In 1436, an insurrection had occurred in Bruges, when the animosity of the burghers had caused the duchess to flee from their midst, holding her little son in her arms, alarmed for his personal safety.  Philip suppressed the revolt, but, in his anger at its insolence, declared that never again would he set foot within the gates unless in company with his superior.

[Illustration:  PHILIP THE GOOD AS PATRON OF LETTERS

THE YOUNG COUNT OF CHAROLAIS IS IN THE BACKGROUND WITH ONE OF PHILIP’S SONS FROM MINIATURE REPRODUCED IN BARANTE, “HIST. DES DUCS DE BOURGOGNE”]

Among the many negotiations wherein Isabella played a prominent part as her husband’s representative, were those concerning the liberation of the Duke of Orleans, who had remained in England, a prisoner, after the battle of Agincourt in 1415.  The last advice given by Henry V. to his brothers was that they should make this captivity perpetual.  Therefore, whenever overtures were made for his redemption, a strong party, headed by Humphrey of Gloucester, rejected them vehemently.

In 1440, however, there was a turn in the tide of sentiment.  Possibly the low state of the English exchequer made the duke’s ransom more attractive than his person.  At any rate, 120,000 golden crowns were accepted as his equivalent, and the exile of twenty-five years returned to France, having pledged himself never to bear arms against England.

Isabella of Burgundy was at Calais to welcome him, and to escort him to St. Omer, where high revels were held in his honour and in that of his alliance with Marie of Cleves, Philip’s niece.

The week intervening between the betrothal and the nuptials was passed in a succession of banquets and tourneys, gorgeous in their elaboration.  Moreover, St. Andrew’s Day chancing to fall just then, the new Burgundian Order was convened and the Duke of Orleans was elected a Knight of the Golden Fleece, while in his turn he presented his cousin with the collar of his own Order of the Porcupine.  Lord Cornwallis and other English gentlemen who had accompanied Orleans across the Channel participated in these gaieties, nor were they among the least favoured guests, adds Barante.

Amity was triumphant, and there was a general feeling abroad that the returned exile was henceforth to be the ruling power in France.  People began to look to him to act as the go-between in their behalf, to be their mediator with Charles VII., still little known at his best.  Many towns turned towards him in hopes of finding a friend, and among them was Bruges.  But it was not royal favours that Bruges sought.  Her burghers felt great inconvenience from the breach with their sovereign duke.  Anxious to be reinstated in his grace, they seized the opportunity of reminding Philip of his assertion, and they besought him to enter their gates in company with the Duke of Orleans, a prince of the blood, closer to the French sovereign than the Duke of Burgundy.