Charles V of France

Genealogy

Charles V is resulting from the royal branch of the Valois of the Dynastie capétienne.

He is the son of Jean II '' the Good '' and of Bonne of Luxembourg, and the brother of Louis, duke of Anjou, Jean, duke of Berry and Philippe, known as Philippe Bold the , duke of Burgundy.

Descent

Married to Jeanne de Bourbon on April 8th 1350, it has nine children of which two only reach the adulthood:

Jeanne (1357 - 1360)
Jean (1359 - 1364)
Good (1360 - 1360)
Jean (1360 - 1366)
Charles (1368 - 1422), which becomes king with dead of its father in 1380 under the name of Charles VI.
Marie (1370 - 1377)
Louis (1372 - 1407), which receives in 1392 the duchy of Orleans in prerogative under the name of Louis Ist
Isabelle (1373 - 1378)
Catherine (1378 - 1388) which becomes duchess of Berry and countess of Montpensier in 1386 following its marriage with Jean II of Berry.

Of its mistress Biette de Casinel:

Jean de Montaigu (1365 -?)

Physical aspect and personality

Carrying the after-effects of a disease of youth contracted in 1349, it is not so weak that it was written (73 kg in 1362 after a long illness and 77.5 kg in 1368) but his fragile health draws aside it from the tournaments and the battle fields: its right hand if is swollen that it cannot handle heavy objects. It does not have of it less one acute sense of the royal majesty. It with the sharp spirit and is properly machiavelic: its biographer Christine de Pisan describes it wise and visseux (twisted) and Jean of Ghent qualifies it royal attorney . Very early, the disagreement is manifest between father and wire with the so dissimilar personalities.

Charles V is very informed: Christine de Pisan describes it like an accomplished intellectual controlling the Seven liberal arts. But, it is also a very pious and superstitious king. The fate being baited a long time not to give him of heir and being prone to many health issues in front of which the medicine of the time remains stripped Charles reveals very pious and follower of the Astrologie. It supports the expansion of the order of Célestins and the seventh of the books of its library are works of Astronomie, astrology or divinatory art. However, that goes against the doctrines of the church and the university at the time like that of its advisers: these beliefs remain in the private sphere of the king and do not interfere in its political decisions.

Biography

Childhood

He is educated at the court with a band of children of similar age to which there will remain close: Philippe of Orleans his uncle, his brothers Louis, Jean and Philippe, Louis de Bourbon, Edouard and Robert de Bar, Godefroy of the Brabant, Louis d' Étampes, Louis d' Évreux (brother of Charles the Bad one), Jean and Charles of Artois, Charles d' Alençon and Philippe de Rouvre.

Its tutor is probably Sylvestre of Servelle which inculcates Latin and grammar to him. His/her mother and her paternal grandmother die of the plague in 1349 whereas it has just left the court to go in its prerogative of the Dauphiné. His/her grandfather, Philippe VI, dies shortly after in 1350.

The count Humbert II, ruined because of his incapacity to raise the tax and without heir after death to his only son, sells the Dauphiné, ground of Empire. The pope nor the Emperor becoming purchasers, the business is concluded with Philippe VI.

According to the agreement, it must return to a son of the future king Jean the Good. It is thus Charles, as an oldest son of the latter, which becomes the dolphin. It is only eleven years old, but is immediately confronted with the exercise of the capacity. It lends oath to the prelates and receives the Hommage its Vassaux.

The dolphin is married the April 8th 1350 with Silvering-the Hermitage with his/her cousin Jeanne de Bourbon. The prior agreement of the pope was obtained for this marriage between blood relations. The gatherings being limited to slow down the diffusion of the plague which prevails in all Europe, the marriage takes place in the intimacy.

The control of this territory is invaluable for the Kingdom of France because it occupies the valley of the the Rhone, a major commercial axis between the Mediterranean and north of Europe since Antiquity, them putting in direct contact with Avignon, papal city and diplomatic center impossible to circumvent of medieval Europe. In spite of its young age, the dolphin endeavors to be made recognize by its subjects, intercedes to put an end to the war which prevails between two families of vassal.

The legitimacy of Jean the Good, and that of Valois in general, does not run a source: his/her father Philippe VI was described as " king trouvé" and its credit crumbled with the disasters of Crécy, of Calais, the devastations of the plague and the monetary changes necessary to maintain with flood royal finances.

But especially the royal clan is in hillock with the hostility of Charles II of Navarre says Charles the Bad one, whose mother Jeanne has given up in 1328 the crown of France against that of Navarre, which is the elder one of a powerful line and can gather around him the dissatisfied ones with the reigns of first Valois. He is supported by his close relations and their allies: the family of Boulogne (the count, the cardinal, their two brothers and their relationship of Auvergne), barons Champagne faithful to Jeanne de Navarre (the mother of Charles and last Champagne countess).

