ISBN: 9781235231070

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1906. Not illustrat… More...

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1906. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... of Anjou must be still further conciliated by the help of Rene''s daughter. Any diversion, too, that would tend to unsettle the dynasty in England was a welcome aid, keeping the English in a state of enforced neutrality; there was even the chance of Calais being surrendered as the price of help. So, strangely enough, Peter de Breze, the Seneschal of Normandy, was offered his choice of continued prison or the chances of the English wars, and we find him later on assisting the restless Margaret at the siege of Alnwick, while the strife between the two parties went on as fiercely as ever. Louis himself did not often darken Chinon with his presence. It was close to here, at Les Forges, in the forest to the north-east, that while the King was at dinner, luy vint comme une perclusion, and he lost the power of speech. Commines, who tells us of the scene, was sent for, and waited on his sick master for forty days. Other courtiers, who had not been so well advised in their offers of assistance, were exiled from the Court as soon as Louis recovered. His great fear was a loss of authority in his weakness. All the time of his illness the two brothers, Louis and Charles d''Amboise, were writing despatches and arranging affairs of State in a lower room, but every letter had to be taken up to the paralytic, who could barely see or speak, to receive the mockery of his approval. It was at the time of his recovery from this attack that he at last released Cardinal Balue, whom he kept imprisoned fourteen years. His last and fatal illness overtook him at Plessis-lez-Tours. A more interesting event is the betrothal of Philippe de Commines to Mdlle. de Montsoreau, which took place at Chinon in 1473. It was during the strange scene at Peronne, where the craft of Louis almost overreac... Theodore Andrea Cook, Books, History, Old Touraine The Life And History Of The Chateaux Of The Loire Books>History, General Books LLC<