“As ffor tydyngs heer ther bee but few saff that the Duke of
    Burgoyen and my Lady hys wyffe fareth well.  I was with them on
    Thorysdaye last past at Gaunt."[4]

The Duke of Burgundy was not the only pretender to the vacated sovereignty of Guelders.  The Duke of Juliers was also inclined to urge his cause, were Adolf’s family to be set aside.  At the sight of Burgundian puissance, however, he was ready to be convinced, and accepted 24,000 florins for his acquiescence in the righteousness of the accession.  Several of the cities manifested opposition to Charles, but yielded one after another.  In Nimwegen—­long hostile to Duke Arnold—­there was a determined effort to support little Charles of Guelders who, with his sister, was in that city.  The child made a pretty show on his little pony, and there were many declarations of devotion to his cause as he was put forward to excite sympathy.  For three weeks, the town held out in his name.  The resistance to the Burgundian troops was sturdy.  When the gates gave way before their attacks the burghers defended the broken walls.  Six hundred English archers were repulsed from an assault with such sudden energy that they left their banners sticking in the very breaches they thought they had won, fine prizes for the triumphant citizens.  But the game was unequal, and the combatants, convinced that discretion was the better part of valour, at last accepted the Duke of Cleves as a mediator with their would-be sovereign.

On July 19th, a long civic procession headed by the burgomasters, wearing neither hats nor shoes, marched to the Duke of Burgundy with a prayer for pardon on their lips.  The leaders of the opposition to his accession were delivered over to the mercy of the victor.  The garrison were accorded their lives and a tax was imposed on the city to indemnify the duke for his needless trouble, and Guelders was added de facto to the list of Burgundian ducal titles.  In the various state papers presently issued by the new ruler, the mention of the circumstance of his accession to the sovereignty was simple and straightforward, as in a certain document appointing Olivier de la Marche to be treasurer.  The patent bears the date of August 18th and was one of the earliest issued by Charles in this new capacity.

“As by the death of the late Messire Arnold, in his life Duke of Guelderland, these counties and duchy have lapsed to me, and by the same token the offices of the land have escheated to our disposition, and among others the office of master of the moneys of those countships ... using the rights, etc., escheated to me, and in consideration of the good and agreeable services already rendered and continually rendered by our knight, etc., Olivier de la Marche, having full confidence in his sense, loyalty, probity, and good diligence—­for these causes and others we entrust the office of master and overseer of moneys of the land of Guelders to him, with all the rights, duties, and privileges thereto pertaining.  In testimony of this we have set our seal to these papers.  Done in our city of Nimwegen, August 18, 1473.  Thus signed by M. le duc.”

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