Joustes before Rennes—Death of Isabelle—Betrothal of Anne—MarguÉrite of Austria—Marriage of Anne—Charles VIII.—Birth of Dauphin—Italian War—Return of King—Death of Dauphin—Birth and death of other children—Death of Charles VIII.

The French army lay encamped before Rennes. Hostilities began by the Bastard de Foix dressed as St. George, riding up to the walls and challenging any knight to come out and break a lance with him in honour of the ladies. A Breton noble in complete armour at once appeared, lists were made among the moats, Anne had a scaffolding erected from which she with her ladies and court witnessed the combat, first with lances, then with swords, and, after she had supplied hypocras and other refreshments to the French, every one retired.

Next day the siege began. Provisions and money ran short and the Princess Isabelle died. Charles offered Anne a large pension, any place she chose to live in except Rennes or Nantes; and Louis de Luxembourg, the Comte d’AngoulÊme or the Duc de Nemours for a husband in exchange for the duchy, which she refused. He next offered her foreign troops all the arrears due to them if they would withdraw from Rennes, which they immediately did. Then he tried to induce her to accept a large allowance, give up the duchy and go to the King of the Romans; and finally proposed that she should throw over Maximilian, who could get no money from his father, the Emperor, had never even seen her, and probably cared very little for the marriage (having lately lost Marie de Bourgogne whom he loved passionately), and marry him.

It was far the best way out of this disastrous state of things. Charles was politically her enemy, but she had no personal dislike to him, he was a suitable age and a splendid match, besides which it was evident that she must either accept him or lose Bretagne altogether. And whether it would be better for her or Bretagne that she should be a landless fugitive or Queen of France was a question about which there was no doubt whatever in the minds of any of the sensible people who surrounded her. Her cousin, the Prince of Orange, her guardian, the MarÉchal de Rieux, her Chancellor, Montauban, and her governess, Madame de Laval, all told her the same thing, and tried to persuade her to consent to this marriage. The Duc d’OrlÉans, who had been released by the intercession of his wife; and the Comte de Dunois, added their entreaties, and Anne at last began to hesitate. Then Madame de Laval told her confessor and begged him to speak to her. He accordingly assured her that it was required of her by God and the Church to make this sacrifice for the good of her country and the restoration of peace. Anne yielded to the only authority she recognised and consented to an interview with the King.

Charles therefore went, on pretence of a pilgrimage to the chapel of Notre Dame which was at the gate of Rennes. After his devotions were finished, he suddenly entered the town accompanied by the Princess Anne de Beaujeu, and an armed escort. The next day he presented himself at the palace of the Duchess. They had a long private audience in which Charles seems to have succeeded in overcoming any dislike Anne may have had for him, as they were betrothed to each other three days afterwards in the chapel of Notre Dame.

Two solemn contracts had to be broken for the sake of this marriage, so important both to Bretagne and France. Besides the ceremonial marriage of Anne and Maximilian, his daughter MarguÉrite had not only been for the last eight years the legal wife of Charles VIII., but had been brought up in France and treated as Dauphine and then as Queen. The marriage, which was of course only a form, had been celebrated at Amboise just before the death of Louis XI., with pomp and ceremony in the presence of the court, the Dauphin being then twelve and the Princess MarguÉrite three years old.286

It was a great affront to Maximilian, both on his own account and that of his daughter, who, though so young, was extremely indignant, having long considered herself Queen of France. She was conducted back to her father with great state, and when, as she passed through Arras, the people began the French cry of “NoËl, NoËl!” she said impatiently, “Do not cry ‘NoËl!’ but ‘Vive Bourgogne!’” She was afterwards the famous Regent of the Netherlands, and throughout her life never forgot the slight or felt anything but enmity to France, in which, however, she did not include the Queen, who had sent her splendid jewels and beautiful embroideries, and with whom she was always on friendly terms.287

A chronicler favouring the Austrian party, observes in his writings that with respect to this alliance three things are most surprising: first, that Charles VIII. should have had the audacity to carry it out, being already married to the daughter of Maximilian; secondly, that the Duchesse de Bretagne should have accepted the deadly enemy of her house as her husband; and thirdly, that the Seigneur de Dunois, who had done so much to bring about this marriage, should have fallen dead from his horse as he returned from the betrothal, ce qui Épouvanta fort tout le peuple.288 For Dunois, one of the most faithful friends of the young Duchess, never saw her crowned Queen, having been seized with apoplexy as just described.

