themselves all the power and wealth they could seize, and would not listen to the Duc de Bourbon, who, as personal guardian only, and not a brother of the late King, had less power and could not oppose them. The lives led by the two boys were what in our own days would be called fast for a man ten years older, and eventually resulted in the madness of Charles and the death of Louis. The aim of their uncles was to keep them ignorant, so that the reins of government might remain as long as possible in their own hands. In this they only partly succeeded, as Louis was very clever and fond of study, but Charles hated books, application, or restraint of any kind. They both rode well and were good at all sorts of games and sports, and the people, who had respected Charles V. and adored Jeanne de Bourbon, now bestowed all their affection on their young King, who was called Charles le Bien-Aimé. To the end of his unfortunate career he never lost either this name or the affection of his people, for although he was hot-tempered and imperious, so that he would never bear the slightest opposition, he was brave, open-handed, kind-hearted, and had those free, pleasant, courteous manners that go farther in gaining friends—everywhere, but most especially amongst the lower classes—than a host of benefits and virtues. He was very faithful and affectionate to his friends, never forgot the names of the humblest people,[97] but was always polite and ready to talk to any one about anything.[98] And amidst the roughness and cruelty of the times it is interesting to come upon the note of a sum paid to Colin le serrurier for an iron fleur-de-lis to hang upon a stag, which had been hunted by the King, had taken refuge in a stable at Choisy, and had been allowed by him to return to the forest—an example of mercy which might well be placed before many people in the present day who ought to be civilised enough not to require it.
The King’s marriage and the beauty of Isabeau delighted the people, and if she had possessed the sense, talents, and good qualities of other queens whose histories have been recorded in these volumes, a great career would indeed have been open before her. Advised and supported by the Duc de Bourbon and the old friends and counsellors of Charles V., she could have retained her influence over the King and held the reins of government when they dropped from his hands. The voice of the nation would have been with her, for it was weary of the oppression and cruelty of the princes; and most of the fierce feuds and bloodshed that came from the incapacity and vices of all the chief members of the royal family need never have happened.
CHAPTER II
1385–1389
The Royal Family and Court of France—Birth and death of Charles and Jeanne de France—Dress and amusements—The Abbey of St. Denis—Knighthood of the King of Sicily—The ball—The Duchesse de Berry—Valentine Visconti.