Blood, Fire & Gold by Estelle Paranque

Author:Estelle Paranque [Paranque, Estelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House UK
Published: 2022-06-30T00:00:00+00:00

11

Tears and Fury: Francis, Elizabeth’s ‘Frog’, 1572–1578

It was March 1572 and the weather in France was still dreadful, leaving Sir Thomas Smith suffering. He had been sent as a special envoy to assist Sir Francis Walsingham, resident ambassador at the French court, in important negotiations. It was not only the cold that bothered him, but also the constant rain, which seemed to seep into his bones.

Nevertheless, these matters required resolution, and an alliance between France and England against Spain needed to be confirmed. Philip II’s power had continued to grow in recent years, threatening the two queens, but now the Spanish Netherlands faced terrible rebellions from the Protestant Dutch led by William I, Prince of Orange, an ally to Elizabeth I and the Huguenot leaders, Coligny, Jeanne d’Albret, queen of Navarre, and Henry, heir to the Navarrese throne. Catherine was reluctant to be at open war with Spain, but Charles convinced her to support the Dutch in secret, counterbalancing Spain’s power in Europe.

Catherine knew that, if such a scheme was to work, she would need Elizabeth’s help – with or without a marriage between the two crowns, though the possibility of dynastic alliance continued to occupy her. In this respect, her son Francis was now her last chance.

Catherine received Smith to discuss the possible arrangements for a secret alliance between the two crowns. She explained that the king, her son, was too unwell – suffering from a cold – to undertake the negotiations, so she would be at the helm. In reality, none of them could afford to have a Catholic king make an alliance with a Protestant queen against another Catholic king. After all, they had to keep up appearances.

On 31 March 1572, Smith successfully obtained an audience with Catherine for himself and Walsingham. She received them both early in the morning in her chamber.

Knowing that Catherine’s time was precious, Smith cut to the chase. ‘We have asked for an audience with you to discuss the importance of securing a league between your son, the king, yourself and our mistress, the queen of England.’

‘I could not agree with you more,’ Catherine replied simply.

‘When do you think your son will have his courier sent to finalise the treaty of peace between our two countries?’ Smith asked.

‘Soon enough,’ came the blunt response. Catherine seemed dismissive, as if she was uncomfortable discussing such matters further.

Smith, however, was determined to get an answer. ‘My mistress wishes the resolution of this treaty was more straightforward. We take the time lost with the courier very seriously. Some evil suspicion may be conceived, but I obviously do trust that the amity is already so established between the two realms that there shall be no suspicion. Am I right?’

Clearly, Smith was testing Catherine. He did understand the unnecessary delays: they suggested that the French had got cold feet. For the queen mother, the decision to side formally with England against Spain, even if the treaty was to remain a secret, meant jeopardising France’s relations with their Catholic neighbours.

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