The Maid and the Queen

by Nancy Goldstone

  Also necessary to the writing of this book was Sue Madeo, who coordinates the interlibrary loan program at the Westport Public Library and who, as usual, helped me to obtain sources from academic libraries all over the state. And my friend and fellow author Wendy Kann read the book in manuscript for me and pinpointed all the places that needed work, which was a huge help. I am also so grateful to her for her unflagging encouragement and for her suggestions on how to bring the story to life.

  I must also profusely thank my editor at Viking, Carolyn Carlson, both for her (greatly appreciated!) enthusiasm for my work and for her incisive read. I have never had more helpful or spot-on editorial suggestions; the manuscript was demonstrably improved by her efforts, and she was always available to toss around ideas. This book was so much fun to do with her. And, of course, I must thank my fabulous agent, Michael Carlisle, who is always fun! Michael saw this book immediately, and has been so encouraging and committed to my work throughout our relationship—I am truly fortunate to have him on my side.

  And finally, to my family, on whose love and support I rely every day. To my daughter, Emily, who hunted around in used bookstores to find me a volume of medieval women mystics for Christmas, a special thank-you—that book really helped me to place Joan in historical context. I love you so much and am so proud to be your mother! And to my husband, Larry, who once again put down his own work to walk me (and the dog) through seemingly endless medieval battle plans and political machinations, whose insights greatly enriched this book, and whose belief in me is tangible, thank you, thank you, I love you.

  NOTES

  INTRODUCTION

  xvi “The Sunday… because none dared any longer stay in them”: Pernoud, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 72– 74.

  xvi “day of the herrings”: Ibid., 76.

  xvi “found themselves squeezed”: Ibid., 79.

  EPIGRAPHS

  xxi “For full fayne”: Couldrette, The Romans of Partenay, or of Lusignen: Otherwise Known as the Tale of Melusine, 1.

  xxi “Consider the effect”: Boase, The Troubadour Revival, 129– 130. Italics added.

  CHAPTER 1: The Kingdom of the Gay Science

  3 She was born in Barcelona on August 11, 1381: Miron, The Queens of Aragon: Their Lives and Times, 217.

  5 The Book in which: Pedro IV of Aragon, Chronicle, Part One, 132.

  6 She read voraciously: Baudot, Les Princesses Yolande et les Ducs de Bar, 99.

  6 the same superior education that she herself… had received: On the lit eracy of the French royal family, Christine de Pizan, a contemporary of Marie’s who wrote a biography of Charles V, noted, “By the astute upbringing of his father, he was fully instructed in classical letters such that he understood latin fluently and knew well enough the rules of grammar.” [“La sage administracion du père le fist introduire en lettres moult souffisanment et tant que competenment entendoit son latin et suffisanment scavoit les rigles de grammaire.”] Baudot, Les Princesses Yolande et les Ducs de Bar, 100. Translation by Marie-Paule de Valdivia. Charles was not the only member of the family to receive this exemplary formal education—it seems that all of his siblings were given the same training, although some benefited from it more than others. One of Charles’s brothers, the duke of Berry, would become a famous book collector.

  6 a glum letter: Boase, The Troubadour Revival, 89.

  6 Perhaps to assuage the terrible grief: Bratsch-Prince, “A Queen’s Task,” 25. Yolande of Aragon had only one brother, Jaume, who lived to be four years old; none of her other siblings survived beyond eight months.

  6 “But this was taken to such exaggerated lengths”: Boase, The Troubadour Revival, 124.

  6 “what in bygone days”: Ibid., 124.

  7 “All earthly things are moved by her”: Ibid., 130. “Documents from the royal archives show that [King John]… attributed almost miraculous properties to the art of troubadour poetry known as the Gay Science,” wrote medieval scholar Roger Boase, ibid., 154.

  7 “after having for a long time viewed”: Freeman, “A Book of Hours Made for the Duke of Berry,” 104.

  7 Yolande had his entire library transferred: Kibre, “The Intellectual Interests Reflected in Libraries of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries,” 271.

  8 a particularly audacious thief: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 39.

  8 Convinced that the incident was miraculous: Ibid., 40.

  10 “The adventure is this”: Sara Sturm-Maddox, “Crossed Destinies: Narrative Programs in the Roman de Mélusine,” in Maddox and Sturm-Maddox, eds., Melusine of Lusignan, 16.

