“The little Queen of Bourges”--A master-stroke--A lovely bride, an ill-looking groom--An evil mother’s influence--Three fair witches--Yolande’s prestige--Woman’s power in France--Marie _v._ Agnes--Unhappy Charles VI.--The Châtelaine de Courrages--A gallows and a flagellation--Marriage of Charles and Marie--Impecuniosity--Never touched her below the chin!--Jacques Cœur’s loyal succour--Terrible disasters--A treacherous deed--Isabeau’s rage--Queen Marie’s speech--A lovely bevy of Maids of Honour--Outrageous fashions--Correcte’s crusade--“À bas les hennins!”--Scudding stones--Plain chapelles--A faint-hearted King--Queen Marie’s “I will”--Marie d’Anjou and Jeanne d’Arc--No place for the Queen!--Agnes Sorel, “la Belle des Belles”--Serge chemises--“The plaything of the most valiant King?”--Agnes’s four daughters--A loving son--Boxed her ears!--Agnes’s heart in gold--“Males femmes”--“Everything for France!”--Disasters and delirium--Marie in shade and shine--A pillion--Poor little Princess Margaret!--“A curse on life!”--A dissolute Prince--Slander and hypocrisy--The Bastard of Orléans--A tryst disturbed--The obscene Fête des Fous--A royal repast-Tours for delicacies--A famous pack of cards--The Queen as a business woman--Cocks and hens--Marie dies at Poitiers--“A good and devout woman” 174-215 CHAPTER VII GIOVANNA II. OF NAPLES “Like Queen Giovanna!”--Anjou succession in Naples--A lover suffocated--King Ladislaus--Many suitors--Hard to please--A rare quality--Marriage ring torn off--Louis d’Anjou’s advance--A poor old Queen--Butterfly courtesans--A champion of physical beauty--A wily woman--The cord of St. Francis--A base-born athlete--The chief of the pages--The Queen’s master--Vampire kisses--Louis _v._ Alfonso--A romantic story--Fair Leonora--Not a tool of the Queen--Fierce rivals--Pulled the Queen’s hands--Giovanna in her lover’s arms--Flashing eyes--Beneath the lips--Superb entertainments--Giovanna discovers the liaison--René bravest of the brave--Treason--Duchess Covella Ruffo and her jewelled poniard--René at Naples--“Il galantuomo Re”--The Jews--Alfonso defeated and a prisoner--Belated pious deeds--Giovanna as the Virgin Mary!--An embassy from Naples--Many claimants for the throne--Isabelle a virago Queen--A macaroni basket--“I’ll not fight with a woman!”--Colossal orgies--A Spartan mother--Decisive battle of Troia--End of the Angevine dynasty--Jean, Duke of Calabria, raises the flag in vain 216-252 CHAPTER VIII MARGUERITE D’ANJOU