Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 7, ETM-GOA

FRA r 425 1 FRA
France her prefent title was the Lady of Beaujeu ; but (lie ap-
v'~' pears to have adltd entirely independent of her huf-
band, who was but of a moderate capacity, and in¬
deed had been recommended to her by Louis on ac-
count-cf his {lender abilities, left by any other match
the houfe of Bourbon Ihould be too much aggran¬
dized. Her fir ft ftep was to ingratiate herfelf with
the people by fome popular a£b ; among which one
was to punifh the inftruments of her father’s cruelties.
One of thefe, named Olivier le Dain, who, from the
ftation of a barber, had raifed himfelf to the'confi¬
dence and favour of the king, and had diftingui/hed
himfelf by the invention of new modes of torture,
was publicly hanged. Another, named Jean Doyac,
who by continual afts of violence and rapacity had
oppreffed the people, was condemned, after being
whipped in all the open places or fquares of Paris, to
have one of his ears cut off, and his tongue pierced
with a hot iron ; after which he was conveyed to his
native city of Montferrand, where he was again whip¬
ped, and his other ear cut off; after which his eftates,
as well as thofe of Olivier, were confifcated. Jacques
Coitier, the phyfician of Louis, who had availed him¬
felf of the terror of death with which the king was
ftrongly influenced, to extort great fums of money
from him, was ordered to anfwer for the immenfe
wealth he had acquired ; but he averted the danger
by paying a fine of 50,000 crowns.
Thus the lady de Beaujeu gained the affeftion of
the people at large ; and was equally fuccefsful in gain¬
ing over thofe who were averfe to her government.
The duke of Bourbon was made conftable, an office
which be had long defired ; but the duke of Orleans
behaved in fuch a manner as to exclude all hopes of
favour. Incenfed at the determination of a trifling
difpute at tennis againft him, by the lady Beaujeu, he
exclaimed, that whoever had decided it in that manner
“ was a liar if a man, or a (trumpet if a woman.” Af¬
ter this furious declaration he fled to the caftle of Beau-
jency, where, however, he was foon forced to furrender.
He then applied to Henry VII. of England, who had
newly afcended the throne of England; but that prince,
naturally flow and cautious, did not pay much attention
,24 to his prOpofals ; on which he next made his applica-
Orleans tl'°ri to the court of Brittany. Here he was received
flies to Brit-whh great marks of efteem, and began to entertain
tany. hopes of marrying the daughter of the duke ; but be¬
ing looked upon with a jealous eye by the nobility,
they entered into fecret negoCiations with Anne, and
even folicited her to invade the country. In thefe ne-
gociations, however, they ftipulated that only a certain
number of troops fhould enter the province, and that
no fortified place fhould remain in the hands of the
French; wLich conditions were indeed agreed to by
^ the regent, though (he determined to keep them no
That conn- longer than it anfwered her purpqfe. In purfuance of
tryinva- this refolution, Brittany was invaded at once by four
Frenchthe artI“es> eac^ °f them fuperiorto the ftipulated number,
who quickly made themfelves mafters of the moft im¬
portant places in the country ; while the troops of
the duke retired in difguft, leaving them to purfue
their conquefts as they pleafed. Finding at laft, how¬
ever, that the entire fubjedlionof their country was de¬
termined upon, the nobility began to exert themfelves in
defence of it; and, inflamed by the enthufiafm of liber*
Vol. VII. Part II.
ty, they raifed an army of 60,000 men. By thefe the France.
French were compelled to abandon the fiege of Nantz: *~~mm
but this proved only a tranlierlt gleam of fuccefs. Anne
perfevered in her defign of completing the conqueft of
the-country, and the ftate of Europe at that time fa¬
voured the defign. Of all the European ftates. Eng¬
land alone was then capable of affording any effectual
affiftance ; and the flow caution of Henry prevented
him from giving the affiftance which for his own inte-
reft he ought to have done. Thus the Bretons were
left to defend themfelves the Left way they could ; and
having ventured a battle, they were entirely defeated,
and moft of their leaders taken prifoners. A frhall bo¬
dy of Engliflr, under the command of lord Woodville,
who affifted them, were entirely cut in pieces. The
duke foon after died by a fall from his horfe, leaving
his dominions to his daughter Anne, at that time only
1 3 years of age. A marriage was negociated betwixt
this princefs and Maximilian king of the Romans, who
had been married to Mary of Burgundy ; but by rea-
fon of the poverty of that prince it was never com-
pleted. The lady Beaujeu, then, finding that the ab- Marriage
lolute conqueft of Brittany w-ould ftill be a difficult between
matter, determined to conclude a marriage betwixt‘belong
the young king of France and the duchefs, though thfc^F^ce
former had already been married to Margaret of Auff chefs cf
tria, the daughter of Maximilian. This marriage in- Brittany,
deed had not been confummated by reafon of the ten¬
der age of the princefs ; but ftie had been fent to Paris
for her education, and had for feveral years been treat¬
ed as queen of France. In 1491, however, Margaret
was fent back to her father: Anne of Brittany fur a
long time refufed to'violate the engagements into which
fhe had entered 5 but at laft, fimling herfelf diftreffed
on all fides, and incapable of refifting the numerous
forces of France with which fhe was preffed, fhe re-
lu6fantly confented to the match, and the nuptials
were celebrated the fame year at Langeais in Tou-
raine.
Maximilian, whofe poverty had prevented him from
giving any affiftance to his bride, or even from coming
to fee her, enraged at the double difgrace he bad fuf*
Fred, began, when too late, to think of revenge.
France was now threatened with an invafion from the
united forces of Auftn'a, Spain, and England. But
this formidable confederacy was foon diffipated.
Henry, whofe natural avarice had prevented him from
giving the neceffary affitlance, was bought off with mo¬
ney : the immediate payment of 745,000 crowns, and
the promife of if,000 annually ever after, perfuaded
him to retire into his own country. Ferdinand king
of Spain had the counties of Rouffillon and Cerdagne
reftored to him; while Maximilian was gratified by the
ceffion of part of Artois, which had been acquired by
Louis XL
The young king of France agreed to thefe terms His expedl.’
the more readily, that he was impatient to undertake tion into
an expedition into Italy, in order to conquer the king- Italy>. and
dom cf Naples, to which he claimed a right. Moft
his counfellors were againfl the expedition ; but the
king was inflexible, even though Ferdinand king of
Naples offered to do homage for his kingdom, and pay
him a tribute of 50,000 crowns a-year. He appointed
Peter duke of Bourbon regent in his abfence; after
which he fet out on his expedition with very few
3 H troops