Beauté-sur-Marne
Encyclopedia
Beauté-sur-Marne is a royal castle near Vincennes
, situated on the territory of the current commune of Nogent-sur-Marne
.
Charles V
, who sought the calm at a distance of the official court of Vincennes restored "Beauty" in 1473. Beyond the drawbridge and the castle wall is a garden with a fountain. The manor is a large tower in which each floor is "of a piece". On the first floor, one finds the bedroom of Evangelists where the King sleeps. Elsewhere there is a library. On the second floor is another bedroom with an altar for saying Mass. The whole is refined, thus witness some 62 tiles composing a literary totality that have been found during the construction of the railroad and which are now deposited at the Carnavalet Museum
in Paris
.
It is remarkable that nothing is provided here to welcome the Queen, for whom Charles V bought the manor of Pleasure (Plaisance) in 1375. This manor, which gives its name to the commune of Neuilly-Plaisance
, was held by his brother the Duke of Burgundy
. The Duke of Anjou, another brother of the king, constructed another manor near Beauty, of which no trace remains.
In 1378, Charles IV of Luxemburg, Holy Roman Emperor
, came to Beauty for a diplomatic visit to his nephew Charles V to discuss the hostilities of the English, and the co-existence of two popes. He was concerned mainly with strengthening the alliance between the two monarchies, already ancient, the house of Luxemburg being of French descent.
A manuscript at the National Library of France shows Charles V, king of France, welcoming the emperor Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV, king of Bohemia.
The emperor resided at the manor of Beauty from 12 to 16 January while Charles V remained at Vincennes, visiting Beauty each day:
The two men exchanged rings and luxurious presents, and on 16 January, Charles V reaccompanied his uncle to the manor of Pleasure.
Charles V died at Beauty 16 September 1380, and the manor fell into ruin.
It is not spoken of again until Charles VII
made it a present to his mistress Agnès Sorel
, Lady of Beauty.
Agnès Sorel (1422-1450), daughter of a Picardy gentleman, Jean Soreau, entered the life of Charles VII in 1443. She was of the household of Isabelle of Lorraine, wife of King René. When Charles saw her for the first time, he fell madly in love, and had no rest until he brought her to his court to make her his mistress.
In 1444, she became the first official favorite of a king of France. Showered with presents from Charles, she was also interested in affairs of state. She soon had a house train of the greatest celebrities of the kingdom, which provoked a real scandal at the court.
A contemporary painting shows her dressed in a richly embroidered dress trimmed with fur, with a low-cut neckline, a decolletage demonstrating that she was extremely beautiful.
One can easily imagine, to the breadth of whole this luxury, the castle of Beauty-sur-Marne that the king gave her in 1448, making her thus the Lady of Beauty.
It is most beautiful and pretty and better situated of all in the Île de France
.
It is in this atmosphere that Charles VII asserted his authority. He called together John Bureau, Jacques Coeur and Etienne Chevalier, all confidants of the beautiful Agnès, and all interfering in public affairs, and spoke these words, attributed to François I
as a reminder:
She died at the manor of Mesnil, in Normandy
, while she had left to rejoin the king, in February 1450, three days after her delivery, most likely of complications of childbirth. However, it is also claimed that the dauphin, the future Louis XI, whose advances she repelled, poisoned her. She is buried at Loches, in Tourraine. Her tomb, initially situated in the church of Notre-Dame was desecrated during the revolution and her statue destroyed. Later, it has been transferred in the old home of the castle.
A painting of 1610 shows again the tower of the castle, that Richelieu will raze in 1626.
Vincennes
Vincennes is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
, situated on the territory of the current commune of Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Nogent-sur-Marne is a sous-préfecture of the Val-de-Marne département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Nogent-sur-Marne.-History:...
.
