Page:The Queens of England.djvu/193

 JOANNA OF NAVARRE. 16 1 Fifth, who there conceded Montpelier to the King of Navarre. Before her return to Spain, Joanna gave birth to her son, Don Pedro at Evreux. Subsequently we find this princess, left as regent in Navarre during the absence of her- husband, Charles, who was following up his projects of getting possession of Brie, Champagne and Burgundy. While acting as regent, Donna Joanna was alarmed by an invasion by the King of Cas- tile of the Navarrese dominions, but calling in the aid of the Pope's legate, she caused a treaty of pacification to be entered into. Joanna of Navarre, afterward Queen of England, was born in 1370; she lost her mother when she was only three years of age. When she was ten years old, that is, in 1380, a peace was established between the two kingdoms of Castile and Navarre, to confirm which the Infant Don Carlos was contracted to Donna Leonora of Castile, who was promised a handsome dower in ready money; and the Princess Joanna was at the same time affianced to John the heir of Castile. Upon the death of his father, John of Castile, breaking off his engagement with Joanna, married a princess of Arragon, which he is said to have done from reasons of state policy. The intrigues of Charles of Navarre to establish himself on the disputed throne of his grandfather, engaged him in many contests ; and upon one occasion, while at variance with the Regents of France, his two sons, Charles and Peter, had been sent with their sister Joanna for security to the castle of Bre- teuil in Normandy, where they were all taken captive, and car- ried to Paris, and were there detained as hostages for their father's future good conduct. Charles "le Mauvais," unable to obtain their release, em- ployed a person to poison both the regents. But his diabolical scheme was discovered, and his agent put to death, and though Charles himself this time escaped the punishment he merited, yet his name soon became notorious throughout Europe for his crimes, and especially for his skill in magic and poisoning, which contemporary writers say he practiced privately in his own palace. The Regents of France, who were the maternal uncles of Charles' children, continued to detain them in a captivity, which, though it must have been irksome, was tempered as much as possible by the affection and honor with which they were treated. Meanwhile, the young wife of Charles, one of