CHAPTER  CONTENTS

Chapter I

Claude de France, first wife of François I — Conduct of the King towards her — Hostility of his mother, Louise of Savoy — Her retired life — Her children — Her vow to Saint-François de Paule — Birth of a Dauphin — Birth of Henri, Duc d'Orléans, afterwards Henri II — Death of the Queen— She is accounted a saint, and miracles are reported to have been performed at her tomb

Chapter II

First Italian campaign of François I — Battle of Marignano and recovery of the Milanese — The Concordat — Treaties of Noyon and Cambrai — Character of the King — Disastrous consequences of the government of Louise of Savoy and her favourite Du Prat — Beginning of the rivalry of François I and Charles of Austria — Charles elected Emperor — Negotiations with England: the Field of the Cloth of Gold — War between François and Charles V begins — Early successes of the French — Reverses in Italy — League formed against France — The Connétable de Bourbon — A woman scorned — Conspiracy of Bourbon — His flight — The French compelled to evacuate Italy: death of Bayard— Invasion of Provence by the Imperialists — Siege of Marseilles — Retreat of the Imperialists — François again invades the Milanese — He occupies Milan and lays siege to Pavia — The Imperialists advance to the relief of the town — Battle of Pavia, in which the French army is destroyed, and the King is taken prisoner

Chapter III

François in captivity — His letter to his mother — Critical situation of France: energetic measures of Louise of Savoy — Demands of Charles V — The King is removed to Spain— Truce of six months granted by the Emperor — François's journey to Madrid — His rigorous imprisonment in the Alcazar — He falls seriously ill, and is visited by Charles V — Arrival of the Duchesse d'Alencon (Marguerite d'Angoulême) — The King is believed to be dying: scene at his bedside — His recovery — Negotiations at Toledo: the Emperor insists on the cession of Burgundy — François announces his intention of abdicating in favour of the Dauphin, but changes his mind and directs the French envoys to accede to the Emperor's demands — Treaty of Madrid — Stipulation that the two elder sons of the King, or the Dauphin and twelve of the principal personages of the kingdom, are to be delivered up as hostages — Charles V's reasons for consenting to the release of his rival considered— François swears to execute the treaty, but makes a formal protest against it privately — Betrothal of the King to the Emperor's eldest sister, Eleanor, Queen-Dowager of Portugal — He remains a prisoner in the Alcazar — Meeting between him and the Emperor — Visit of the two monarchs to Queen Eleanor at Illescas — François sets out for France — Louise of Savoy decides to send Henri, as well as the Dauphin, as a hostage to Spain — The English Ambassador's impressions of the young princes — The exchange of the King for his sons takes place on the Bidassoa — Joy of François on regaining his freedom — Departure of the princes for Vittoria

Chapter IV

Refusal of François I to execute the Treaty of Madrid — His conduct severely condemned by modern historians, but generally condoned by his contemporaries — The League of Cognac formed against the Emperor — Inaction of François, who for more than a year leaves his Italian allies to shift for themselves — Fall and sack of Rome — François concludes the Treaty of Westminster with England — Lautrec invades the Milanese with an army subsidised by England, and carries all before him — Escape of Clement VII from Rome — Contemplated duel between François and Charles — Siege of Naples — The folly of François causes the withdrawal of Andrea Doria's fleet from the blockade — The French, weakened by disease, raise the siege, and are subsequently obliged to capitulate — Genoa lost to France — Battle of Landriano and defection of the Pope — Peace of Cambrai (la Paix des Dames), which contains a stipulation that the young princes are to be released on payment of a ransom of two million crowns.

