[[A.D. 1431.]] When she was about two years old her father fought a battle against Anthony of Vaudemonte, and was taken prisoner. This battle was to decide who was to rule over Lorraine, and as René was captured he was handed over to the Duke of Burgundy, who locked him up in the top of a high tower at Dijon. While there the royal captive amused himself with painting on glass; some of the beautiful specimens of his art were preserved, and are still to be seen in the chapel of the Castle of Dijon. During the imprisonment of her husband, which lasted a long time, Margaret's mother was left with the entire care of their four young children, two boys and two girls, all of whom were remarkably pretty and interesting. Many months passed, and at last René was granted permission to leave the prison on condition that he would consent to the marriage of his elder daughter, Yolante, then in her ninth year, with Frederic of Vaudemonte, the son of the man by whom he had been made a captive. She was to have for her dowry part of the disputed lands {281} [Illustration: 0285] {283}of Lorraine. Besides, René had to pledge himself to pay a heavy ransom to the Duke of Burgundy, to give his two sons as hostages, and to allow Yolante to go and live with her new mother-in-law. At the same time, the baby Margaret was promised in marriage to Pierre, Count of St. Pol, but in consideration of her youth she was permitted to stay at home. So out of their four children these unhappy parents took back only one to Nancy, where they were living. All René's efforts to raise the ransom failed, and there was nothing left for him to do but to deliver himself up at last and go back to prison. His son John went with him, while Louis, the younger one, was restored to his distressed mother. Two years passed away, and Louis, King of Naples, died. René was his rightful successor, and his faithful wife immediately took steps to claim the throne for him. She was a woman of superior talent, courage, and energy, and as she lived at the time when the renowned Joan of Arc was flourishing, it did not appear in any way odd or strange that she should fight for her rights. She at once assumed the title of Queen of the Two Sicilies, and went to live in the Castle of Tarascon, on the banks of the river Rhone.