Women of Modern France | Page 5

beginning to look upon France as
ahead of all other nations in the "superlativeness of her politeness." The
most rigid etiquette and the most punctilious politeness were always
observed, fines being imposed for any discourtesy toward women.
After the death of Louise, the lot of managing the king and directing his
policy fell to the share of his mistress, the Duchesse d'Etampes, who at
once became all-powerful at court; her influence over him was like that
of the drug which, to the weak person who begins its use, soon
becomes an absolute necessity.
After the death of the dauphin, all the court flatteries were directed
toward Henry, the eldest son of Francis. Though his mistress, Diana of
Poitiers, ruled him, she exercised no influence politically; that she was
not lacking in diplomacy, however, was proved by her attitude toward
Henry's wife, Catherine, whom she treated with every indication of
friendship and esteem, in marked contrast to the disdain exhibited by
other ladies of the court. These two women became friends, working
together against the mistress of the king--the Duchesse d'Etampes--and
causing, by their intrigues, dissensions between father and son.

The duchess was not a bad woman; her dissuasion of Francis I. from
undertaking war with Solyman II. against Charles V. is one instance of
the use of her influence in the right direction. By some historians, she is
accused of having played the traitress, in the interest of Emperor
Charles V., during the war of Spain and England against France. It was
she who urged the Treaty of Crépy with Charles V.; by it, through the
marriage of the French king's second son, the Duke of Orleans, to the
niece of Charles V., the duchess was sure of a safe retreat when her
bitter enemy, Henry's mistress, should reign after the king's death. Her
plans, however, did not materialize, as the duke died and the treaty was
annulled.
The death of Francis I. occurred in 1547; with his reign ends the first
period of woman's activity--a period influenced mainly by Louise of
Savoy, whose relations to France were as disastrous as were those of
any mistress. The influence exerted by her may in some respects be
compared with that of Mme. de Pompadour; though, were the merits
and demerits of both carefully tested, the results would hardly be in
favor of Louise. Strong in diplomacy and intrigue, she was
unscrupulous and wanton--morally corrupt; she did nothing to further
the development of literature and art; if she favored men of genius it
was merely from motives of self-interest.
With the accession of Henry II. his mistress entered into possession of
full power. The absolute sway of Diana of Poitiers over this weakest of
French kings was due to her strong mind, great ability, wide experience,
fascination of manner, and to that exceptional beauty which she
preserved to her old age. Immediately upon coming into power, she
dispatched the Duchesse d'Etampes to one of her estates and at the
same time forced her to restore the jewels which she had received from
Francis I., a usual procedure with a mistress who knew herself to be
first in authority.
After being thus displaced, the duchess spent her time in doing
charitable work, and is said to have afforded protection to the
Protestants. Eventually, hers was the fate of almost all the mistresses.
Compelled to give up many of her possessions, miserable and forgotten

by all, her last days were most unhappy.
Early in her career, Henry made Diana Duchesse de Valentinois. So
powerful did she become that Sieur de Bayard, secretary of state,
having referred in jest to her age (she was twenty years the king's
senior), was deprived of his office, thrown into prison, and left to die.
In her management of Queen Catherine, Diana was most politic; she
never interfered, but constituted herself "the protectress of the
legitimate wife, settling all questions concerning the newly born," for
which she received a large salary. When, while the king was in Italy,
the queen became ill, she owed her recovery to the watchful care of the
mistress. The latter appointed to the vacant estates and positions
members of her house--that of Guise. In time, this house gained such an
ascendency that it conceived the project of setting aside all the princes
of the blood royal.
Having (through one of her favorites) gained control of the royal
treasury, Diana appropriated everything--lands, money, jewels. Her
influence was so astonishing to the people that she was accused of
wielding a magic power and bewitching the king who seemed, verily,
to be leading an enchanted existence; he had but one thought, one
aim--that of pleasing and obeying his aged mistress. To make amends
for his adultery, he concluded to extirpate heretics. Such a combination
of luxury and extravagance with