on. Her personal
appearance, it is true, was a favorite subject for the encomium of
poets; but her portraits fail to justify their panegyrics, and convey no
impression of beauty. The features are large, the nose as conspicuously
long as her brother's; yet the sweetness of expression, upon which Marot
is careful chiefly to dwell in one of his elegant poetical epistles, is
not less noticeable.[223]

[Sidenote: Her political Influence.]

In the conduct of public affairs Margaret took no insignificant part.
Francis was accustomed so uniformly to entrust his mother and sister
with important state secrets, that to the powerful council thus firmly
united by filial and fraternal ties the term "Trinity" was applied, not
only by the courtiers, but by the royal family itself.[224] Foreign
diplomatists extolled Margaret's intelligent statesmanship, and asserted
that she was consulted on every occasion.[225] It is a substantial claim
of Margaret to the respect of posterity, that the influence thus enjoyed
was, apparently, never prostituted to the advancement of selfish ends,
but constantly exerted in the interest of learning, humanity, and
religious liberty.

Margaret was first married, in 1509, to the Duke of Alencon, a prince
whose cowardice on the battle-field of Pavia (1525), where he commanded
the French left wing, is said to have been the principal cause of the
defeat and capture of his royal brother-in-law. He made good his own
escape, only to die, at Lyons, of disease induced by exposure and
aggravated by bitter mortification. The next two years were spent by
Margaret in unremitting efforts to secure her brother's release. With
this object in view she obtained from the emperor a safe-conduct
enabling her to visit and console Francis in his imprisonment at Madrid,
and endeavor to settle with his captor the terms of his ransom. But,
while admiring her sisterly devotion, Charles showed little disposition
to yield to her solicitations. In fact, he even issued an order to seize
her person the moment the term of her safe-conduct should expire--a
peril avoided by the duchess only by forced marches. As it was, she
crossed the frontier, it is said, a single hour before the critical
time. The motive of this signal breach of imperial courtesy was,
doubtless, the well-founded belief that Margaret was bearing home to
France a royal abdication in favor of the Dauphin.[226]

[Sidenote: Margaret marries Henry of Navarre.]

Early in 15