Execution of the constable Raoul de Brienne, on November 19th 1350, in a deep opacity (it seems that this one was to pay homage to Edouard III), involves the rallying of its many supports for the Navarrese camp. It acts in particular of lords Norman and of nobility of the North-West (of Picardy, of Artois, the Vermandois, the Beauvaisis and Flanders whose economy depends on the English wool imports), and of the brothers of Picquigny, faithful combined of the constable. The shortly after died of this last, Charles Bad writing with the duke of Lancaster: '' All the noble ones of Normandy passed with me to died to life ''. An English unloading is planned for the end of the truce which expires on June 24th, 1355. The dolphin can be made accept. The Norman ones all the more balk to make return the taxes which the Navarreses encourage there, but the collected money is redistributed with the lords who agreed agree to cut their subjects. It remains little of finances to equip with the men-at-arms but the dolphin gains sympathies there. Its capacities of listening enable him to avoid the war by obtaining in June a reconciliation between the Navarrese and the king which is sealed by a ceremony at the court on September 24th 1355. The unloading promised by Edouard III does not take place and this last takes shade of the new reversal of Charles de Navarre (he is wary from now on of this competitor to the crown of France too greedy and too twisted). The king makes watch of intransigence and the tension goes up. Charles, who is very close to his uncle and is likely to lose the Dauphine one there, is opposed the made-to-order to proceed of his father. Gone up against him by Robert Cock (one of more enthusiastic Navarrese, playing double game near Jean Good) which does not cease ensuring to him that his/her father seeks with the évincer capacity, it organizes with the assistance of the Navarrese party a running away aiming at meeting the emperor, to lend the homage to him and to alleviate the tensions. It must take place in December 1355. The king, informed of the plot by Robert de Lorris, convenes his son and Normandy in Apanage entrusts to him to reassure it on its feelings towards him and to counter the sabotage of the Navarreses.

January 6th 1356, Charles becomes thus Charles Ier of Normandy. But Jean the Good, informed plot of division of the country warped by Charles the Bad one and the English with Avignon, decides to put the Navarrese out of state to harm. The April 5th 1356, the dolphin and duke of Normandy invited in its castle of Rouen all the nobility of the province, to start with the count of Évreux, Charles the Bad one. The festival beats full sound when Jean II emerges the Good, capped of a Bassinet and the sword with the hand, which comes to seize of Charles the Bad one while howling: How no one does not move if he does not want to be dead of this sword! . At his sides, his/her Philippe brother of Orleans, his son Louis junior by Anjou and his cousins of Artois form a threatening escort. Outside, a hundred riders out of weapons hold the castle. Imprisoned, Navarre gains in popularity; its partisans feel sorry for it and claim his freedom. Normandy thunders and many are the barons who disavow the homage lent to king de France and turn to Edouard III of England. For them, Jean the Good one exceeded his rights by stopping a prince with whom it however signed peace. Worse still, this gesture is perceived by the Navarreses like the fact of a king who knows himself illegitimate and hopes to eliminate an adversary whose only wrong is to defend its rights to the crown of France. Philippe de Navarre, brother of Charles the Bad one, sends his challenge to king de France on May 28th 1356. The Norman Navarreses, and particularly lords, pass in block on the side of Edouard III who, as of June, launches his troops in frightening Chevauchée S, to Normandy and Guyenne. September 19th, Jean the Good is made prisoner by the English, after the demolished of Poitiers.

Lieutenant of the kingdom then regent during the captivity of Jean the Good

The ordinance of 1357

In 1356, the Guerre One hundred Year old turns largely to the advantage of the English. The father of Charles and his brother Philippe are imprisoned in London. As wire oldest of king Charles controls the kingdom then. The French nobility, which holds its capacity of divine right and must thus justify it on the battle field, leaves completely discredited disasters Crécy and Poitiers, the more so as this period corresponds to a rise to power of the craft industry and trade, and thus of the cities, which await only the occasion to assert a freedom and a capacity proportional to their economic importance within the company (in England the townsmen were able to impose the Large Charter).

The beginnings of the regency of the Charles dolphin are difficult: he is only 18 years old, little personal prestige (the more so as he left the battle field of Poitiers contrary to its father and its brother Philippe Bold the), little experiment, and must carry on his shoulders the discredit of Valois. He is surrounded of the members of the Conseil of the king of his father, who are very décriés.

The General states meet on October 17th. The dolphin, very weakened, encounters a strong opposition: Etienne Marcel, Provost of the merchants of Paris to the head of the middle-class, and friends of Charles de Navarre, gathered around the bishop of Laon, Robert the Cock. The dolphin close to the reforming ideas is not against a more important place of the States in the control of monarchy. On the other hand, the release of Charles de Navarre is unacceptable because it would put in danger the reign of Valois. The States require the dismissal of the most compromised advisers, the capacity to elect a council which will assist the king as well as the release of the Navarrese. Not enough powerful to be able to refuse from the start these proposals, the dolphin defers its answer. The General states are extended, and are convened again on February 3rd 1357.

