THE VISIT TO THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE (PART 1)
Extract of the Psalter of Queen Isambour of France, who showed the meeting between her and her mother Isabel, Dowager Queen of Norway (veiled as a widow) during a hunting at Vincennes.
After a trip through the towns of Biberach, Ravensburg, Überlingen, Schaffhausen and Basel, the Scottish-Norwegian entourage finally arrived to the city of Besançon, one of the main cities of the Free County of Burgundy (
Franche Comté de Bourgogne) in the first hours of 29 October 1325. Despite being tecnically a part of the Holy Roman Emire, at that moment the County was ruled by a member of the Valois dynasty, Prince Philippe, Count of Poitiers (younger brother of King Louis X), who ruled the
Franche Comté by right of his wife Jeanne, who suceeded her brother Robert in 1315 and was also the heiress of the disputed County of Artois through her mother Mahaut. Was the Count of Poitiers, following the orders of his brother, who received from Count Adolf of the Rhine the obligation to escorted the Queen and her retinue in the second part of her trip, now in the Kingdom of France. In the main cities of Dijon, Tonnerre, Auxerre, Sens and Melun, Queen Margaret was enthusiastically received with parades and ceremonies.
The formal entry of the Scottish-Norwegian cortege to Paris, on 10 September 1325, was, according to the chronicler Jean Froissart
of such magnificent never seeing before in the Kingdom of France.....the Queen of Scotland and Norway was wihtout doubt the most prestigious visitant of the royal court in centuries....
The Queen and her daughters were officially greeted at the Louvre Palace by King Louis X, Queen Isambour with the whole French royal family and court. The first ones who paid their respects to Queen Margaret were Robert III of Artois, Lord of Conches-en-Ouche, Domfront, and Mehun-sur-Yèvre, with his wife Princess Jeanne of Poitiers and their only child, the 2-years-old Philippe of Artois (born in 1323). An staunch supporter of Queen Isambour, Robert III soon gained the favor of the Queen of Scotland and Norway; however, his wife (with whom he had a disastrous marriage due to the rivalry of their families) showed a cold reception to the foreign royals.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Following the "sudden" disease suffered by King Louis X in early June 1316, his health remained delicate; in addition, her mental condition seems to be deteriorated after this event, a fact who originated a bitter dispute between Queen Isambour and the Count of Poitiers for the government.
Thanks to the support of her allies Robert III of Artois and Odo IV of Burgundy, Queen Isambour prevailed over her brother-in-law and Mahaut, and effectively ruled the Kingdom while her husband became incapable to reign (mid-November 1316); in addition, the French Queen gained the favor of the court because she fulfilled her duties giving birth constantly: after the birth of Prince Philippe in 1316, the Queen gave birth seven more children (of whom four survive infancy) in the next nine years, all born at the old
Palais de la Cité in Paris -Jeanne (born: 19 May 1317 - died: 17 August 1319), Louis (born: 1 December 1318 - died: 13 December 1318), Isabelle (born: 26 October 1319), Marguerite (born: 10 July 1321), Éric (born: 3 February 1323), Tristan (born: 24 March 1324) and Robert (born: 16 June 1325 - died: 24 June 1325).
Despite her constants confinements, Isambour kept the reins of the government firmly in her hands (moreover because her husband's mind began to wander more intensely since late 1324) with the help of Robert III, Odo IV and her younger brother-in-law Prince Charles, Count of La Marche (who, after being convinced that Mahaut's intrigues and ambition could be detrimental to France, allied with the Queen). Also, Isambour kept a constant correspondence with her mother Isabel, Dowager Queen of Norway (who finally moved to France in early May 1324 after several invitations of her daughter) and her half-sister Queen Margaret, with whom she kept a warm and close relationship.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Despite the mutual love and respect that between both sisters developed since their first meeting, Queen Margaret's visit to the Kingdom of France wasn't only a family visit: in fact, had a clear political intention, forestall the French-English alliance, cemented with the betrothal between Prince Philippe of France and Princess Margaret of England in April 1321. With this intention, during a great banquet held in her honor at the
Palais de la Cité on 24 September 1325, was announced the betrothal between Prince Alexander of Scotland (the newborn son of the Prince-Regent) with Princess Isabelle, the eldest surviving daughter of King Louis X and Queen Isambour. However, because was needed the papal dispensation for the upcoming marriage because both Alexander and Isabelle are first cousins once removed, was decided that the French King and Queen with their court, and Queen Margaret and her retinue, must visit the city of Avignon in order to obtain the dispensation from Pope John XXII.
TO BE CONTINUED......