Margaret was repeatedly admitted to the Imperial council to discuss
the conditions of her brother’s ransom. She showed as much ability as
loftiness of mind on these occasions, and several times won Charles V.
himself and the sternest of his Ministers to her opinion. (1)
1 Brantôme states that the Emperor was greatly impressed and
astonished by her plain speaking. She reproached him for
treating Francis so harshly, declaring that this course
would not enable him to attain his ends. “For although he
(the King) might die from the effects of this rigorous
treatment, his death would not remain unpunished, as he had
children who would some day become men and wreak signal
vengeance.” “These words,” adds Brantôme, “spoken so bravely
and in such hot anger, gave the Emperor occasion for
thought, insomuch that he moderated himself and visited the
King and made him many fine promises, which he did not keep,
however.” With the Ministers Margaret was even more
outspoken; but we are told that she turned her oratorical
powers “to such good purpose that she rendered herself
agreeable rather than odious or unpleasant; the more readily
as she was also good-looking, a widow, and in the flower of
her age.”--_OEuvres de Brantôme_, 8vo, vol. v. (_Les Dames
illustres_).
She highly favoured the proposed marriage between Francis and his
rival’s sister, Eleanor of Austria, detecting in this alliance the most
certain means of a speedy release. Eleanor, born at Louvain in 1498,
had in 1519 married Emanuel, King of Portugal, who died two years
afterwards. Since then she had been promised to the Constable de
Bourbon, but the Emperor did not hesitate to sacrifice the latter to his
own interests.
He himself, being fascinated by Margaret’s grace and wit, thought of
marrying her, and had a letter sent to Louise of Savoy, plainly setting
forth the proposal. In this missive, referring to the Constable de
Bourbon, Charles remarked that “there were good matches in France in
plenty for him; for instance, Madame Renée, (1) with whom he might very
well content himself.” (2) These words have led to the belief that there
had been some question of a marriage between Margaret and the Constable;
however, there is no mention of any such alliance in the diplomatic
documents exchanged between France and Spain on the subject of the
King’s release. These documents comprise an undertaking to restore the
Constable his estates, and even to arrange a match for him in France,
(3) but Margaret is never mentioned. She herself, in the numerous
letters handed down to us, does not once refer to the famous exile, and
the intrigue described by certain historians and romancers evidently
rests upon no solid foundation. (4)
1 Renée, the younger daughter of Louis XII. and Anne of
Brittany, subsequently celebrated as Renée of Ferrara.
2 This letter is preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale,
Béthune MSS., No. 8496, fol. xiii.