Chapter V

The usher Bodin despatched to Spain to visit the young princes — His journey to Pedraza, where he finds them deprived of their French attendants and subjected to the most rigorous confinement — His interview with them — Extraordinary precautions taken by the Spaniards to guard against the escape of their prisoners — A copy of Bodin's report is sent to Margaret of Austria, thanks to whose intercession the boys' captivity is rendered more tolerable — François marries Eleanor of Austria by procuration at Toledo — Arrival of Anne de Montmorency and the Cardinal de Tournon at Bayonne to make the final arrangements for the release of the princes — The counting and weighing of the ransom — Montmorency and the Constable of Castile — Release of the Dauphin and the Duc d'Orléans — Arrival of the Queen and the princes at Bayonne — Meeting of François and Eleanor at the Convent of Veyrières, near Mont-de-Marsan

Chapter VI

Change effected in the characters of the Dauphin and the Duc d'Orléans by their captivity in Spain — Impatience of François I, who "does not care for dreamy, sullen, sleepy children" — Eagerness of the King to regain a footing in Italy — Charles V's Italian league — Position and policy of Clement VII — Catherine de' Medici — Her early years — Her adventures during the revolution in Florence — Her suitors — François I sends envoys to Rome to propose a marriage between her and the Duc d'Orléans — Embarrassment of the Pope, who, while anxious for the French alliance, fears to give umbrage to the Emperor — Proposed interview between François and Clement at Nice — Duplicity of the Pope — The intimacy between Catherine and her cousin, the Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici, a source of disquietude to his Holiness — Catherine is sent to Florence and Ippolito to Hungary — Interview between the Pope and Charles V at Bologna — Clement skilfully outmanoeuvres the Emperor, and the marriage between Catherine and the Duc d'Orléans is arranged

Chapter VII

Dowry of Catherine de' Medici — Her trousseau — Her pearls — A marvellous casket — The Florentines compelled to defray the greater part of the expense incurred by the Pope — François I's pensions to his son and future daughter-in- law — Efforts of Charles V to prevent the Pope's journey to Nice — Catherine's departure from Florence — She receives the presents of François I and the Duc d'Orléans — Objection of the Duke of Savoy to the marriage and the interview taking place at Nice necessitates the rendezvous being changed to Marseilles — Clement sails from Leghorn — Preparations at Marseilles — Arrival and reception of the Pope — His ceremonial entry into Marseilles — He is visited in secret by François I — Entry of Catherine — The marriage — Personal appearance of the bride and bridegroom — Presents given by the Pope and François to one another — Result of the conference between the two sovereigns — The death of Clement in the following year destroys the hopes which François has based on this alliance

Chapter VIII

Early married life of Henri and Catherine de' Medici — Unpopularity of the marriage — Diplomacy of Catherine, who contrives to secure the favour of François I and the friendship of Marguerite d'Angoulême and the King's mistress, Madame d'Étampes — Sketch of the last-named lady — Execution of François's agent, Maraviglia, at Milan — The King prepares to invade the Milanese, but the death of Clement VII and the expedition of Charles V against Tunis cause him to suspend operations — Death of Francesco Sforza — François demands the Milanese for the Duc d'Orléans — The French occupy Savoy and Piedmont, but the King allows the Emperor to delude him with negotiations — Charles's speech to the Pope and the Sacred College — Treachery of the Marchese di Saluzzo — The Emperor invades Provence — Devastation of the country by Montmorency — Death of the Dauphin François makes Henri heir to the throne — Grief of the King — The Conte Sebastiano Montecuculli arrested on a charge of having poisoned the prince — He confesses, under torture, to having been instigated by the Imperialists to poison the King and his three sons — His execution — The Imperialists repudiate the charge and accuse Catherine de' Medici

Chapter IX

Failure of the Emperor's invasion of Provence — The new Dauphin joins Montmorency's camp at Avignon — His letter to the Maréchal d'Humières — Singular character of the Grand-Master — The Dauphin saves a quack doctor from being hanged — Arrival of the King in the camp — Retreat of the Emperor from Provence, with the loss of half his army — Warm attachment conceived by the Dauphin for Montmorency — Operations on the northern frontier — Campaign of Henri and Montmorency in Picardy — Truce of Bomy — Despatch of a fresh army to Piedmont — The Dauphin commands the vanguard with the Grand-Master — Affair of the pass of Susa — Barbarous treatment of the garrison of Avigliana — Armistice of Monçon — Conference at Nice — Conclusion of a ten years' truce — Interview at Aigues-Mortes between François I and the Emperor