During this respite, Charles will return to homage to his uncle the emperor Charles IV for the Dauphine one with Metz, which enables him to obtain its diplomatic support. On its return, the dolphin accepts the promulgation of the “large ordinance”, draft of monarchy a controlled and vast plan of administrative reorganization, but obtains the maintenance in captivity of Charles de Navarre. A commission of purification must relieve and condemn the faulty civils servant (and particularly the indelicate collectors taxes) and confiscate their goods. Six representatives of the States enter to the council of the king, who becomes a Trusteeship Council. The royal administration is supervised closely: the monetary finances, and particularly changes and extraordinary subsidies, are controlled by the States.

Release of Charles de Navarre

A government of the regent controlled by the States with its approval is thus set up. Two councils cohabit: that of the Dolphin and that of the States. But for the reformers and particularly the Navarreses that is not enough: the return of the king of captivity can put an end to this institutional test. Etienne Marcel and Robert the Cock thus organize the release of Charles de Navarre who can claim with the crown and is always locked up. However, to clear itself vis-a-vis the dolphin, one gives to this release the aspect of a spontaneous takeover by force of faithful Navarreses (the brothers Picquigny). The return of Charles de Navarre méticuleusement is méticuleusement organized: it is released on November 9th, it is received with the protocol reserved to the king in the cities which it crosses, accommodated by the notable ones and the crowd joined together by the States. The same ceremonial reproduces in each city from Amiens to Paris: it is received by the clergy and the middle-class men in procession, then it harangue a very acquired crowd, explaining why it wrongfully was despoiled and imprisoned by Jean the Good whereas it is of royal line.

Put in front of the accomplished fact, the dolphin cannot refuse the request of Etienne Marcel and Robert the Cock and signs letters of remission for the Navarrese. November 30th it harangue: 10000 Parisian joined together by Etienne Marcel with Pre with the Clerks. December 3rd, Etienne Marcel invites himself with a strong middle-class party with the council of the King who must decide rehabilitation of Charles de Navarre, under pretext of announce that the States joined together with the Couvent of Cordeliers agree to raise the tax requested by the dolphin and that there remains only the agreement of the nobility to be obtained. The dolphin can only agree and rehabilitates Charles the Bad one.

More dangerous still for Valois, the States must solve the dynastic question on January 14th 1358. Charles the Bad one exploits the month of waiting to make countryside. The dolphin is active by organizing the defense of the country against many the Mercenaires which, for lack of balance, plunders the country. The marshals of Normandy, Champagne and Burgundy go to its court. It confines in Paris an army of: 2000 men come from Dauphine under pretext of protect the city from the exactions from the Large companies. That puts the city under pressure. January 11th, he addresses himself to Parisian to the Halles by explaining why he raises an army and by blaming the States for their incapacity to ensure the defense of the country in spite of the money taken at the time of the liftings of taxes: it is a success and Etienne Marcel must organize other meetings cored by his partisans to put it in difficulty. January 14th, the States not being able to get along neither on the dynastic question, nor about the lifting of a new tax, one decides on a new monetary change to reinflate the cases of the State. The spirits warm up against the States, for the greatest benefit of the dolphin.

It signs in January 1358 the first treaty of London which envisages:

the transfer in full sovereignty of the old possessions of Aquitaine of the Plantagenêt (1/3 of the country): The Guyenne (put under Made by Philippe VI at the beginning of the conflict), the Saintonge, the Poitou, the the Limousin, the Quercy, the Périgord, the Rouergue and the Bigorre;
a ransom of 4 million ecus;
the maintenance of the claims of Edouard III with the crown of France.

The assassination of the marshals

Jacquerie S

May 28th 1358 the peasants of Saint-Leu-in Esserent, close to Creil in the Oise exceeded by the tax liftings voted in Compiegne and intended to put the country in defense, rebel. Quickly the exactions against the noble ones multiply in the north of Paris, zone saved by the companies and behavior neither by the Navarreses nor by the troops of the dolphin. : 5000 men gather quickly around a charismatic chief: Guillaume Carle, known under the name which Froissart allots to him: Jacques Catch. It very quickly receives reinforcements on behalf of Etienne Marcel (300 men carried out by Jean Vaillant). Alliance with Etienne Marcel seems to succeed when the Jacques seize the Château of Ermenonville.

June 9th, the men of the Provost of Paris and part of the Jacques (approximately thousand men) lead an attack on the fortress of the Market of Meaux where the regent and his family are placed to make sure of his person. It is a failure: whereas the Jacques ruent himself with the attack of the fortress, they are swept by a load of cavalry carried out by the Count de Foix, Gaston Phébus, and the Captal de Buch, Jean de Grailly.

But the large one of the forces of Guillaume Carle wants in découdre with Mello, village of the Beauvaisis on June 10th. Drawn aside of the capacity by Etienne Marcel who too quickly believed to control the regent after the assassination of the marshals, Charles the Bad one must take again the hand and show the Provost of Paris which its military support is essential. Pressed by the nobility and particularly by Picquigny to which it owes the freedom and whose brother has just been killed by the Jacques, Charles the Bad one sees the means there of becoming the chief about it. In addition, the merchants could see of an good eye which one makes safe the commercial axes. The jacquerie finishes in a blood bath for which Charles the Bad takes the responsibility whereas the dolphin knew to keep the clean hands.

