The Makers of Modern Rome, in Four BooksOliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
History
The Makers of Modern Rome, in Four Books
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Rome (Italy) -- History -- 476-1420
In France the action of Innocent was more successful. The story of
Philip Augustus and his wives, which is full of romantic incidents, is
better known to the general reader than the tragedy of the Emperors.
Philip Augustus had married a wife, a Danish princess, who did not
please him. Her story, in its first chapter at least, is like that of
Anne of Cleves, the fortunate princess who had the good luck not to
please Henry VIII. (or perhaps still more completely resembles a
comparatively recent catastrophe in our own royal house, the relations
of George IV. and his unlucky wife). But the French king did not treat
Ingelburga with the same politeness which Henry Tudor exhibited,
neither had she the discretion to hold her tongue like the lady of
Flanders. The complaints of the injured queen filled the world, and
she made a direct appeal to the Pope, who was not slow to reply. When
Philip procured a divorce from his wife from the complacent bishops of
his own kingdom on one of those absurd allegations of too close
relationship (it might be that of third or fourth cousin), which were
of so much use to discontented husbands of sufficient rank, and
married the beautiful Agnes of Meran, with whom he was in love,
Innocent at once interfered. He began by commands, by entreaties, by
attempts at settling the question by legal measures, commissioning his
legates to hold a solemn inquiry into the matter, examining into
Ingelburga's complaints, and using every endeavour to bring the king
back to a sense of his duty. There could be no doubt on which side
justice lay, and the legates were not, as in the case of Henry and
Catherine, on the side of the monarch. It was the rejected queen who
had the Pope's protection and not her powerful husband.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account