Chapter X

Diane de Poitiers — Her childhood — Her marriage with Louis de Brézé, Grand Sénéchal of Normandy — Arrest of her father, M. de Saint-Vallier, for complicity in the conspiracy of the Connétable de Bourbon — He is condemned to death, but his sentence is commuted when actually on the scaffold — Accusation of the Huguenot historian, Regnier de la Planche, that Diane redeemed her father's life by the sacrifice of her honour to François I — Anecdote of Brantôme — Opinions of various historians on this point — Conclusions of Georges Guiffrey — Assertion of Lorenzo Contarini, Venetian Ambassador to the French Court, that Diane became François's mistress at a later period — Arguments of Ludovic Lalanne as to the authorship of a packet of love-letters addressed to the King —  Opinions of Champollion, Sainte-Beuve, and Guiffrey — Question of the relations between Diane and the poet Clément Marot considered — Extraordinary respect shown by the Grande Sénéchale for the memory of her husband — Date of the beginning of her liaison with the Dauphin — Verses of Clément Marot — Methods adopted by the lady in the subjugation of the young prince — Politic attitude of Catherine de' Medici towards her husband's inamorata — Antagonism of Madame d'Étampes to Diane — Vouté's epigrams against the Sénéchale — The enmity between the two ladies divides the Court into rival factions

Chapter XI

Serious illness of the King — Policy of Montmorency — Charles V invited to pass through France on his way to the Netherlands — His magnificent reception — His entry into Paris — His departure for Flanders — The illusions of François I and Montmorency in regard to the cession of the Milanese rudely dispelled — The new proposals of the Emperor received with indignation by the French Court — Charles V invests his son Philip with the Milanese, and a fresh rupture between the two sovereigns becomes inevitable — Affection of the Dauphin for Montmorency — Increasing bitterness of the struggle between Madame d'Étampes and Diane de Poitiers — Diane and the Constable procure the disgrace of Chabot de Brion — Fury of Madame d'Étampes, who succeeds in alienating François from the Dauphin, and in convincing the King that Montmorency has sacrificed his interests to those of his eldest son — Disgrace of the Constable — Assassination of Rincon and Fregoso — Failure of Charles V's expedition against Algiers — François declares war against the Emperor

Chapter XII

François decides to remain on the defensive in Italy and to invade Luxembourg and Roussillon — Success of the French in Luxembourg compromised by the folly and egotism of the Duc d'Orléans — The Dauphin, with an army of 40,000 men, invades Roussillon and arrives before Perpignan, only to find that the Imperialists have rendered it almost impregnable — Futile efforts of the French to reduce the place — Gallantry of Brissac — The King orders the Dauphin to raise the siege — Retreat of the army — François and the Spanish women-captives — Birth of a son to the Dauphin — Precarious situation of Catherine de' Medici previous to the birth of her child — Her diplomacy saves the situation — Baptism of the little prince — Campaign in the Netherlands — Failure of the Dauphin to reduce the citadel of Binche — Charles V arrives at Speyer — Fatal inaction of François — Düren stormed by the Imperialists — The Duke of Clèves makes his submission to the Emperor — England joins Charles V — Indecisive operations in the Netherlands — The Turks on the coast of Provence

Chapter XIII

Critical situation of France at the beginning of the campaign of 1544 — Brilliant victory of Enghien at Ceresole — France invaded by Charles V and Henry VIII — The mutual suspicion of the allies prevents their adhering to their original plan of advancing straight upon Paris — Henry VIII lays siege to Boulogne and Montreuil, and the Emperor to Saint-Dizier — A pretended letter from the Duc de Guise causes the garrison of Saint-Dizier to capitulate — Charge of treason against Madame d'Étampes considered — The Dauphin entrusted with the command of the French Grand Army, with orders to remain entirely on the defensive — He entreats the King to recall Montmorency, but François angrily refuses — Henry VIII declines to advance on Paris until Boulogne and Montreuil have fallen— Capture of the Dauphin's magazines at Épernay and Château-Thierry by the Imperialists — The Dauphin falls back to Meaux — Panic in the capital — The King succeeds in restoring the confidence of the Parisians — Charles V, finding that his ally still refuses to cross the Somme, makes overtures for peace — Peace of Crépy — Indignation of the Dauphin, who enters a secret protest against the treaty — Henry VIII and the bulk of his army return to England — The Dauphin in Picardy — Failure of the camisado of Boulogne

