THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
Charles had the town surrounded by ditches and stockades, and stayed for six more months, until it
surrendered because of hunger.
Gerard made many attacks upon Charles’ camp, but he was not strong enough to prevail against
him. Charles took the city of Tremogna and forced a treaty for the surrender of the prisoners, and
thus regained Duke Namo and Solomon. Charles wanted to destroy the city, but Duke Namo
opposed this. In that city’s prison a little boy was discovered, the son of Bernard of Mongrana,
whose name was Aymeric. Charles took him to Paris with him and had him nursed back to health.
To conclude the war with Gerard, a truce of ten years was concluded, with the condition that neither
party would enter the other’s territory. Charles made Aymeric Count of Berry, and he was called
Aymeric the Unlucky, since he had no inheritance, for Gerard had taken it all.
At the time of this conflict, Marsilius and his brothers were setting out from Spain, and when they
were in Gascony, about to enter France, learned of the war that had broken out between Charles
and Gerard. They therefore turned back. But when the truce had been concluded, Pope Leo came
to Paris. Charles, upon his return, bestowed the whole province of Marsa upon Ogier the Dane, and
he was called the Lord of Lunismarsa. After that return, Charles prepared to be crowned and to be
married to Galeana and to have Ogier baptized.
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When the treaty with Gerard of the Thicket had been concluded, Charles returned to Paris and the
Council ordained the ceremony of Charles’ coronation, that is the placing of the crown upon his
head. They sent throughout the country to have a great court proclaimed. Pope Leo had come.
The great celebration that was held for the Pope cannot be described. When all the nobility had
arrived, the Pope with his own hand baptized Galeana and Ogier the Dane, and on the third day