KATHERINE OF VALOIS

SURNAMED THE FAIR,

CONSORT OF HENRY V.

CHAPTER L

Early calamities of Katherine-Abducted by her mother-Re-captured--Hery prince of Wales-Katherine demanded for him-His accession as Henry V.His invasion of France-Agincourt-Marriage-treaty renewed- Katherine's picture-Henry's exorbitant demands-Interview of Katherine and Henry V. -Her beauty-Henry in love with her-His anger-Treaty broken-Renewed after two years-Katherine is offered with the crown of France-Receives Henry at Troyes-Betrothed-Queen's knight-Marriage of Katherine and Henry Queen's dower-French marriage ceremonial-The queen enters Paris in state-Voyage to England-Grand coronation—Her friendship for the king of Scots-Northern progress-Disobedience-Birth of her son, (Henry VI.)— Katherine's maids-Her guest-Katherine writes to the king-Prepares to join him in France.

KATHERINE of Valois was a babe in the cradle when Henry V., as prince of Wales, became an unsuccessful suitor for the hand of her eldest sister Isabella, the young widow of Richard II.' Katherine was the youngest child of Charles VI., king of France, and his queen, Isabeau of Bavaria; she was born at a period when her father's health and her mother's reputation were both in evil plight. She first saw the light, October 27, 1401, at the hôtel de St. Pol, in Paris, a palace which was used during the reign of Charles VI. as a residence of retirement for the royal family, when health required them to lead a life of more domestic privacy than was possible at the king's royal court of the Louvre, or his state-palace of Les Tourelles. The young princess was brought up at the hôtel de St. Pol, 2 Moreri,-Katherine.

See the life of Isabella of Valois.