The Serpent and the Moon: Two Rivals for the Love of a Renaissance King by HRH Princess Michael of Kent Read Free Book Online

writings of the fathers of the Church. Diane also learned from this wise, highborn lady the true meaning ofthe dignity of her rank, nobility of behavior, taste, deportment, and, above all, to despise intrigues. Anne urged her charges to bear in mind that society was still rough and vulgar and had need of their refining influence, to add their gaiety, refinement, grace, and patience to any gathering. She taught them the art of conversation, how to communicate with strangers, and not to discriminate between classes.
    The children were taught to avoid unattractive gestures and movements: not to touch their faces, especially not their noses, eyes, or mouths. Young ladies should not jump or run; and, most important of all, they should never encourage young men to make advances. They were to be cool and evasive in all their responses. Anne de Beaujeu prepared the young ladies for marriage by teaching them complete obedience to their husbands, and never to show temper or create jealous scenes.
    Despite the seemingly endless receptions, long formal meals, lessons, and hours spent at the duchess’ school of manners, Diane still managed her wild gallops through the fields and forests. Only with great reluctance had Jehan de Poitiers allowed his precious daughter to leave his house, and solely on condition that she would be allowed to ride with the same abandon as at home.
    When she was around twelve years old, Diane de Poitiers became one of Anne de Beaujeu’s
demoiselles d’honneur
, or maids of honor. Any stirrings of ambition in Diane’s young heart would not have been unnatural. The purpose of the cultured education and courtly manners taught at Moulins and Chantelles was to strengthen family alliances through a carefully arranged marriage; and the duchess was of the opinion that a girl should marry as young as thirteen or even earlier.
    According to the contemporary chronicler Brantôme, there was no lady of a great house in France who was not at some time taught by this remarkable princess. Anne recognized Diane’s talents and that her potential was far superior to that of the other girls, even her own daughter, Suzanne, for whom she had written her famous guide to education,
Les Enseignements d’Anne de France à sa fille Suzanne de Bourbon
. This is an extraordinary document, expounding the highest ideals and moral principles—obedience, modesty, chastity, and piety—allof which Anne de Beaujeu had learned from her pious father, Louis XI. It contained instructions such as: “Always dress well, be cool and poised, with modest eyes, softly-spoken, always constant and steadfast, and observe unyielding good sense.… God, who is justice itself, may tarry, but will leave nothing unpunished.… Nobles are the kinds of people who must see their reputation go from good to better, as much in virtue as in knowledge, so that they will be known …,” and “Another philosopher says that gentility of lineage without the nobility of courage should be compared with the dry tree which has no leaves, no fruit, and which does not burn well.” The simplest of all her advice was: “Avoid sin.”
    The book’s final instruction, said to come directly from Louis XI, is: “
En toute chose on doit tenir le moyen
”—“Always keep a balanced view of everything”—a maxim Diane tried never to forget.
    Another of Anne de Beaujeu’s young pupils at Moulins was Charles de Bourbon-Montpensier, 13 heir of the family’s junior branch. Anne de Beaujeu was very fond of this boy, and as she had no son, it was her great wish that the senior and junior branches of the family would unite through the marriage of Charles to her daughter, Suzanne. However, as her husband was adamantly opposed to the idea, she had to wait until his death in 1505 14 to arrange Charles’ betrothal to Suzanne. Anne de Beaujeu’s brother Louis XII was sufficiently intimidated by her to agree to the union—unwisely, in retrospect as the combined wealth of the young