Doge and daughter seated
themselves upon their sumptuous thrones, their glittering retinue
filled the beautiful boat, the scarlet oars dipped into the
water; and then, with music playing, banners streaming, and a
grand escort of boats of every conceivable shape, flashing in
decoration and gorgeous in mingled colors, the bridal train
floated down the Grand Canal, on past the outlying islands, and
between the great fortresses to where, upon the broad Adriatic,
the galleys were waiting to take the new Queen to her island
kingdom off the shores of Greece. And there, in his queer old
town of Famagusta, built with a curious commingling of Saracen,
Grecian, and Norman ideas, King Giacomo met his bride.
So they were married, and for five happy years all went well with
the young King and Queen. Then came troubles. King Giacomo died
suddenly from a cold caught while hunting, so it was said; though
some averred that he had been poisoned, either by his half-sister
Carlotta, with whom he had contended for his throne, or by some
mercenary of Venice, who desired his realm for that voracious
Republic.
But if this latter was the case, the voracious Republic of Venice
was not to find an easy prey.
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