  10 “O Lord God!”: Couldrette, The Romans of Partenay, or of Lusignen: Otherwise Known as the Tale of Melusine, 14.

  11 “In God’s name, Raymondin”: Nadia Margolis, “Myths in Progress: A Literary-Typological Comparison of Melusine and Joan of Arc,” in Maddox and Sturm-Maddox, eds., Melusine of Lusignan, 247.

  11 “huge mouth and large great nostrils”: Couldrette, The Romans of Partenay, 46.

  11 “though he could see more clearly”: Ibid., 49.

  12 “Evil was the hour”: Laurence de Looze, “‘La fourme du pié toute escripte’: Melusine and the Entrance into History,” in Maddox and Sturm-Maddox, eds. Melusine of Lusignan, 126, 127, 131.

  12 “Melusine came to Lusignan”: Maddox and Sturm-Maddox, eds., Melusine of Lusignan, 1.

  12 “if not in the air”: Ibid., 130.

  12 “to tell the last English tenant”: Stephen G. Nichols, “Melusine Between Myth and History: Profile of a Female Demon,” in Maddox and Sturm-Maddox, eds., Melusine of Lusignan, 159.

  13 “It is in Jean d’Arras”: Ibid., 162.

  14 printed in Geneva in 1478: Couldrette, The Romans of Partenay, x.

  14 Significantly, in 1444 the court of Lorraine: Baudot, Les Princesses Yolande et les Ducs de Bar, 364.

  14 “And to the pleasure”: Couldrette, The Romans of Partenay, ix.

  14 “for the amusement of Marie of France”: Baudot, Les Princesses Yolande et les Ducs de Bar, 121.

  15 “political education of the children”: Ibid., 123.

  15 Jean of Arras even based two: Ibid., 363.

  15 “Very noble lord dauphin”: Pernoud and Clin, Joan of Arc: Her Story, 22.

  CHAPTER 2: To Be a Queen

  16 In 1388, when John impatiently threatened: Bisson, The Medieval Crown of Aragon, 123.

  16 “She was very interested in the affairs of state”: [“Que s’interessava molt pels afers de l’estat I volia tenir sempre al seu costat, valent-se de les arts d’una dona que se sap estimada, el seu marit.”] Bratsch-Prince, “A Queen’s Task,” 24. Translation by Dawn Bratsch-Prince.

  18 “400 lances”: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 23.

  18 “And for certain this lady”: [“Et pour certain ceste dame avoit bien l’astuce de sçavoir congnoistre céulx qui luy povoient servir et ayder. Et quant elle les congnoissoit, elle avoit bien la grâce de les gaigner et retenir, car elle estoit libéralle, gracieus et affable. Et oultre estoit songneuse, diligent, et en magnanimité de cueur et virilles entre-prinses excédoit maintz princes de son temps, parquoy elle estoit de chascun fort crainte, prisée et estimée.”] Bourdigné, Chroniques d’Anjou et du Maine, 121. Translation by Marie-Paule de Valdivia.

  19 by knighting Louis II at a grand celebration: For details of the knighting ceremony see Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 1, 589– 599.

  19 the pope crowned twelve-year-old Louis II king: For details of the coronation ceremony see Bourdigné, Chroniques d’Anjou et du Maine, 117, and Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 24.

  20 To extricate the crown of Aragon: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 27.

  20 Charles VI hastily offered the hand of his own daughter: Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 36.

  22 “This princess captivated all eyes”: [“Cette princess captivait tous les regards par sa rare beauté, par les charmes de son visage et par l’air de dignité répandu sur toute sa personne. C’était en un mot un vérit
able trésor de grâces. Au dire des gens, sages, la nature avait pris plaisir à la former et l’avait comblée de toutes les perfections; il ne suffira de dira qu’aucune femme ne méritait de lui être comparée.”] Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 1, 773. Translation by Marie-Paule de Valdivia.

  22 “one of the most beautiful creatures”: Kekewich, The Good King, 15, footnote 11.

  23 “with all expressions of honor and joy”: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 30.

  25 “it was joyful to see”: [“ilz estoient si joyeulx de veoir la fervente et cordialle amour qui estoit entre ces deux jeunes gens”] Bourdigné, Chroniques d’Anjou et du Maine, 123.