Although by this alliance Anne gained a much higher rank, she lost that of a sovereign princess. Charles was the conqueror, and she had no choice but to submit to the French terms, which were—that the duchy of Bretagne should pass entirely into the hands of the King; that if she should survive him but have no living children, it should again become hers, but that in that case, in order to avoid another war she should bind herself not to marry any one but the King of France or his heir; that she should receive the same dowry as the King’s mother; and, by his special desire, that any jewels, furniture, or property of whatever value, which might be in her possession at the King’s death, should be hers absolutely. The Prince of Orange approved of this contract, which she signed on her wedding day, December 6, 1491.

In spite of her poverty, Anne displayed royal magnificence in her dress and all the accessories of her wedding. It is probable that the States granted her a large sum of money for that occasion. At any rate her wedding-dress of cloth-of-gold with gold embroideries, cost 126,000 francs (present value), and all her travelling appointments were splendid. She gave velvet dresses to the ladies and gentlemen of her household, that of Madame de Laval being of violet velvet, and a costume of cloth-of-gold to the Prince of Orange.289 Anne was now fifteen years old and the King twenty. After their wedding, they went to Tours, and then to Paris, splendidly received all the way. Anne was crowned at St. Denis in the following February, on which occasion she was dressed in white satin. The crown was too large and heavy for the young head, and was held by Louis, Duc d’OrlÉans. The next day she entered Paris.

De MÉzeray declares that Anne had an immense influence over the King, and that she ruled her own duchy entirely. But M. Le Roux de Lincy denies this statement, and quotes in support of such contradiction two well-known historians of Bretagne,290 who assert that during the whole of the married life of Charles VIII. and Anne, all the actes de Bretagne are in the name of Charles alone, without that of Anne ever being mentioned.

In spite of the King’s jealous monopoly of her duchy, he was always much attached to the Queen, although this did not prevent his carrying on many love affairs and intrigues with other women, greatly to her displeasure; and every now and then arose quarrels and disputes about this or that person to whom his attentions were too much directed. But they were always together, except when he was at war; he lavished money and every luxury upon her, and was as much influenced by her as he could be by anybody. For Charles was obstinate, rash, and chimerical; and in many matters would take no advice from any one. He was not handsome like most of his family, being short and badly made; but he had beautiful eyes, a charming expression and manners so gentle and courteous that it was said that no one had ever heard him say a rude or harsh thing.

Madame de Beaujeu, sister of the King, who had been hitherto the greatest lady in France, began by trying in vain to oppose and interfere with the Queen, who, having from childhood been accustomed to the deference and obedience due to a sovereign princess, declined to allow her authority to be questioned, so that the late Regent had to yield.

Charles and Anne lived chiefly at Plessis and Amboise, which he had caused to be magnificently refurnished and decorated for her reception.

Whenever it was possible Anne travelled by water, the rivers being still the chief highways, and the great barges with wooden houses on board the most comfortable conveyances. On October 10th was born the Dauphin, Charles-Orland, at Plessis, to the great rejoicing of France, Bretagne, and the King; he was christened with splendid ceremonial, his god-parents being the Queen-dowager of Sicily and the Dukes of OrlÉans and Bourbon. He was dedicated to the Virgin, and always dressed in white and cloth of silver. A few months afterwards the King and Queen set off for Lyon, leaving him at Amboise, surrounded by the strictest precautions, amongst which was one forbidding any one to visit him who had ever been in Italy.

They stayed at Lyon and Grenoble amidst much festivity until the baggage arrived, was unloaded from the chariots and packed on mules to cross the Alps. On September 1st, after attending mass, Charles bade the Queen farewell, mounted his horse, placed himself at the head of his army and started, accompanied by Louis d’OrlÉans.

Anne remained at Lyon, and at first the King’s daily letters brought news of unbroken conquests, which, however, like all the French victories in Italy, melted away, leaving nothing but disaster to France. It was fifteen months before Charles returned to Lyon where Anne had waited for him. In spite of his reverses he was in good spirits and resolved on another Italian campaign, for like all the Valois he was an ardent soldier. His favourite charger “Savoie,” a splendid black horse with only one eye, had carried him through all the battles and loved him so much that he would fight for him with his teeth and hoofs. He was given him by the Duc de Savoie.291 Amongst other adventures is told the story of a young girl to whom he took a fancy at Naples. She was brought to his palace there and when left alone with him she explained that she had not come of her own free will, but had been carried off by force, and threw herself on his mercy. Charles assured her that she need fear no violence from him, sent her away in safety, and promised her his protection.

