A foolish step of the Queen’s had just re-opened the routs and quarrels that always seemed now to rage amongst the royal family. There were certain gentlemen in the household of her son, the Duc d’Aquitaine, whom she distrusted because they had been placed there by his father-in-law, and she wished to remove them. She was just then living at the hôtel St. Paul, and the Duchesse d’Aquitaine with her; the Duke was at the Louvre. Having consulted with the Armagnac chiefs, who were silly enough to countenance her plans, she went suddenly to the Louvre taking the Duchess with her, seized Jean de Croy, and three other officers of her son’s household, and threw them into prison. The Duc d’Aquitaine, who liked them, flew into a great rage and the princes could hardly prevent him from rushing out to appeal to the mob, and could not stop him from writing secretly to the Duke of Burgundy to come back.
With two such people as Isabeau and her son what could be done? Jean Sans-peur set off at once with a body of troops—but before he could arrive Isabeau and the princes had contrived to pacify the Duc d’Aquitaine and persuade him to contradict everything he had said, and write to the fortified towns proclaiming the Duke of Burgundy an enemy of the King. Infuriated by this treatment, the Duke of Burgundy produced and displayed his son-in-law’s letters, and continued his march towards Paris, the civil war beginning again with much cruelty and slaughter.
The domestic quarrels of the royal family were worse than ever. The old Duc de Berry disputed the regency during the King’s frequent attacks, with the Duc d’Aquitaine, just as he and his brother had done with Louis d’Orléans, and on the same pretence, his youth and inexperience. Aquitaine was at daggers drawn with his father-in-law, and so far justified his great-uncle’s assertions that besides possessing all the faults of his uncle, Louis d’Orléans and his father, he had no taste for military affairs, no attraction or charm, though he was rather good-looking. He was exceedingly unpopular, hated appearing in public, and shut himself up all day (when he was not in bed) playing the harp and épinette with his musical friends. If the King gave him any business to do he neglected it, and was so ill-tempered that he could not bear to be found the least fault with. Music, horses, and dissipation were all he cared for. He had now separated from his wife and reduced her household to a very low estate; he had always disliked her. Historians say that she gave no cause whatever for complaint, but that people made mischief between them.[250] The Duke of Burgundy sent a message requiring him to dismiss La Cassinelle and take his wife back, which only made him more angry. He had removed her from his mother’s care and sent her to St. Germain-en-Laye,[251] also seizing some treasure kept by Isabeau at the houses of confidential agents, taking advantage of the illness of the King his father to do as he chose. This was the beginning of the Queen’s dislike for Armagnac, who was mixed up in the affair, and her inclining towards the Burgundian party.
{1415}
In March, 1415, the Emperor of Germany paid a visit to the French Court, where he was entertained with the usual lavish profusion. He, in return, gave a great banquet at the Louvre to the ladies of the court and bourgeoises of Paris, “and to each one was laid a German knife, and the strongest wine that could be got. And everything was so spiced they could hardly eat it. There were many minstrels, and after dinner they danced and some sang. And when they left to each was given a gold ring, which, however was not of much value.”[252]
When the summer came round the truce with England expired. English troops from Calais and other places began to attack the French provinces, and it was rumoured that King Henry was gathering a great host at Southampton to invade France.
It was nearly sixty years since the battle of Poitiers, and seventy since that of Crécy, and there were old people alive who could remember the confusion, dismay, and terror of that time. The Duc de Berry had himself been in the battle of Poitiers, from which he had fled; while the Duke of Burgundy, then a boy of thirteen, had fought to the last beside their father, King Jean, and been carried prisoner with him to England.
Times were still more disastrous now. With a mad King, a worthless heir-apparent, and a number of princes of the blood without either capacity or conduct, there were no leaders whom the people could trust or love, or whom they would follow and die for as their fathers and grandfathers did for Philippe de Valois, King Jean, the Duc de Bourbon, the gallant Princes of Navarre, the heroic King of Bohemia, or the noble chiefs of the Capétienne house of Burgundy.
However, it was necessary to make preparations. Enormous taxes were levied in haste, and everywhere bands of soldiers were hurrying up to join the army, and plundering the villages on their way. What the tax collectors left they carried off, and the people in terror and despair left their homes and hid in the woods, longing only that the campaign might be over, whichever side won.[253]
Charles d’Albret was appointed commander-in-chief, and all the highest commands were given to Armagnacs. Jean Sans-peur took no post in the army at all, and forbade the Comte de Charolais to join; being, besides politically hostile, resolved not to risk his only son as had been done to their cost by the former house of Burgundy.