The Fighting Governor | Page 7

seen by her, he was vain and
boastful, even in matters which concerned his kitchen and his plate. His
delight in new clothes was childish. He compelled guests to speak
admiringly of his horses, in contradiction of their manifest appearance.
Worst of all, he tried to stir up trouble between the duchess and her
own people.
Though Frontenac and his wife were unable to live together, they did
not become completely estranged. It may be that the death of their
son--who seems to have been killed in battle--drew them together once
more, at least in spirit. It may be that with the Atlantic between them
they appreciated each other's virtues more justly. It may have been
loyalty to the family tradition. Whatever the cause, they maintained an
active correspondence during Frontenac's years in Canada, and at court
Madame de Frontenac was her husband's chief defence against
numerous enemies. When he died it was found that he had left her his
property. But she never set foot in Canada.
Frontenac was forty-one when Louis XIV dismissed Fouquet and took
Colbert for his chief adviser. At Versailles everything depended on
royal favour, and forty-one is an important age. What would the young

king do for Frontenac? What were his gifts and qualifications?
It is plain that Frontenac's career, so vigorously begun during the Thirty
Years' War, had not developed in a like degree during the period
(1648-61) from the outbreak of the Fronde to the death of Mazarin.
There was no doubt as to his capacity. Saint-Simon calls him 'a man of
excellent parts, living much in society.' And again, when speaking of
Madame de Frontenac, he says: 'Like her husband she had little
property and abundant wit.' The bane of Frontenac's life at this time
was his extravagance. He lived like a millionaire till his money was
gone. Not far from Blois he had the estate of Isle Savary--a, property
quite suited to his station had he been prudent. But his plans for
developing it, with gardens, fountains, and ponds, were wholly beyond
his resources. At Versailles, also, he sought to keep pace with men
whose ancestral wealth enabled them to do the things which he longed
to do, but which fortune had placed beyond his reach. Hence,
notwithstanding his buoyancy and talent, Frontenac had gained a
reputation for wastefulness which did not recommend him, in 1661, to
the prudent Colbert. Nor was he fitted by character or training for
administrative duty. His qualifications were such as are of use at a post
of danger.
His time came in 1669. At the beginning of that year he was singled out
by Turenne for a feat of daring which placed him before the eyes of all
Europe. A contest was about to close which for twenty-five years had
been waged with a stubbornness rarely equalled. This was the struggle
of the Venetians with the Turks for the possession of Crete. [Footnote:
This was not the first time that Frontenac had fought against the Turks.
Under La Feuillade and Coligny he had taken part in Montecuculli's
campaign in 1664 against the Turks in Hungary, and was present at the
great victory of St Gothard on the Raab. The regiment of
Carignan-Salieres was also engaged on this occasion. In the next year it
came to Canada, and Lorin thinks that the association of Frontenac with
the Carignan regiment in this campaign may have been among the
causes of his nomination to the post of governor.] To Venice defeat
meant the end of her glory as an imperial power. The Republic had
lavished treasure upon this war as never before--a sum equivalent in

modern money to fifteen hundred million dollars. Even when
compelled to borrow at seven per cent, Venice kept up the fight and
opened the ranks of her nobility to all who would pay sixty thousand
ducats. Nor was the valour of the Venetians who defended Crete less
noble than the determination of their government. Every man who
loved the city of St Mark felt that her fate was at stake before the walls
of Candia.
Year by year the resources of the Venetians had grown less and their
plight more desperate. In 1668 they had received some assistance from
French volunteers under the Duc de la Feuillade. This was followed by
an application to Turenne for a general who would command their own
troops in conjunction with Morosini. It was a forlorn hope if ever there
was one; and Turenne selected Frontenac. Co-operating with him were
six thousand French troops under the Duc de Navailles, who nominally
served the Pope, for Louis XIV wished to avoid direct war against the
Sultan. All that can be said of Frontenac's part in the adventure is that
he valiantly attempted the impossible. Crete was doomed long before