The reconquest of Paris

Once the Jacquerie crushed, Charles de Navarre, returns to Paris on June 14th 1358. He thinks of having rejoined with him the nobility, but most of the lords which was at its sides against the Jacques does not follow it in this step and remains behind the regent who knew to gain their confidence. Charles the Bad one is established with Saint-Denis. He is made captain of Paris by acclamation and Etienne Marcel sends letters in all the cities of the kingdom so that he is made “universal captain”. These troops gain some skirmishes against the troops of Etienne Marcel or the Navarrese.

The dolphin wants at all costs to avoid a blood bath which would discredit it and wishes a negotiated solution. It thus does not make give the attack and continues the blockade by hoping that the situation changes. But the English mercenaries who defend the capital are regarded as enemies and attract each other the enmity of the Parisian ones. July 21st, following a brawl of tavern which degenerates into street battle 34 English archers are massacred. Parisian of the weapons seize of them 400 qu' they want to subject to ransom. The Parisian ones suspectent Charles de Navarre to have warned the mercenaries of their arrival (it left them before the combat). Their chiefs supporting the enemies of the country against the regent and the population, the Parisian ones feel betrayed and disunite themselves of Etienne Marcel, the more so as Charles de Navarre awaits his Philippe brother and of the English reinforcements. But the news of the massacre of Parisian quickly makes it tower of the city and Etienne Marcel is hooted on his return to Paris. The alderman Jean Maillart and Pépin of Essart convince the middle-class men to require the assistance of the regent. July 31st 1358, at dawn, Etienne Marcel in company of the treasurer of Charles de Navarre tries to be made give the keys of the Door of Saint-Denis but runs up against the refusal of Jean Maillard. Not insisting it tries its chance with the Saint-Anthony Door, but Jean Maillart sounded alarm and rameute the maximum of world: Etienne Marcel surprised is summoned to shout Montjoie with the king and the Duke. . After hesitation he exclaims Montjoie with the king. . He is apostrophized, crowd thunders. Its fate is already sealed: with the agreed signal ( What is what this? ), he is massacred with his following.

The dolphin which does not believe any more in one rendering is moving towards the Dauphiné when one teaches him the news coming from Paris. It enters triumphantly Paris on August 2nd, it has the clean hands. Forgiving with Parisian (there is only very little repression, only fifteen people are carried out for treason), it takes care not to despoil the close relations of carried out while rewarding its allies. For example, the widowed rich person of the alderman Charles Toussac carried out on August 2nd is married with Pierre de Dormans: The king rewards Jean de Dormans (one of its faithful) while placing his brother and it does not despoil the heritage of the widow of its opponent.

Second treaty of London

In March 1359, taking account of the approach the end of the truce and owing to the fact that the dolphin declared regent of the Kingdom, Jean the Good seeks to take again the reins of the capacity and accepts a second treaty of London even more constraining:

With the old possessions of Aquitaine of the Plantagenêt, is added all the grounds which have one day belonged to England: the Maine, the Touraine, the Anjou and the Normandy.
the king of England receives the Hommage of the duke of Brittany, thus regulating the war of succession of Brittany in favor of Jean de Montfort, combined of the English.
the ransom is fixed at 4 million ecus with a shorter bill book.

These conditions represent more half of the territory and several years of revenues from taxes. To accept Valois would discredit definitively and would be likely to make sink the Kingdom in a new civil war which would offer to Edouard III the crown of France on a plate. The treaty which must remain secret arrives at the Court of Auditors on April 27th 1359. June 25th 1359, passing in addition to the orders of his/her father, the regent joins together the General states which declare that the treaty is neither passable nor feasible . It is a master stroke: while passing by the General states, it reconsolidates the country against the English and clears his father who is with the hands of Edouard III. It comes out from this business with a capacity hardened and the country behind him. But, for the English, it is about a declaration of war: Edouard III unloads in October 1359 to take Rheims, the city of the Sacre, and to impose on the French knighthood a new defeat which would complete to discredit it.

Treaty of Brétigny

But, in agreement with king Jean and his London entourage who do not want that the possible death of Edouard III on the battle field does not start reprisals in their opposition, Charles opposes the tactics of the deserted Ground to him and carries out a war of Escarmouche S refusing any arranged battle. The doors of Rheims remain closed. However, in accordance with his strategy which consists in forcing the French to fight a great battle in open country, Edouard III did not take along machines of war which would have slowed down it. He moves towards Burgundy. This Chevauchée turns to the fiasco for the English, badgered, famished, deprived with mountings (for lack of fodder). During this time, Norman sailors carry out a raid on the port of Winchelsea (March 1360), starting a panic in England.

Insane of rage, Edouard III goes up towards Paris and lets his army make many exactions: it does not act any more a simple extortion aiming at nourishing its army but systematic destruction of all the resources - the vines are torn off, the shot down cattle and any heart which lives massacred. These exactions involve a sharp resentment against the English. Number of them take place during the Lent and the Holy Week and, when the English army is decimated by a violent one storm of hail on Monday, April 13, many chroniclers sees the hand of God there. Edouard III then decides to negotiate. He signs peace with Brétigny, where he dissolves his army of mercenaries. This one, to balance itself, is delivered to plundering in Burgundy, only “opened” area, because, contrary to Champagne and the Ile de France, their arrival was not envisaged there. These mercenaries form the embryo of the Grandes companies.