Chapter XIV

Strained relations between the King and the Dauphin — The Dauphin "sells the bear's skin before the bear is killed," and is betrayed by the Court jester Briandas — Singular sequel to a dinner-party — François and the princes at the siege of Boulogne — The plague breaks out among the besiegers — Mad freak of the Duc d'Orléans — He is carried off by the pestilence, and the Peace of Crépy is rendered, to all intents and purposes, null and void — Refusal of the Emperor to enter into a new treaty — François prepares for war, but cannot be persuaded to take any definite action — Pitiful moral and physical condition of the King — The accession of the Dauphin anticipated with hopefulness by both Court and people — Portrait of Henri by the Venetian Ambassador, Marino Cavalli — Singular reflections on the nature of the prince's relations with Diane de Poitiers — Death of the Comte d'Enghien in a snowball-fight — Charges of foul play against the Dauphin and the Guises considered — Effect upon the King of the death of Henry VIII — Last days of François I — He falls ill at Rambouillet — His admonitions to the Dauphin — His death

Chapter XV

The accession of Henri II followed by a revolution of the palace — Montmorency is recalled and entrusted with the supreme direction of affairs — The Ministers of the late King are dismissed and the Council reorganised — Disgrace and persecution of Madame d'Étampes — Diane de Poitiers comes into her kingdom — Weakness of the new Sovereign, who allows himself to be governed by his favourites — Diane aspires to rule both the King and the kingdom — Impressions of the Imperial Ambassador, Saint-Mauris — Power of Montmorency — An amusing caricature — Diane, jealous of the authority of the Constable, resolves to pit the Guises against him, and then to hold the balance between the two parties — Aggrandizement of the Guises — Honours and benefits procured by Montmorency for his family — Favours bestowed on Saint-André — Shameless rapacity of the favourites, who "devour the King as a lion his prey" — Madame d'Étampes buys off the hostility of Diane — Her later years

Chapter XVI

Obsequies of François I — The remains of the deceased King and those of the Dauphin François and the Duc d'Orléans conveyed to Saint-Denis — Henri II incognito watches the passage of the funeral cortège through Paris — La Châtaigneraie and Jarnac — An innocent remark of the latter is maliciously misconstrued, and he is accused of having misconducted himself with his step-mother, Madeleine de Pontguyon — Fury and despair of Jarnac — Henri II (then Dauphin) suspected of having originated the report, though the real culprit is probably Diane de Poitiers — Embarrassing position of the prince — La Châtaigneraie takes the responsibility upon himself, and he and Jarnac apply to François I for permission to fight a judicial duel — The King forbids them to meet, but, on the accession of Henri II, La Châtaigneraie renews his request — Cartels of the two adversaries — The duel is sanctioned by Henri II — Preparations of Jarnac — Arrogance of La Châtaigneraie, who, in anticipation of an easy victory, invites the Court to a sumptuous supper after the combat — The King makes no secret of his sympathies for La Châtaigneraie — The duel is fought at Saint-Germain in the presence of Henri II and the whole Court — "Le coup de Jarnac" — Extraordinary behaviour of the King — Death of La Châtaigneraie

Chapter XVII

Sacre and coronation of Henri II — Affairs of Italy — Charles V and the Farnesi — Assassination of Pierluigi Farnese, natural son of Paul III, by the nobles of Piacenza, and occupation of the town by the Imperialists — Fury of the Pope — Negotiations for an alliance between France and the Papacy — The Constable dissuades Henri II from making war — Journey of Henri II to Piedmont — Mimic combat in honour of the King at Beaune — Arrival of Henri II at Turin — Annexation of the marquisate of Saluzzo

