DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45257#0056
14
CHANTILLY AND ITS OWNERS
the Netherlands in spite of the most urgent entrea-
ties of the gallant King. He himself was also sus-
pected of having become enamoured of that danger-
ous beauty, and he alleged that it was quite against
Spanish etiquette that Henri II de Bourbon, Prince
de Conde, a Prince of the Blood Royal of France,
should not have received the honours due to
his rank while passing through the Netherlands.
Conde, who, leaving his young wife with the Prin-
cess of Orange, had already departed to Cologne,
was therefore recalled. He saw his wife, and re-
ceived a gracious welcome from the Archduchess
and the Prince and Princess of Orange ; and then,
accompanied by his secretary, in a violent snow-
storm and under Spanish escort, he left for Milan,
secretly determined to seek the assistance of Philip II,
King of Spain, against the grievous wrong done to
him by Henri IV.
The gallant King enjoyed the role of Lancelot,
and the fair Charlotte was rather proud of his
attentions, so that their amours became a subject
of discussion and comment throughout the whole
of Europe. It was even alleged that Henri IV was
preparing for war against the Netherlands to obtain
by force the return of the Princesse de Conde, held
in bondage by the Archduchess Isabella in Flanders.
This, however, was in truth but a pretext on the
part of the King; for in spite of the libertinism in
which His Majesty indulged on this occasion, and
which seemed for the moment to overcloud his
sense of right and wrong, we must remember that
CHANTILLY AND ITS OWNERS
the Netherlands in spite of the most urgent entrea-
ties of the gallant King. He himself was also sus-
pected of having become enamoured of that danger-
ous beauty, and he alleged that it was quite against
Spanish etiquette that Henri II de Bourbon, Prince
de Conde, a Prince of the Blood Royal of France,
should not have received the honours due to
his rank while passing through the Netherlands.
Conde, who, leaving his young wife with the Prin-
cess of Orange, had already departed to Cologne,
was therefore recalled. He saw his wife, and re-
ceived a gracious welcome from the Archduchess
and the Prince and Princess of Orange ; and then,
accompanied by his secretary, in a violent snow-
storm and under Spanish escort, he left for Milan,
secretly determined to seek the assistance of Philip II,
King of Spain, against the grievous wrong done to
him by Henri IV.
The gallant King enjoyed the role of Lancelot,
and the fair Charlotte was rather proud of his
attentions, so that their amours became a subject
of discussion and comment throughout the whole
of Europe. It was even alleged that Henri IV was
preparing for war against the Netherlands to obtain
by force the return of the Princesse de Conde, held
in bondage by the Archduchess Isabella in Flanders.
This, however, was in truth but a pretext on the
part of the King; for in spite of the libertinism in
which His Majesty indulged on this occasion, and
which seemed for the moment to overcloud his
sense of right and wrong, we must remember that