  26 “For twenty-two years”: [“Pendant vingt-deux ans en effect elle administra avec tant d’ordre et de prévoyance les revenus de la Provence, de l’Anjou et du Maine, qu’elle put soutenir à ses frais, un nom de son fils aîné Louis, la guerre de Naples commencée par son père, tout en donnant à ce fils de quoi tenir en état de roi. Ses conseillers intimes assurent qu’elle amassa sur les revenus de ses domaines un trésor particulier de deux cent mille écus d’or.”] Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 2, 215. Translation by Marie-Paule de Valdivia.

  27 “When her last hour approached”: [“Voyant approcher sa dernière heure, elle reçut devotement les sacrements de l’Église; après quoi elle fit venir son fils et lui révéla ce secret. Le jeune prince justement étonné lui demanda avec douceur pourquoi, dans le temps où il avait été presque réduit à la détresse, elle ne l’avait pas secouru plus généreusement. Elle lui répondit qu’elle avait craint de le voir prisonnier, et qu’elle avait toujours voulu lui tenir cet argent en réserve, pour lui épargner la honte de mendier sa rançon de tour côtés.”] Ibid., 215. Translation by Marie-Paule de Valdivia.

  CHAPTER 3: The Mad King of France

  29 “The Duke of Burgundy”: Froissart, Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the Adjoining Countries, vol. 1, 295.

  29 “The clattering on the helmets”: Ibid., 260– 261.

  32 “I feel I have not long to live”: Ibid., 190.

  33 “Tell my uncle, the Duke of Burgundy”: Bearne, Pictures of the Old French Court, 117.

  34 “with many thanks”: Kitchin, A History of France, 484.

  34 “The bells were ringing”: [“Les cloches furent mises en branle, et pour faire connaitre à tous les Français le nouvel et joyeux événement survenu dans la ville, on envoya de tous côtés, au nom du roi, des courriers chargés de répandre dans le royaume l’heureuse nouvelle de la naissance du prince.”] Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 1, 733. Translation by Marie-Paule de Valdivia.

  35 “with much diligence”: [“avec beaucoup de zèle”] Ibid., 735.

  35 “The first words the King said”: Froissart, Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the Adjoining Countries, vol. 2, 94– 95.

  36 “He had been the whole summer”: Ibid., 99.

  36 “unbecoming to royalty”: Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 2.

  36 “Go no further, great king”: Ibid., 2.

  36 “Advance, advance”: Froissart, Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the Adjoining Countries, vol. 2, 100.

  38 “when… she [Isabeau] approached”: Gibbons, “Isabeau of Bavaria, Queen of France,” 61, footnote 41.

  39 openly conducting an affair: For recent scholarship on the issue of Isabeau’s infidelity, see Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 44.

  40 “They [Isabeau and the duke of Orléans] could be reproached”: Gibbons, “Isabeau of Bavaria, Queen of France,” 63, footnote 49.

  40 “sounder part”: Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 28.

  40 And the next year… gemstone that had caught his eye: Ibid., 39.

  41 so affected by this death: Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 2, 731.

  42 “I am the Duc d’Orléans!”: Bearne, Pictures of the Old French Court, 238.

  CHAPTER 4: Civil War

  44 “Ah, cousin”: [“Ah, cousin, vous avez fait un mauvais acte!”] Bourdigné, Chroniques d’Anjou et du Maine, 135.

  45 “About the end of August”: A Parisian Journal, 52.

  45 “The King of France arrived with his army”: Ibid., 66– 67.

  46 “Know with certainty”: Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 118.

  47 It is a simple matter… from the guest list: For the guest list for the marriage ceremony see Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 3, 231. [“La cérémonie se fit au château royal du Louvre, en présence de l’auguste reine, de Louis, roi de Sicile, des ducs de Guienne et d’Orléans, des comtes de Vertus, d’Eu et d’Armagnac.”]

  48 Yolande received six hanaps… and a ring from the queen of France: Beaucourt, Histoire de Charles VII, tome I, 16, footnote.

  48 “Three months”: [“Depuis trois mois”] Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 2, 294.

  50 “Alarm! Alarm!”: Beaucourt, Histoire de Charles VII, tome I, 11.

  51 “For the great love of nourishment”: Besant, Essays and Historiettes, 6.

  52 “Bonne Mère”: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 89.

  53 “Then, by moving it to and fro”: Barker, Agincourt, 32.

  53 a meeting between the French and the English in July 1415: For details of this meeting, see Jacob, The Fifteenth Century, 142.

  54 “simply did not happen”: Barker, Agincourt, 69.