Chapter XVIII

Revolt against the gabelle, or salt tax, in the south-western provinces — Insurrection at Bordeaux — Murder of the Sieur de Moneins, the King's lieutenant in Guienne — The Constable despatched to Bordeaux — His punishment of the city — The severities inflicted on the Bordelais defended by the Constable's biographer, M. Decrue — State entry of the King into Lyons — Glorification of Diane de Poitiers — Marriages of Antoine de Bourbon and Jeanne d'Albret, and of François de Guise and Anne d'Este — State entry of the King into Paris — Persecution of the Protestants — Henri II and the martyr

Chapter XIX

Strained relations between France and England — Affairs of Scotland — Project of the Guises to marry their niece Mary Stuart to the Dauphin — Invasion of Scotland by the Protector Somerset and Battle of Pinkie — The Scotch nobility offer the hand of the little Queen to the Dauphin — French troops are despatched to the assistance of the Scots — Convention of Haddington — Mary Stuart is brought to France — Henri II's instructions to Humières, gouverneur of the Children of France, concerning her — His letter to the Queen-Dowager of Scotland — Progress of hostilities in Scotland — The War of Boulogne — Peace is concluded between England and France, and a marriage arranged between Edward VI and Madame Élisabeth, eldest daughter of Henri II

Chapter XX

The Constable is created duke and peer of France — Attitude of Diane de Poitiers towards Montmorency and the Guises — Ascendency of Diane over the King — The favourite is created Duchesse de Valentinois, and is presented with the Château of Chenonceaux — Description of her Château of Anet — Henri II at Anet — Devotion of Henri II for Diane — His letters to her — His obligations to her — Question of her sentiments towards him considered — Singular relations between Diane and Catherine: a ménàge à trois — Secret hatred of the Queen for the mistress — Obscure amours of the King — His liaison with Lady Fleming, governess of Mary Stuart — Birth of a son — Indiscretions of Lady Fleming, who is dismissed from Court — The animosity of Madame de Valentinois towards the Constable, whom she suspects of having encouraged her rival, causes her to throw her entire influence on the side of the Guises — Increased importance of the Guise brothers consequent on the death of the Duc Claude and the Cardinal Jean de Lorraine — They determine to force France into another war with Charles V

Chapter XXI

Critical relations between the Houses of France and Austria — Julius III and Ottavio Farnese — Henri II supports the latter against the Pope and Charles V — The War of Parma — Unpopularity of the Emperor in Germany — Revival of the League of Schmalkalde — Maurice of Saxony — Intrigues between France and the Lutheran princes — Treaty of Chambord — Bed of Justice of June 12, 1552 — Henri II, having decided to take the field in person, appoints Catherine Regent, but with very restricted powers — The King reviews his army at Vitry — French plan of campaign — The Constable takes Metz by stratagem — Henri II advances to Nancy, deposes the Regent of Lorraine, the Duchess Christina, and sends the young Duke Charles III to France — The King joins the Constable at Metz and invades Alsace — Refusal of Strasburg to admit the French — Flight of Charles V from Innspruck — The French fall back from the Rhine — The King in the trenches before Ivoy — Termination of the "Austrasian expedition" — Its results

Chapter XXII

The agreement of Passau — Preparations of Charles V for the recovery of Metz — The defence of the town is entrusted to François de Guise — His preparations — Siege of Metz — Obstinacy of the Emperor — The Imperialists are compelled to raise the siege —  Horrible condition of their abandoned camp — Humanity of Guise towards the wounded — Marriage of Diane de France and Orazio Farnese — Thérouenne stormed by the Imperialists and razed to the ground — Death of Orazio Farnese at Hesdin — The French army assembles at Amiens — Skirmish at Doullens — The King and the Constable carry the war into the Netherlands, but nothing is effected —  Death of Edward VI of England — Alarm of Henri II at the proposed marriage of Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain — Mary refuses to make a new treaty with France — Henri II encourages the English refugees and refuses the Queen of England's demand for their extradition — Futile campaign of the King and the Constable in Flanders — Battle of Renty — Outcry against the incapacity of Montmorency — The war in Italy — Truce of Vaucelles — Abdication of Charles V

