Series 3 > Foreign correspondence with Marie de Lorraine, Queen of Scotland, from the originals in the Balcarres papers > Volume 7

INTRODUCTION
xli
wars of Henri n. rather than with their causes. Inter¬
nally, apart from the insurrection in Guienne against
the salt-tax, quelled by the severe measures of Mont¬
morency and the gentler tactics of Francois de Lorraine,
there was little to record. The foreign policy of Henri n.,
however, differed from that of his predecessors, and the
wars of his reign were carried out in accordance with
it. The Italian wars of previous Kings of France were
abandoned, with the exception of minor campaigns in the
north of Italy and the expedition of the Duke of Guise in
1556 to attempt the reconquest of the Kingdom of Naples,
claimed by him by right of his ancestress Renee de Lor¬
raine. Henri n. and his counsellors saw plainly that the
real danger France had to face was in the north and east,
where the pretensions of the Emperor endangered the
frontier of France, already too near to Paris, and where
England, by the possession of Boulogne and Calais, had a
footing in the country.
Giovanni Capello, Venetian ambassador,1 wrote : ‘ I
perceived that his Majesty’s maxim is to keep war at a
distance from France, and to that end he spares neither
care nor expense, for he considers that all loss in his own
country is of consequence, while great loss at a distance
is of little value.’
The alliances of the King bear witness to his persistence
in the carrying out of his policy ; for to gain his ends the
most Christian King was compelled ‘ to intrigue with the
Turk (that arch-enemy of Austria), to coquet with England,
and to approach the Protestant princes of Germany.’ 2
The three wars carried on by Henri n. ended in advancing
and securing his frontier in the danger zone, and of these,
two come within the scope of the correspondents of the
Queen Dowager. The first resulted in the capture of
1 Baschet, Diplomatic Vlnitienne, p. 449.
2 Duclos, Hist, of France, p. 1x6.