Scalded by the refusal of the second treaty of London, Jean the Good one took again the things in hands. The danger of a takeover by the Navarreses or the states being drawn aside, the king wants to neutralize the dolphin as fast as possible (it fears particularly that a brilliant deed results in the death of king d' Angleterre who would threaten his safety). Whereas Edouard III overlaps in France, the reins of the country are taken again by its 3eminence grise Guillaume of Melun, which puts the dolphin under house arrest and directs the council. The royal party negotiates with goes-quickly on the basis of treaty first of London, whereas the English army is in rout, preventing that this success profits with the only dolphin.

Compared to the first treaty of London, the ransom is brought back from 4 to 3 million ecus, but the conditions are very heavy and the treaty is perceived like ashamed. This agreement puts a term at the four years of captivity of Jean the good, but of the hostages are delivered to guarantee the payment of the ransom, of which most important is undoubtedly its ambassador and adviser: Bonabes IV of Red and Derval.

Edouard III obtains the Guyenne and the Gascogne in all sovereignty like Calais, the Ponthieu and the Comté of Guînes. He also obtains the Poitou - of which one of wire of the king, Jean, is however count -, the Périgord, the the Limousin, the Angoumois and the Saintonge. Lastly, it becomes sovereign of all the grounds of the count of Armagnac by receiving the Agenais, the Quercy, the Rouergue, the Bigorre and the Comté of Gaure.

On the other hand, Edouard III gives up the duchies of Normandy and Touraine, with the counties of Maine and of Anjou and with suzerainty on Brittany and the Flanders. He especially gives up asserting the crown of France. This treaty aims at defusing all the objections which led to the release of the conflict.

Charles has need of time to reorganize the country and to put an end to the instability which reigns there. The ransom will be only partially versed and the Traité of Brétigny will not be durable, but it allows a nine years truce.

His/her father names Charles general Lieutenant in all the parts of the Langue of oil the December 17th 1362. In 1364 again, having regained the England, it appoints it its lieutenant and assigns to him the duchy of Touraine.

Fight against the companies in Normandy

The évincé dolphin of the capacity, as with each time it is in difficulty, request council with his/her uncle the emperor Charles IV. This one recommends to him to concentrate its efforts on Normandy, area particularly touched by the exactions of the companies tolerated by the Navarreses. They are often English mercenaries who, in their proper name or claiming themselves of king de Navarre, take the control of fortresses for the account of Edouard III. Mantes, Meulan and Vernon is Navarrese fortified towns which control the valley of the the Seine downstream from Paris. That they are Navarrese forces, English or of simple armed robberies, the effects are the same ones: the population is held to ransom and the strongly disturbed exchanges.

The dolphin raises a direct tax, the Fouage, to organize the defense of the duchy. It can thus finance a flotilla of war which protects the exchanges between Paris and Rouen. This last, benefitting from the return of the king in London to try once again to take advantage of its rights to the crown, masses an army in Lower Normandy. On instruction of his father, the duke takes the initiative: Of Guesclin attacks the Navarrese fortresses, fascinating Mantes and Meulan April 7th and 11th, and takes the control of the Seine. To prevent that White of Navarre, sister of Charles the Bad one, does not open the doors of Vernon, Pontoise, Neauphles, Chateauneuf-of-Lincourt, Gisors or Gournay, the dolphin works on Vernon where it is cut off and negotiates her neutrality in the conflict which opposes it to the Navarreses. It names the captains who will control the castles and their fact of swearing that it will not make the war against him.

The king moves away from the capacity

In 1362, after the disaster of Brignais, where the companies beat with punt seams the army which it could join together with the money of the taxes, Jean the Good seeing a country ruined and with fire and blood seeks an exit door. Planning to reconquer its honor in crusade against the Turks, it receives the cross of Outremer hands of the pope in Avignon on March 30th 1363. This crusade financed by the pope would make it possible to take along the companies to fight against Turkish and would be financed by the Décime S, the king well cash to recover a part of it to finance the refunding of its ransom. But the pope imposes that the ten-per-cent taxes are taken by the bishops them even what removes any hope of appreciation to Jean the Good. Finally, it sets out again for London on January 3rd, 1364 to renegotiate the Traité of Brétigny for which it has evil to pay the ransom and the release of the hostages (his/her son Louis of Anjou, wearied to await its release, already fled of London).

Before leaving, it joins together the States with Amiens at the end of December 1363 to inform them of its decision. Bertrand of Guesclin, with the head of the army raised thanks to the taxes voted by the general states of 1363, beats it the May 16th 1364 with the Bataille of Cocherel, which puts an end to the civil war, restores the royal authority with the eyes of the population, showing that the financial sacrifices authorized by the population for the effort of war are followed effects on the ground. In fact quickly the country is organized against the companies. Knights, cities, peasants send quotas. The French truck drivers are carried out and the foreigners of some value subjected to ransom.

