Arthur’s rescue of the Jew (Page 51)

Life Stories for Young People

THE DUKE OF BRITTANY

Translated from the German of
Henriette Jeanrenaud

BY
GEORGE P. UPTON
Translator of “Memories,” etc.

WITH TWO ILLUSTRATIONS

CHICAGO
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1908

Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1908
Published August 22, 1908

The University Press, Cambridge, U. S. A.

Translator’s Preface

“The Duke of Brittany” is thestory of the brief but eventful career ofArthur, son of Geoffrey Plantagenet andConstance of Brittany. Geoffrey was thefourth son of Henry the Second of England andEleanor, Duchess of Guienne. Upon the deathof his brother Henry, Richard, surnamed the Lion-hearted,became the heir apparent and succeeded tothe throne after the death of his father in 1189.Richard shortly afterward became one of the leadersof the Third Crusade, which ended disastrously.After being taken prisoner in Austria by DukeLeopold he was ransomed and returned to England,where he suppressed the rebellion of his brotherJohn. He then invaded France to punish Philipthe Second, John’s ally, but was mortally woundedwhile besieging the fortress of Chalus, near Limoges.On Richard’s death, John, surnamed Lackland,ascended the throne, ignoring the rightful claimof Duke Arthur, Geoffrey’s son. Almost his firstact was the murder of Arthur, who, with the encouragementof Philip Augustus of France, wasprepared to defend his claim as the son of an elderbrother. By John’s foul deed England lost itsFrench fiefs.

The story turns upon the events in Arthur’sshort life, his young days in Brittany, the violentdeath of his father, the relations of his mother toPhilip of France, the boy’s love for his uncle Richard,his service in the field with Philip, his espousalto Marie of France, the war with John, his captureand assassination by the latter. The incidentalcharacters are the Jew Abraham of Paris, Earl Salisbury,the valiant knight Höel of Mordant and hisson Alan, between whom and Arthur existed a beautifulfriendship. Many of the scenes are of thrillingdramatic interest, particularly the one in whichthe crafty and malicious Queen Eleanor refrainedfrom blinding Arthur only because of his resemblanceto his father, her favorite son; the assassinationon shipboard; and the accusation of King Johnby Alan. Some of the historical data in the storyare not accurate in minor details, but in general thetale follows the versions of the historical authorities.It is a fascinating picture of two lovable, high-minded,chivalrous youths, worthy the study of theyouths of to-day.

G. P. U.

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