DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63221#0129
THE COURT OF LOUISE DE SAVOIE
93
him derived a new splendour from the proximity of his
crown. For some years past it had almost become a certainty
and she had allowed her fantastic ambition to travel beyond
it. She dreamed of nothing less for him than the Empire
of the East; she already saw him a second Alexander the
Great. To the Western world, India and the East were
still a fairy-land—an Aladdin’s cave where everything was
possible. The commerce with India, hitherto monopolized
by the Venetians, opened up dreamy vistas of boundless
speculation. Travellers had it all their own way; their
fabulous tales of molten gold, millionaire Mermen, and solvent
Sirens, were believed by Kings as well as by peasants, and
show how credulous these refined sceptics could be. A
monk called Thenaud came to live at Louise’s Court and,
in 1509, wrote a “ History of Marguerite de France.” He
established the descent of French Royalty in direct line
from a son of Japheths’, and proved it to be the only survival
of the great Dynasties of Assyria, Persia, Greece and Rome.
Francis, he said, was “ born for great things—to govern the
world, and not to see after a little province.” Two years
afterwards, in 1511, Louis accepted the Sultan’s offer of the
monopoly of safe-conducts to Palestine, and sent an embassy
to Cairo, which Thenaud was permitted to join. This was
at the instigation of Louise. He was to go by Jerusalem
to Persia, and to interview the Sophi on Francis’ behalf.
Then he was to travel to India to study “ the Indian route ”
(as popular a theme as the North-West Passage), and so to
perfect the scheme of the French Prince’s Eastern Empire.
Accompanied by Margaret’s Secretary, he reached Cairo,
Sinai, Jerusalem, and even contrived to enter the service of
93
him derived a new splendour from the proximity of his
crown. For some years past it had almost become a certainty
and she had allowed her fantastic ambition to travel beyond
it. She dreamed of nothing less for him than the Empire
of the East; she already saw him a second Alexander the
Great. To the Western world, India and the East were
still a fairy-land—an Aladdin’s cave where everything was
possible. The commerce with India, hitherto monopolized
by the Venetians, opened up dreamy vistas of boundless
speculation. Travellers had it all their own way; their
fabulous tales of molten gold, millionaire Mermen, and solvent
Sirens, were believed by Kings as well as by peasants, and
show how credulous these refined sceptics could be. A
monk called Thenaud came to live at Louise’s Court and,
in 1509, wrote a “ History of Marguerite de France.” He
established the descent of French Royalty in direct line
from a son of Japheths’, and proved it to be the only survival
of the great Dynasties of Assyria, Persia, Greece and Rome.
Francis, he said, was “ born for great things—to govern the
world, and not to see after a little province.” Two years
afterwards, in 1511, Louis accepted the Sultan’s offer of the
monopoly of safe-conducts to Palestine, and sent an embassy
to Cairo, which Thenaud was permitted to join. This was
at the instigation of Louise. He was to go by Jerusalem
to Persia, and to interview the Sophi on Francis’ behalf.
Then he was to travel to India to study “ the Indian route ”
(as popular a theme as the North-West Passage), and so to
perfect the scheme of the French Prince’s Eastern Empire.
Accompanied by Margaret’s Secretary, he reached Cairo,
Sinai, Jerusalem, and even contrived to enter the service of