Margaret of Anjou and Jacquetta

On Suffolk's second expedition to France in 1445 to collect henry's bride and escort her to England, he took with him Jacquetta, the former duchess of Bedford, as well as her husband Sir Richard Woodville.The choice of Jacquetta was probably judicious. She spoke French and had been brought up as the daughter of a Count, Margaret's exact status. Jacquetta was about 15 years older than the young Margaret, a mature woman who could calm the nerves of a young girl now propelled to the pinnacle of English society.

What little evidence we have suggests that the two women got along well.  Jacquetta was taken on as one of Queen Margaret's ladies when they came to England and several gifts from Margaret to her were recorded. These gifts may perhaps be taken as an indication of that regard.

Margaret of Anjou

At a crisis point in February 1461 Jacquetta was called upon by the mayor and aldermen of the City of London to mediate with Margaret when she held a rampant army at the city gates. Margaret's forces had just defeated the earl of Warwick at the second Battle of St Albans and after finishing off the duke of York at Wakefield on 30 December 1460, this should have proved decisive for the Lancastrian cause. But Margaret had the political equivalent of a tin ear. Her troops had plundered and laid waste many parts of the country and they continued with their merry destruction after St Albans. The city of London was nervous, and with good cause, so they did not immediately open the gates and sought assurances from Margaret. Hence they sent out the duchess of Bedford, who they clearly felt would have Margaret's ear and that they would get a fair hearing about their concerns.

Assurances were given and the city fathers agreed to admit Margaret and her forces. Who knows what might have happened after that, but any potential for destruction or even establishing firm government was forestalled.  The citizens disagreed with the decision of the mayor and aldermen and refused to open the gates, and, led by John Lambert, father of Elizabeth Shore, later a mistress of Edward IV and known to history as "Jane" Shore, they put up sufficient resistance so that Margaret decided to turn back to her secure territory in the midlands.

This may be regarded as a significant turning point in the struggle for power known as the Wars of the Roses.

A few months later Margaret's cause was lost at the battle of Towton. Jacquetta's husband and sons decided to realign their fortunes to the Yorkist cause and we may imagine that Jacquetta and Margaret never met again for the rest of their lives.