Once the situation of the companies became uncomfortable on the French soil, Charles V entrusts to Bertrand of Guesclin the mission of taking along those which remain to fight in Castille for the account of its ally Henri de Trastamare. That has a double effect: removed from the companies the economy of the country is started again and it trains soon the prince of Wales in a ruinous conflict against its ally. In December 1367, returned victorious of Castille but bloodless, this last coward his mercenaries at the borders of Guyenne. Going on Paris, the latter are pushed back by the French. But this act is regarded as a casus belli and it will start again the war.

First civil war of Castille

Charles V who envisages already the reconquest sees of an evil eye the presence of an ally of the English at the borders. It wishes to make it replace by a allied solid which will be able desired time to make weigh a threat on the principality of Aquitaine. The English cannot take again the hostilities directly to France before the end of the transfers of sovereignty decided to the Traité of Brétigny: it would lose all the extremely advantageous territorial concessions there that it obtained there. English having the bound fists, the king of France to the free choice of the resumption of the hostility, but it does not have of them the economic means, the country being devastated by the companies and being bled by the exorbitant ransom of Jean the Good. To remake a financial health it is necessary to get rid of the companies which block all the commercial axes and pressurize the population of all that it could have given in taxes to the state. Avignon being threatened and being held to ransom by the companies, the pope sees of an good eye the project of crusade in Spain proposed by Charles V. The official objective is the following: to carry out a crusade against the emirate of Cordoue, which requires to pass by Castille. The pope is not easily deceived, but his interests convergent with those of Charles V: it is necessary to get rid of the companies. He thus finances forwarding.

In all logic, Pierre Cruel the finds allies at the adversaries of France and can rest on Edouard de Woodstock - the Prince Noir - and Charles the Bad.

Charles V gives the responsability Bertrand with Guesclin to gather the companies and to carry out them in Castille. The crusade arrives to Catalonia in January 1366 and obtains rapids success. Henri de Transtamare is crowned on April 5th, 1366. Quickly driven out Castilian throne, Pierre the Cruel one prepares his return. He activates his English alliance, promising to Prince Noir to finance the conflict. The long Arc English is once more decisive there: the Free-Castilians, crushed under a cloud of arrows, are cut in parts. Bertrand of Guesclin is made prisoner. Henri must again flee in France and Pierre Cruel the takes again the capacity. However the king of France draws several benefit from forwarding Castilian: on the one hand it is definitively removed from the companies which it had engaged with the money of the pope, and on the other hand this victory is very expensive English because Pierre the Cruel one does not have the means of paying the army which gave it on the throne. They is ruined and in front of getting rid of the companies that the Prince Noir regains Aquitaine.

Pierre the Cruel one not having poured the counterparts promised to Prince Noir in the Treated of Libourne, the English troops turn over in Guyenne, leaving the free field to Henri de Trastamare, always combined of king de France by the Traité Acute-Dead. In 1367, Henri and Of Guesclin besiege Tolède and beat the army of Pierre Cruel the arrival in reinforcement at the time of the Bataille of Montiel.

Pierre the Cruel one and Henri de Trastamare clash in a singular combat whose conclusion is the death of Pierre de Castille. Henri becomes king de Castille under the name of Henri II and crowns it of Castille passes with the hands of the Maison of Ivrée to that of Trastamare. France has from now on an ally with the head of the kingdom of Castille. This ally appears completely decisive at the time of the Bataille of the La Rochelle, in 1372, which sees the destruction of the English fleet by alliance free-Castilian.

Reorganization of the army

Charles V who prepares the reconquest made profitable the years respite obtained thanks to the Castilian conflict: its finances are rectified thanks to the introduction of a permanent tax. It is now necessary to set up the army of the reconquest.

The fight against the Grandes companies makes it possible to grind a new organization of the troops and to locate reliable and faithful captains, like Bertrand of Guesclin or Olivier de Clisson. One organizes around them small armies made up of roads of a hundred men. One balances a standing army thus of: 5000 with: 6000 men, which one is sure that they will not become plunderers for the periods of truce. These manpower are largely sufficient to carry out the war of knacks and seats necessary to put at the step the companies. Manpower are composed of French volunteers (often of minor nobility) and of Italian principal rafters.

This army can be raised in January 1364 thanks to the tax authorized by the states at this meeting in Amiens. Carried out by Bertrand of Guesclin, it immediately gains its first great victory with Cocherel. Its effectiveness must be proven to justify its financing by taxes: the number of combatants and the quality of their equipment are controlled by civils servant and balances it is versed only once a month, at the time of the watch , only if the equipment is satisfactory. It is necessary that these armies are extremely mobile and very reactive: they are assembled although combatant with foot. They are informed by chevaucheurs and messengers who make the connection between the king and the face.

To take the fortresses quickly, a consequent Artillerie is formed: in 1375, the Castle of Geoffroy de Harcourt capitulates under the fire of 40 guns.

