Isabella by her father as a bridal gift at the time of her marriage.
Here it was expected that they would live until the death of her
father, when they were to come into possession of the whole province
of Lorraine.

[Sidenote: Birth of Margaret.]

In process of time, while living at this castle, Rene and Isabella had
several children. Margaret was the fifth. She was born in 1429. Her
birthday was March 23.

[Sidenote: Theophanie.]

The little infant was put under the charge of a family nurse named
Theophanie. Theophanie was a long-tried and very faithful domestic.
She was successively the nurse to all of Isabella's children, and the
family became so much attached to her that when she died Rene caused a
beautiful monument to be raised to her memory. This monument contained
a sculptured image of Theophanie, with two of the children in her
arms.

[Sidenote: 1431.]

Very soon after her birth Margaret was baptized with great pomp in the
Cathedral in the town of Toul. A large number of relatives of high
rank witnessed and took part in the ceremony.

[Sidenote: Isabella's uncle Antoine.]

[Sidenote: Conflict for the possession of Lorraine.]

When at length Charles, Duke of Lorraine, Isabella's father, died, and
the province should have descended to Isabella and Rene, there
suddenly appeared another claimant, who thought, not that he had a
better right to the province than Isabella, but that he had more power
to seize and hold it than she, even with all the aid that her husband
Rene could afford her. This claimant was Isabella's uncle, the younger
brother of Duke Charles who had just died. His name was Antoine de
Vaudemonte, or, as it would be expressed in English, Anthony of
Vaudemont. This uncle, on the death of Isabella's father, determined
to seize the duchy for himself, instead of allowing it to descend to
Isabella, the proper heir, who, being but a woman, was looked upon
with very little respect. "Lorraine," he said, "was too noble and
valuable a fief to descend in the family on the spindle side."

So he collected his adherents and retainers, organized an army, and
took the field. Isabella, on the other hand, did all in her power to
induce the people of the country to espouse her cause. Rene took the
command of the forces which were raised in her behalf, and went forth
to meet Antoine. Isabella herself, taking the children with her, went
to the city of Nancy[2]--which was then, as now, the chief city of
L