Prologue - Charles d’Alençon
The 24 February of 1525 would remain forever among the worst days in the history of France as the battle of Pavia had been a terrible defeat and likely the end of any italian ambition: the French army was destroyed, most of the men dead or captured and the same for its nobility: King Francis was among the dead on the battlefield and his brother-in-law, the Duke d‘Alençon, who had not escaped uninjured the battlefield was desperately trying to lead the retreat of what remained of Francis’ glorious army across the Alps, hoping who his messengers had reached Duchess Louise, left by her son as Regent, informing her of the tragedy and of his request of help…
Charles d’Alençon’s only comfort in his desperate situation was who he would not be nowhere near to his over ambitious mother-in-law when she would realize who her damned ambition had caused the death of her only son and left France in desperate conditions as the Duke of Bourbon, the victorious commander of the enemy’s army would have never betrayed France for the Emperor if Louise had not claimed his lands after Suzanne’s unfortunate death. He just hoped to be able to live long enough to die on french soil and been buried there, like Francis, as they had recovered his body and were bringing back it with them…
The retreat through the Alps had been fully completed, among great difficulties, only few of days before the remnants of the glorious army of Francis I lost his latest leader, as the unlucky Duke d’Alençon died before his army reached Lyon, were a desperate Duchess Marguerite reached the soldiers who were brought the bodies of her brother and husband in the city.
Marguerite d’Alençon knew who she would have never forgotten that tragic hours, in which she fought hard for not losing herself in her sorrows, for all the remaining of her life. Still she was a daughter of France and knew what she should do, so after two agonizing days, she put herself at head of the funeral procession of her brother and husband as they departed for Paris, where Duchess Louise, now Regent of France for her seven years old grandson, awaited them.
Charles d’Alençon’s only comfort in his desperate situation was who he would not be nowhere near to his over ambitious mother-in-law when she would realize who her damned ambition had caused the death of her only son and left France in desperate conditions as the Duke of Bourbon, the victorious commander of the enemy’s army would have never betrayed France for the Emperor if Louise had not claimed his lands after Suzanne’s unfortunate death. He just hoped to be able to live long enough to die on french soil and been buried there, like Francis, as they had recovered his body and were bringing back it with them…
The retreat through the Alps had been fully completed, among great difficulties, only few of days before the remnants of the glorious army of Francis I lost his latest leader, as the unlucky Duke d’Alençon died before his army reached Lyon, were a desperate Duchess Marguerite reached the soldiers who were brought the bodies of her brother and husband in the city.
Marguerite d’Alençon knew who she would have never forgotten that tragic hours, in which she fought hard for not losing herself in her sorrows, for all the remaining of her life. Still she was a daughter of France and knew what she should do, so after two agonizing days, she put herself at head of the funeral procession of her brother and husband as they departed for Paris, where Duchess Louise, now Regent of France for her seven years old grandson, awaited them.
