Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/371

347 ALLIANCES AND DEATHS. 347 ever, were unwilling to constrain their daughter's chapter inclinations on so delicate a point, trusting perhaps '■ — to the effects of time, and the perseverance of her rojal suitor.'' In the mean while, the Catholic sovereigns were occupied with negotiations for the settlement of the other members of their family. The ambitious schemes of Charles the Eighth established a com- munity of interests among the great European states, such as had never before existed, or, at least, been understood ; and the intimate relations thus introduced naturally led to intermarriages between the principal powers, v/ho, until this period seem to have been severed almost as far asunder as if oceans had rolled between them. The Spanish monarchs, in particular, had rarely gone beyond the limits of the Peninsula for their family alliances. The new confederacy into which Spain had en- tered, now opened the way to more remote con- nexions, which were destined to exercise a perma- nent influence on the future politics of Europe. It was while Charles the Eighth was wasting his time at Naples, that the marriages were arranged be- 7 Zurita, Hist, del Rey Hernan- dualis castitas, ut nee mensa post do, torn. V. fol. 78, 82. — La Clede, mariti mortem comederit, nee lauti Hist, de Portugal, torn. iv. p. 95. quicquam degustaverit. Jejuniis — Peter Martyr, Opus Epist.,epist. sese vigiliisque ita maceravit,ut sic- 146. CO stipite siccior sit effecta. Suf- Martyr, in a letter written at the fulta rubore perturbatur, quando- ciose of 1496, thus speaks of the cunque de jugali thalamo sermo princess Isabella's faithful attach- intexitur. Parentum tamen ali- ment to her husband's memory ; quando precibus, veluti olfacimus, " Mira fuit hujus foeminae in abji- inflectetur. Viget fama, futuram ciendis secundis nuptiis constantia. vestri regis Emmanuelis uxorem." Tanta est ejus modestia, tanta vi- Epist. 171.