Chapter XXIII

Popularity of Henri II — His amiable qualities — His affection for his children — The Dauphin (François II) — The Duc d'Orléans (Charles IX) — The Duc d'Angoulême (Henri III) — The Duc d'Alençon — Mesdames Élisabeth (Queen of Spain) and Claude (Duchess of Lorraine) — Madame Marguerite ("Queen Margot") — Education of the little princesses and Mary Stuart — Household of the Children of France — Diane de France, natural daughter of Henri II — The romance of François de Montmorency and Mlle. de Piennes — Marriage of François to Diane de France — Daily life of Henri II — His lever — His dinner — His love of the chase — His efforts to encourage horsebreeding — The Queen's "cercle" — The King at tennis — The King's evening — His coucher — Outward decorum of the Court of Henri II — Severity of Catherine — The Rohan-Nemours scandal — The Court in reality more corrupt than that of François I

Chapter XXIV

Intrigues of the Guises with Paul IV — Their audacious projects in Italy — Despatch of Cardinal Carlo Caraffa to France — Treaty of Fontainebleau between France and the Pope against Philip II of Spain — Guise's Italian expedition — Futile invasion of Naples — War on the northern frontier — England declares war against France — Saint-Quentin is besieged by the Spaniards — Disastrous defeat of the Constable in an attempt to revictual the town; Montmorency and Saint-André taken prisoners — Consternation in France — The heroic defence of Saint-Quentin by Coligny saves the situation — Expedition of Guise against Calais — Failure of the English Government to reinforce the garrison — Calais and Guines are taken, and the English expelled from France

Chapter XXV

The Guises turn the duke's brilliant military success to political account by hastening the marriage of their niece to the Dauphin — Madame de Valentinois, alarmed by the increasing power of her former protégés, resolves to redress the balance by an alliance with the captive Constable, and attempts, though without success, to delay the affair — Marriage of the Dauphin and Mary Stuart — Banquet and festivities at the Palais de Justice — Secret treaty signed by Mary Stuart at Fontainebleau — Unbearable arrogance of the Guises — Denunciation of the heresy of Andelot by the Cardinal de Lorraine — Henri II, irritated by the insolence of the Guises, desires peace and the return of the Constable — His letters to Montmorency — Guise takes Thionville — Disastrous defeat of Termes at Gravelines — Henri II and Philip II join their respective armies — A suspension of arms is agreed to, and negotiations for peace are begun at the Abbey of Cercamp — Interview between the King and the Constable at Beauvais — The Spanish plenipotentiaries demand the evacuation of Italy by the French — And, notwithstanding the desperate financial straits of Philip II, their demands are conceded — Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis — Indignation in France — Results of the treaty considered

Chapter XXVI

The Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis followed by a fresh outburst of persecution against the Protestants in France and the Netherlands — Retrospect of the measures adopted by Henri II for the repression of heresy: the Edict of Chateaubriand, the introduction of the Inquisition, and the Edict of Compiègne — Rapid spread of the Reformed doctrines in France — Disinclination of the Parlement of Paris to co-operate with the Government in the persecution — The King attends the mercuriale of June 10, 1559; — Bold speeches of Anne du Bourg and Louis du Faur — Henri II orders the arrest of the two counsellors and of three others — Fate of Du Bourg — Preparations for the Treaty marriages — Marriage of Philip II, represented by Alva, and Madame Élisabeth — The tournament of the Rue Saint-Antoine — Henri II mortally wounded in the eye by a splinter from the lance of Montgomery, captain of the Scottish Guard — His illness and death — His funeral — Disgrace of Diane de Poitiers — Her last years — Desecration of her tomb at Anet in 1795 — A singular discovery — Fate of the château — Fall of Montmorency — Subsequent career of Montgomery