  54 “looking like a couple of baby owls”: Ibid., 59.

  56 “their numbers were so great”: Ibid., 247.

  56 “There is no doubt”: Ibid., 250.

  57 the sickening waste of human life: For the estimated number of French dead at Agincourt see Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 168, and Barker, Agincourt, 299. For the number of English dead, see Barker, Agincourt, 304.

  CHAPTER 5: A New Dauphin

  59 John the Fearless’s reaction: “In fact, John was happy to watch the flower of the Armagnacs lose their lives ‘for France’ at the battle of Agincourt.” Jones, ed., The New Cambridge Medieval History, vol. 6, 585.

  62 “he clasped [Charles] many times in his arms”: [“On rapporte qu’il serra plusieurs fois le Dauphin dans ses bras, en lui recommandant de ne jamais se fier au duc de Bourgognes, mais d’employer cependant tous les moyens possibles pour vivre en bonne intelligence avec lui.”] La Marche, Le Roi René, 34.

  63 In his will: For details of Louis II’s will see ibid., 34.

  64 “the Queen was deprived of everything”: A Parisian Journal, 103.

  64 “the consent of our very dear lord”: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 110.

  65 “persons of low rank”: Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 184.

  66 “Indeed, it is perfectly true”: A Parisian Journal, 107.

  67 “Then Paris was in an uproar”: Ibid., 112.

  68 “Vive le duc de Bourgogne!”: Ibid., 113.

  69 “to the great annoyance”: Ibid., 112.

  69 “The people, bitterly inflamed”: Ibid., 114.

  70 “until we have had the advice”: Vale, Charles VII, 23, and Beaucourt, Histoire de Charles VII, Tome I, 101.

  70 “We have not nurtured”: Senneville, Yolande d’Aragon, 119.

  70 “I know very well”: Vale, Charles VII, 26.

  71 “Those who get power”: Ibid.

  71 “the kiss of peace”: Famiglietti, Royal Intrigue, 190.

  CHAPTER 6: Childhood in Domrémy

  77 “In my town they called me Jeannette”: Pernoud, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 15.

  77 “As far as I know”: Ibid.

  77 “Jacques Tarc”: Smith, Joan of Arc, 11.

  77 “dressed in poor clothes”: Ibid., 49.

  77 “[I] knew neither A nor B”: Ibid., 10.

  78 “It was from my mother”: Pernoud, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 16– 17.

  78 “This girl spoke terribly well”: Pernoud and Clin, Joan of Arc: Her Story, 28.

  79 “When I was quite big”: Pernoud, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 20.

  79 “Life [in Domrém
y] was like the countryside”: Smith, Joan of Arc, 13.

  80 “Did the people of Domrémy”: Pernoud, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 20.

  80 “Bar and Lorraine could provide invaluable links”: Kekewich, The Good King, 21.

  81 “Yolande had pulled off a double coup”: Ibid.

  81 “Now it is true”: [“Or est vray que ledit cardinal donna et fist son héritier dudit Regné son nepveu, et luy donna et délaissa la duchie de Bar et pluiseurs aultres belles seignouries; et par le moyen d’icelles seignouries, et aussi qu’il estoit filz de roy, issu de la très crestienne maison de France, la fille et héritière de la duchie de Lorrayne luy fut donnée en mariage; qui fut ung grant bien pour les duchies de Bar et de Lorraine; car, de long temps avoit eu en icelles seignouries guerres et divisions, qui par icelluy mariage furent en paix et unies soubz ung seul seigneur.”] Chronique de Jean Le Févre, Seigneur de Saint-Remy: 1420– 1435, tome second, 258.

  82 “that he should give me his son”: Pernoud and Clin, Joan of Arc: Her Story, 19.

  83 “In your extreme youth”: Pernoud, Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses, 20.

  84 “Item, In view of the horrific and enormous crimes”: [“Item, vu les horribles et énormes délits commis dans ledit royaume de France par Charles, soi-disant dauphin de Viennois, il est entendu que ni nous, ni notredit fils Henri, ni notre très-cher fils le duc de Bourgogne, ne traiterons aucunement de paix ou d’alliance avec ledit Charles.”] Chronique du Religieux de Saint-Denys, vol. 3, 429. See also Gibbons, “Isabeau of Bavaria,” 70, footnote, for translation.

  84 “One should not take account”: Vale, Charles VII, 31.