In December, 1495, the Dauphin, then about three years old, was suddenly taken ill and died at Amboise, where he had always lived. Although he had been so little with his parents they were most anxious about him, and constant news of him had always been sent them. M. Le Roux de Lincy gives several letters written by the Queen to his governor, full of inquiries and directions respecting him. He was a beautiful, precocious child,292 and his death was a severe blow to his parents. Philippe de Commines, who had a grudge against Charles because he had been imprisoned by him and the Regent, says that he cared very little, being jealous of the Dauphin, a most absurd supposition regarding a child of three years old, and it being most unlikely that he should have293 preferred his heir to be Louis d’OrlÉans instead of a son of his own. On the contrary, the shock made both Charles and Anne so ill and depressed that the doctors ordered the King to be amused, therefore many more gaieties took place at court than the Queen felt inclined for. She hated being present at them, and quarrelled with the Duc d’OrlÉans because he seemed to her in such good spirits that she fancied he was glad to be again heir-presumptive and to be called “Monseigneur,” which she could not bear to hear.294 This caused a coolness between Louis and the King and Queen, so that he retired to Blois, where he surrounded himself with literary men and collected a large library, including the books and manuscripts written by his father. Anne had another son next year, also named Charles, the following year one called FranÇois, and then a daughter named Anne. But although she got strong Bretonne women to nurse them and took every precaution she could not save any. None of them lived more than a few weeks. They were buried in an exquisitely sculptured tomb of white marble in the cathedral of Tours.

The King and Queen, finding no medicine or cure any use, had tried various superstitious means. They had a whole coffer full of charms and amulets, and the people said it was a curse on them because they had not been free to marry each other. But they were still very young and hoped yet to have living children. Charles began to think that these misfortunes were the punishment of Heaven for his dissipated life, and resolved to reform. Anne was so uneasy and jealous of his proceedings that she could not bear him to be out of her sight, and had at one time brought on a miscarriage by persisting in going out hunting when she was enceinte because she did not want him to go without her. Now, however, Charles declared he would have no more love affairs, would give his whole attention to his kingdom and people. He had planned another Italian campaign and a crusade against the unbelievers, but it was strongly represented to him that he ought not to leave France without having an heir. The Queen, who dreaded another long separation, was naturally of the same opinion, and Charles was persuaded to remain in France, and began to alter and decorate his favourite chÂteau of Amboise. He had brought books, pictures, statues, and all sorts of treasures from Italy, and had become much influenced by the splendour of the renaissance then prevailing there. He began the great tower with an inclined ascent by which a troop of cavalry can ride to the top, from the lower entrance down by the river.

The splendid old chÂteau had become more comfortable and luxurious than ever under the rule of Anne de Bretagne.295 Tapestries hung on the walls, thick carpets lay on the floors, curtains of damask and satin were over the beds and everywhere. The Queen was at Amboise with the King, who could not bear to be separated from her, and in whose pursuits and diversions she always shared. One day, about two o’clock in the afternoon, he proposed that they should go and look on at a game of paume which was to be played dans les fossÉs du chÂteau.

She consented, and the King, taking her by the hand, they left her private apartment together. They had to pass through a low, dirty, dilapidated gallery which Charles intended to have pulled down, and in entering which he struck his head violently against its arched doorway.296 He declared, however, that he was not much hurt and they proceeded to the seats from which they were to watch the game. While it was going on the King talked and laughed as usual, but when it was over he complained of pain in his head and said he would go to his own room. The Queen, dreadfully frightened, went with him.297 As they walked back he began to speak of his repentance for the faults and follies of his life, and just as he said, “J’espÈre bien ne commettre aucun pÉchÉ, soit mortel, soit vÉniel,” he suddenly fell to the ground. They were again at the entrance of the fatal gallery, where a straw mattress being hastily thrown on the floor he was laid upon it. They dared not move him, so he lay there until about eleven at night, only recovering consciousness for a few moments, when, after murmuring, “Mon Dieu! Vierge Marie! Monseigneur Saint Claude! Monseigneur Saint Blaise me soient en aide!” he died.298