The reconquest

Diplomatic insulation of England

Charles V deploys an intense diplomatic activity. He always was near to his maternal uncle, the Germanic emperor Charles IV and always took care that these bonds never cool. He obtains from his uncle, in 1372, qu' he prohibits to the German mercenaries to enlist in the English army.

Avignon, papal residence, is the diplomatic center of Europe. However Clément VI, which is French, is the former tutor of the emperor and was elected in 1370 thanks to the efforts of Charles V and Louis of Anjou, to which it is also close.

The king of France sends Thibaut de Hocie, in 1368 to tie Spanish alliances. He fails in Aragon. But Henri de Transtamare, the new sovereign of Castille, strongly constant in the war of succession which it carries out against his half-brother Pierre Cruel the by Charles V, is a indéfectible ally and a savage enemy of English which has, them, supported his rival. Thibaut de Hocie thus returns with a treated solid of alliance, which will be invaluable after the victory of Montiel and the final victory over Pierre the Cruel one.

In 1371, Charles V reactivates as the Auld Alliance and obtains the support of the Scot, after their having promised as there would be no more peace without their agreement, as it was the case with Brétigny. In the same way, it supports Owen of Wales, claiming taken refuge at its court and will be able to count on him at the time of the reconquest. He seeks to obtain maritime supremacy to cut the arrival of English reinforcements to Aquitaine, this is why it is important that it can count on the fleets Castilian and Welsh and that he takes language with the king of Denmark.

The diplomatic insulation of English passes by the neutralization of their allies. Charles de Navarre is the first threat for the crown: he is overcome with Cocherel in 1364 and Charles V makes pressure on Jeanne de Navarre so that its fortresses cannot be used by the troops of its rival. He proposes as of 1365 to exchange Mantes, Meulan and Longueville against Montpellier. The negotiations trail during 5 years, during which the Navarrese tries to obtain a treaty of perpetual alliance with the English. But those are being wary, because of its ceaseless reversals of which they were already victims.

But, noting that Navarre is encircled by Free-Castilian alliance and that the English are in difficulty, it returns to France to sign on March 26th 1371 a treaty: it accepts the conditions of 1365 and it makes liege homage for all the grounds which it holds in France, which it had always refused.

In Flandres, Louis de Male is, a time, sensitive to the economic need: the Flemish clothiers are dependant on the English wool imports. October 10th 1364, it promises in marriage his/her Marguerite daughter, heiress of the counties of Flanders, Nevers, Rethel and Burgundy, with Edmond the son of Edouard III. But for that, it must have a papal exemption, because been engaged are consanguineous with the 4th degree. After a diplomatic ballet in Avignon, where French and English intercede, Urbain V refuses to grant this exemption. The diplomatic battle continues until in 1367, date on which Charles V obtains an exemption to marry Marguerite de Male with his Philippe brother the Bold one. It remains however to obtain the agreement of Louis de Male for this marriage. What is done, not without evil, thanks to the energetic intervention of Marguerite de France, the mother of the count de Flandres, and with the transfer of several cities (Lille, Douai and Orchies) by the king of France.

Gascon calls

Charles, because of the events of 1358 and his difficult catch to be able, understands that a sovereign must have the support of his subjects. He must reconquer the hearts before the territories lost with the Traité of Brétigny. If it must take again these grounds, it is in its right good and with the support of the population which accepts it like sovereign.

It is a slow legal procedure which will start again the war. The Prince of Galle, Edouard de Woodstock (the Prince Noir) which returns victorious but ruined from Castille, cannot balance his troops, it must thus raise taxes on his duchy of Aquitaine which it directs in principality. He does it in the form of a Fouage by ordinance of the January 26th 1368. But certain lords accepted only unwillingly the change of suzerainty imposed by the Traité of Brétigny and in particular Jean of Armagnac which was close to Jean the Good. In December 1367, returned ruined of Spain where its army fought for Prince Noir, its suzerain, it claims them in vain to him: 200 000 guilders which the English prince him was to pay his men.

Its resentment turns to aggravation when Edouard de Woodstock, also ruined to him by the Castilian conflict, demobilizes the companies which it could not balance and which it treat to by plundering the Rouergue possession of Jean of Armagnac! This last refuses to pay the tax which the prince of Wales already involved in debt with respect to him wants to perceive and which, as a suzerain, should have protected it from the companies. It makes Appel in Edouard III who answers negatively. It turns then (in May 1368) to Charles V: according to the treaty of Brétigny, the transfer of sovereignty should be made only once the transferred territories and the poured ransom, which is far from being the case. Consequently, while agreeing to answer its call, the December 3rd 1368, Charles V makes act of sovereignty on the Guyenne. Legally, nothing is opposed to the resumption of the conflict. The king of England again proclaims King de France the June 3rd 1368, Charles V pronounces the confiscation of the Aquitaine the November 30th of the same year. The war begins again, but Charles V, as an excellent lawyer, knew to put the right on his side; more especially as the skilful diplomat rejoined most of the Gascons in his camp

Froissart, in its chronicles, brings back these revealing words:

At the time the English barons said to Edouard that the king of France was wise and excellent prince, and of good council. The duke of Lancaster, wire of king Edouard, will empourpra himself and launched with contempt:

- How? It is only one lawyer!

