ILLUSTRATIONS. PORTRAIT OF BERENGARIA, Queen of Richard I., in her bridal Costume, restored from her Effigy at the Abbey of Espan. (See page 38.) Frontispiece. BERENGARIA'S LANDING AT ACRE-Received on the beach by King Philip Augustus. (See page 15.) Vignette. BERENGARIA OF NAVARRE, THE QUEEN OF RICHARD I. CHAPTER I. Mutual attachment of Berengaria and Richard-Berengaria's descentBerengaria demanded in marriage-Travels with Queen EleanoraWaits with her at Brindisi-Consigned to Queen Joanna-Embarks for Palestine with her - Storm - Terror of Berengaria - Richard takes Cyprus-Berengaria lands-Nuptials at Cyprus-Costume of Richard and Queer Berengaria Crowned Queen of England and Cyprus Princess of Cyprus Berengaria sails for Palestine — Received by King Philip at Acre-Adventures in Palestine-Truce -Berengaria embarks with Joanna - Richard shipwrecked - Imprisoned-Safe arrival of the two queens at Naples-Berengaria's stay at Rome-Queens escorted by Count Raymond St. Gilles-Queen Joanna married to him-Misfortunes of King Richard-Eleanora's regency-Travels to Germany-Berengaria resigns the captive Cypriot-Berengaria's brother-Queen-mother returns with Richard to England-Berengaria forsaken-Hermit reproves Richard-Richard's illness-His penitence St. Hugh Richard implores his queen's pardon-Berengaria's goodness-Follows Richard to war-Devoted love-King's death-Berengaria with him-Death of Queen Joanna -She retires to Mans-Berengaria's dower-Her pecuniary troubles— Builds abbey of Espan-Resides there-Dies there-Buried-Effigy -Character. THE Princess Berengaria of Navarre captivated the VOL. II. B heart' of our first Richard at Guienne, while he was yet entangled in a marriage engagement with the fair and frail Alice of France. An ardent friendship had subsisted from boyhood between Richard Plantagenet and Sancho the Strong, the gallant brother of Berengaria. A similarity of pursuits strengthened the intimacy of Richard with the royal family of Navarre. The father and brother of Berengaria were celebrated for their skill and judgment in Provençal poetry. Berengaria was herself a learned princess; and Richard, who was not only a troubadour poet, but, as acting sovereign of Aquitaine, was the prince and judge of all troubadours, became naturally drawn into close bonds of amity with a family whose tastes and pursuits were similar to his own. No one can marvel that the heart of the ardent Richard should be captivated when he met the beautiful, the cultivated, and virtuous Berengaria, in the familiar intercourse which sprang from his friendship with her gallant brother. Richard's cruel entanglement with Alice prevented him from offering his hand to the lady of his choice; and a long and secret engagement, replete with "hope deferred," was the fate of Richard the Lion-hearted and the fair flower of Navarre. Berengaria of Navarres may be considered a Provençal princess by birth, language, and education, though she was Spanish by descent. Her mighty father, Sancho the Wise, drew his descent from Sancho the Great of Castille, called the Emperor of all Spain. 1 Godfrey, Vinisauf, Hovenden, and many historians. Navarre was again rendered independent by the grandfather of Berengaria, and finally settled by her royal father, Sancho the Wise. This prince married Beatrice, daughter of King Alphonso of Castille. History mentions three children of this royal pair. The eldest son, Prince Sancho the Strong, the faithful friend of Richard I., was the hero who broke the chains which guarded the camp of the Moorish Miramolin, and transferred them to the armorial bearings of Navarre. The Princess Blanche married the Count of Champagne,' and her posterity succeeded to the throne of Navarre. Berengaria, the eldest daughter, is the subject of our memoir, and wife to Richard I. In the year 1177, King Sancho the Wise, and his nephew King Alphonso of Castille, the son in-law of Henry II., sent a deputation to the King of England, requesting him to arbitrate some difference between them, touching the dower of the Queen of Navarre. This Henry settled with such wisdom and equity, that both parties were satisfied, and King Sancho remained a firm ally of the house of Plantagenet as long as he lived. Just at this time the attachment of Richard and Berengaria is first mentioned by Vinisauf and our earlier historians. If we take that event for a datum, even allowing the princess to have been very young when she attracted the love of Richard, she must have been twenty-six at least when he sent his mother to The troubadour prince, nephew to Richard I. and the mutual friend of that prince, and the brother of Berengaria. They were all three fratres jurati, or sworn brothers, both as poets and warriors, according to a custom of the middle ages. demand her hand of Sancho the Wise, in 1190, at the court of Pampeluna. Though Queen Eleanora succeeded so well in her mission as to be entrusted by King Sancho with his daughter, Richard was not released from his marriage contract with the Princess Alice. The royal ladies travelled from the court of Navarre together, across Italy to Naples, where they found the ships belonging to Eleanora had arrived in the bay. The fleet of Eleanora remained till it could escort the queen to Messina; but etiquette forbade Berengaria to approach her lover till his hand was free from the claims of Alice; therefore the royal ladies sojourned at Brindisi, waiting the message from King Richard, announcing that he was free to receive the hand of the Princess of Navarre. The discussion on the subject of the engagement of the Princess Alice with the King of England was warmly pursued by Philip Augustus, her brother; and more than once, the potentates assembled for the crusade expected that the forces of France and England would first be called into action, to decide the right of King Richard to give his hand to another lady than the sister of the King of France. 1 The rhymes of Piers of Langtoft 1 recapitulate these events with brevity and quaintness. "Then spake King Philip, And in grief said, My sister Alice Is now forsaken, 'Likewise Vinisauf, the companion in arms of Richard. |