Their leaders, the Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, the
King of Navarre, and the Prince of Conde, were supposed to be
high in favour, while the chiefs of the other party, the Duke of
Guise, and the two Cardinals of his house, the Cardinal of
Lorraine and the Cardinal of Guise, were in disgrace; which, as
it seemed, even their friend at court, the queen's favourite son,
Henry of Anjou, was unable to overcome.
Such was the outward aspect of things in August, 1572, but there
were not wanting rumours that already Coligny, taking advantage
of the footing given him, had gained an influence over the young
king, which threatened Catharine de' Medici herself. The
admiral, therefore, to whom the Huguenot half of France had long
looked as to its leader, was now the object of the closest
interest to all; the Guise faction, hating him--as the alleged
assassin of the Duke of Guise--with an intensity which probably
was not to be found in the affection of his friends, popular with
the latter as he was.
Still, many who were not Huguenots had a regard for him as a
great Frenchman and a gallant soldier.
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