Details
JOHN II D'ALBRET (1469-1516), King of Navarre. Letter signed ('Jehan') to Louise of Savoy, 'A Paris le second jour de may', n.y. [circa 1512], one page, folio, address panel on verso ('A Madame ma cousine Madame de Savoye'), traces of seal, annotations in later hands in top left corner (browned, paper loss from tears in left hand corners, seal slits, 2 stab holes).
A plea for Louise to use her influence to procure the restitution of the Spanish part of Navarre (which was occupied in 1512 by Ferdinand of Aragon): 'Madame ma Cousine vous estez assez advertie de l'injuste occupation qui m'a este faicte de mon royaulme, pourquoy vous prie que, pour la singuliere affection que tousiours vous a pleu avoir en mes affaires vueillez tenir main a vous employer a ce que icelluy me soit rendu restitue, et me obligerez de mieulx en mieulx a vous faire service ainsi que en ay le vouloir'. The letter opens with an expression of pleasure at the alliance between the King [Louis XII] and the Prince of Castile, and of his hopes for peace 'ayant espoir que a cause d'icelle, Dieu en sera mieulx servy et toute la chrestiente en pourra demourer en plus grand repoz'.
Jean d'Albret was King of Navarre by his marriage in 1484 to Catherine, Countess of Foix (1470-1517), who became Queen following the death in 1483 of her brother Francois Phoebus. Louise of Savoy (1477-1531), married in 1488 to Charles de Valois, and widowed in 1497, was the mother of Francis I and of Marguerite de Navarre. She moved her children to the court of Louis XII (her husband's cousin), and in 1515 was created Duchess of Angoulême and in 1524 of Anjou. She was also the grandmother of Jeanne d'Albret, through her daughter Marguerite's marriage to Henry II d'Albret.
A plea for Louise to use her influence to procure the restitution of the Spanish part of Navarre (which was occupied in 1512 by Ferdinand of Aragon): 'Madame ma Cousine vous estez assez advertie de l'injuste occupation qui m'a este faicte de mon royaulme, pourquoy vous prie que, pour la singuliere affection que tousiours vous a pleu avoir en mes affaires vueillez tenir main a vous employer a ce que icelluy me soit rendu restitue, et me obligerez de mieulx en mieulx a vous faire service ainsi que en ay le vouloir'. The letter opens with an expression of pleasure at the alliance between the King [Louis XII] and the Prince of Castile, and of his hopes for peace 'ayant espoir que a cause d'icelle, Dieu en sera mieulx servy et toute la chrestiente en pourra demourer en plus grand repoz'.
Jean d'Albret was King of Navarre by his marriage in 1484 to Catherine, Countess of Foix (1470-1517), who became Queen following the death in 1483 of her brother Francois Phoebus. Louise of Savoy (1477-1531), married in 1488 to Charles de Valois, and widowed in 1497, was the mother of Francis I and of Marguerite de Navarre. She moved her children to the court of Louis XII (her husband's cousin), and in 1515 was created Duchess of Angoulême and in 1524 of Anjou. She was also the grandmother of Jeanne d'Albret, through her daughter Marguerite's marriage to Henry II d'Albret.
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