"Of all the pleasant and agreeable places one can find in this world, built in a suitable way, gay and pretty, to live and reside, that which is at the end of the forest of Vincennes, which was built by King Charles -- god grant him peace, joy, and health -- his eldest son, the Daupin of Viennois, gives the name of Beauty." -- Ballad of Eustache Deschamps (1346-1406)
Charles V
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, who sought the calm at a distance of the official court of Vincennes restored "Beauty" in 1473. Beyond the drawbridge and the castle wall is a garden with a fountain. The manor is a large tower in which each floor is "of a piece". On the first floor, one finds the bedroom of Evangelists where the King sleeps. Elsewhere there is a library. On the second floor is another bedroom with an altar for saying Mass. The whole is refined, thus witness some 62 tiles composing a literary totality that have been found during the construction of the railroad and which are now deposited at the Carnavalet Museum
Carnavalet Museum
The Carnavalet Museum in Paris is dedicated to the history of the city. The museum occupies two neighboring mansions: the Hôtel Carnavalet and the former Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
It is remarkable that nothing is provided here to welcome the Queen, for whom Charles V bought the manor of Pleasure (Plaisance) in 1375. This manor, which gives its name to the commune of Neuilly-Plaisance
Neuilly-Plaisance
Neuilly-Plaisance is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:*The commune of Neuilly-Plaisance was created on 13 April 1892 by detaching its territory from the commune of Neuilly-sur-Marne....
, was held by his brother the Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
. The Duke of Anjou, another brother of the king, constructed another manor near Beauty, of which no trace remains.
In 1378, Charles IV of Luxemburg, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
, came to Beauty for a diplomatic visit to his nephew Charles V to discuss the hostilities of the English, and the co-existence of two popes. He was concerned mainly with strengthening the alliance between the two monarchies, already ancient, the house of Luxemburg being of French descent.
A manuscript at the National Library of France shows Charles V, king of France, welcoming the emperor Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV, king of Bohemia.
The emperor resided at the manor of Beauty from 12 to 16 January while Charles V remained at Vincennes, visiting Beauty each day:
"At Beauty the Emperor remained several days and the King would visit each day and in secret parley at length" writes Christine of Pisan.
The two men exchanged rings and luxurious presents, and on 16 January, Charles V reaccompanied his uncle to the manor of Pleasure.
Charles V died at Beauty 16 September 1380, and the manor fell into ruin.
It is not spoken of again until Charles VII
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
made it a present to his mistress Agnès Sorel
Agnès Sorel
Agnès Sorel , known by the sobriquet Dame de beauté, was a favourite mistress of King Charles VII of France, for whom she bore three daughters....
, Lady of Beauty.
"And the beauty which held the title of "the most beautiful of the world" should be called "Demoiselle of Beauty": Thus the king had given her for her lifetime the house of Beaulté lez Paris." (Enguerrand of Monstrelet 1390-1453)
Agnès Sorel (1422-1450), daughter of a Picardy gentleman, Jean Soreau, entered the life of Charles VII in 1443. She was of the household of Isabelle of Lorraine, wife of King René. When Charles saw her for the first time, he fell madly in love, and had no rest until he brought her to his court to make her his mistress.
In 1444, she became the first official favorite of a king of France. Showered with presents from Charles, she was also interested in affairs of state. She soon had a house train of the greatest celebrities of the kingdom, which provoked a real scandal at the court.
She had the most beautiful headboards, best tapestry, best linen and covers, best dishes, ring goods and jewels, best cooks and best everything. -- writes Chastelain (1405-1475).
A contemporary painting shows her dressed in a richly embroidered dress trimmed with fur, with a low-cut neckline, a decolletage demonstrating that she was extremely beautiful.
One can easily imagine, to the breadth of whole this luxury, the castle of Beauty-sur-Marne that the king gave her in 1448, making her thus the Lady of Beauty.
It is most beautiful and pretty and better situated of all in the Île de France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
.
It is in this atmosphere that Charles VII asserted his authority. He called together John Bureau, Jacques Coeur and Etienne Chevalier, all confidants of the beautiful Agnès, and all interfering in public affairs, and spoke these words, attributed to François I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
as a reminder:
"Sweet Agnès, more honor you deserve / the cause being to recover France / than what can be rendered inside a cloister of nuns or to a devoted hermit."
She died at the manor of Mesnil, in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, while she had left to rejoin the king, in February 1450, three days after her delivery, most likely of complications of childbirth. However, it is also claimed that the dauphin, the future Louis XI, whose advances she repelled, poisoned her. She is buried at Loches, in Tourraine. Her tomb, initially situated in the church of Notre-Dame was desecrated during the revolution and her statue destroyed. Later, it has been transferred in the old home of the castle.
A painting of 1610 shows again the tower of the castle, that Richelieu will raze in 1626.