The Spell of Flanders: An Outline of the History, Legends and Art of Belgium's Famous Northern ProvincesVose, Edward Neville
History
The Spell of Flanders: An Outline of the History, Legends and Art of Belgium's Famous Northern Provinces
Vose, Edward Neville
Flanders -- Description and travel
which has generally been interpreted to mean that Fortune and
Misfortune have tried sorely (fort) one lone woman (une).
The palace of Margaret of York stood on the rue de l'Empereur, where
some vestiges of it still remain, but Margaret of Savoy and of Austria
found this edifice inadequate to the requirements of a Regent and
acquired the Hotel de Savoy opposite. This has been restored and is
now used as the Palais de Justice, but--apart from its pretty
courtyard and one fine fireplace--we found very little to recall the
glories of the period when the great men of all the Netherlands
gathered here. The edifice was largely reconstructed by Rombaut
Keldermans, and it was here that the boyhood of the future Emperor
Charles the Fifth was passed, watched over by his Aunt Margaret. At
the time of her accession as Regent Margaret was twenty-seven years
old--"a fair young woman with golden hair, rounded cheeks, a grave
mouth, and beautiful clear eyes," according to one observer. Her
father, the Emperor Maximilian, was very fond and proud of her, and
the greatest treasure in the library in the Vieux Palais is a
"graduale," or hymnbook, which he presented to her in recognition of
her services in educating his grandchildren. On one of the pages in
this book is an illuminated picture showing Maximilian himself seated
on a throne surmounted by the arms of Austria, with Margaret and the
youthful Charles and his sister forming part of the group gathered in
front of him. The other illustrations in this priceless volume, all of
which we were permitted to examine, consist of religious subjects.
The events connected with the regency of Margaret of Austria belong to
the history of Europe. More than once she aided her father in solving
the great problems of government and diplomacy with which he was
confronted, notably in the prominent part she took in the negotiations
resulting in the League of Cambrai, which was directed against
France--the nation to which she always showed an unrelenting hostility
for the slight put upon her in childhood. In 1516 Charles became of
age, and two years later--while the new King of Spain was visiting his
Spanish subjects--Margaret was again proclaimed Regent of the
Netherlands. In 1519 Maximilian died, and five months later Charles
was elected King of the Romans, and was chosen Emperor the following
year, succeeding to the widest dominions ever ruled over by one man in
the history of Europe. In fact it is doubtful if any sovereign since
has exercised so vast a power, as the Kings and Emperors of later
years have had their authority more restricted, while that of Charles
was absolute.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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