Louis the Fourteenth, and the Court of France in the Seventeenth Century Volume N . 5 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...the popularity of his father's enemy, and thus to acquire to himself some portion of the Royal favour. With this view he merely changed the theatre of war; and, instead of threatening Flanders and Germany, turned his attention to the Mediterranean. He had not long to seek either for the scene of his meditated exploits, or the pretext upon which they were to be founded. Genoa had excited the indignation of Louis XIV. on several occasions, any one of which would have sufficed to a Monarch so tenacious of his prerogative, and so prompt in taking offence. Algiers had been already reduced to submission; and Seignelay had contributed to its surrender. It is therefore not surprising that the King turned a willing ear to the representations of the zealous and ardent Minister of Marine, and despatched without hesitation two lettres de cachet, one of which directed the exempt of the Provost-Marshal immediately to secure the person of the Sieur Marini, the Genoese envoy; while the other authorised M. de Besemaux, the Governor of the Bastille, to receive him into that fortress, permitting him, however, the privilege of exercise. Finally, the French fleet, destined to avenge the wounded honour of Louis XIV., sailed from Toulon on the 6th May, 1684, and arrived before Genoa on the 17th of the same month. It consisted of fourteen large ships, twenty galleys, ten bomb-ketches, and several frigates; the larger vessels were under the command of the veteran Admiral Duquesne, and the galleys under that of the Duke of Mortemar, the brother-in-law of Seignelay, who accompanied the expedition in person, and who, full of ambition, courage, intellect, and activity, would not consent to forego, in his character of Minister, the honours of the enterprise. On anchoring before Genoa, s...