When king Charles the Fifth learned these words, it laughs, and declared of a merry voice:

- Is! If I am a lawyer, I will build a lawsuit to them of which they will regret the sentence!

1369: rallying of the grounds profrançaises

Charles V turns the conflict to his advantage. Having in memory the rout of Poitiers where the knighthood responsible for disordered manner without awaiting the orders of his/her father Jean the good, transforming an easy victory into disaster, and considering that it does not have a military talent, it decides to entrust the command of small armies made of volunteers aguerris to experienced and faithful chiefs (like Bertrand of Guesclin). It gives up the pitched battles and launches them in a war of skirmishes and seats, nibbling the enemy territory patiently. The companies returned of Spain in 1367 plundering Languedoc, they are built-in since 1369 with the French Army, which relieves the territories which choose to turn French and pressurizes those which remain faithful to prince de Galle.

The debt of Prince Noir poses a real problem. Because of the calls Gascon, the tax returns badly. It does not have the means of assembling an army to be opposed to the French. Edouard III thus sends 130.000 books tournaments to him. But the Parliament balks to pay for Guyenne which seems to cost more than it does not pay. It ends up authorizing to it only after acceptance that it is not obligatory any more to make forward wool by Calais (the tax on wool is the main income of the crown at the time). The tax incomes are decreased by 25% in 1369 because of reminiscence of the Grande plague in England. The English are not able to compete with the taxes - being able to reach until: 1 600.000 Francs per annum - that Charles V makes accept in France to maintain the standing armies equipped for a war with seat which will not be transformed into company with the first truce. English goes beings subjected to a permanent pressure on all fronts during years. The English endeavor to counter the inversion of situation realized by Charles V. most of the territories which they thought of controlling rebelled against their authority and they lost the revenues from taxes that their possessions of Guyenne could have provided them. They plead before their Parliament to obtain the resources to counter-attack, but cannot obtain the financing of garrisons for all the towns of Aquitaine which they are not besides any more certain to hold. On the whole, the king of England east far from having financial means of Charles V: the Parliament gives him only the means of a war financed by plundering the more so as the ride of the duke of Lancaster towards Harfleur in 1369 is a relative success and knowing that in the first phase of the war they involved great victories over the Ost French crushed by the tactical superiority in arranged battle brought by the long Arc English. At the beginning of August 1369, Jean of Ghent unloads with Calais and launches a Chevauchée until Harfleur where Philippe Bold the is preparing an unloading Free-Fleming in England. One opposes the strategy of the deserted Ground to him and the ride cannot seize the city. The English army is badgered by the troops with the duke with Burgundy and fearing to be trapped Calais regains , the French nobility having been decimated by the plague, Crécy and Poitiers. In the same way the reconquète is done largely by the reversal of the towns of Aquitaine often monnayé against promises of lighter taxation. In a few months more than sixty cities French rejoin. Millau yields in last in December after having obtained from king de France 20 years a tax exemption. Some English garrisons remain, but their insulation does not enable them to hold the ground, Louis of Anjou progresses in Guyenne while Jean de Berry contains the English in Poitou with the Roche-sur-Yon.

During this time, in North, the Ponthieu is taken again in one week: April 29th Abbeville opens its doors with Hue of main Chatillon Arbalétrier S and the following days the close localities return under the authority of king de France who confirms their privileges. The Prince of Galle makes very expensive pay their rallying in Limougeaux: September 19th, after 5 days of seat during which the walls are sapped and mined, it takes again the city shouldered by the Dukes of Lancaster and Cambridge and makes massacre the population and set fire to the city. The objective is to make a dissuasive example to stop the hemorrhage of French cities turning, but it is the opposite effect which occurs: this control encourages the anglophobia and reinforces the national feeling being born.

Robert Knowles with the head of a ride of 2500 archers and 1600 men-at-arms, starts from Calais at the end of July 1370 and plunders the campaigns circumventing Amiens, Noyon, Rheims and Troyes. The calculation of the king de France east which the rides do not make it possible to hold the ground and poke the anglophobia in the plundered territories. Charles V continuous of miser on a war of seat and propaganda which enables him to take again ground city, after city, generally without combat. Charles V must show that the taxes taken to lead the war are useful, the more so as the news of the bag of Limoges has just arrived: the spirits warm up. Olivier de Clisson formally disadvises an arranged battle to him. To reassure the country put at fire and blood by the ride of Robert Knolles, Charles V makes constable the very popular Bertrand Of Guesclin which has just returned victorious of Castille, having overcome Pierre Cruel the the ally of the English with Montiel and an army raised thanks to a loan compulsory entrusts to him to badger the English. With Guesclin badgers Robert Knowles and beats it with Pontvallain surprising it whereas it was on the point of crossing the Loir. The discord having gained the English captains, the ride disaggregates arrived to Brittany.

1372: Control seas

After one year calmer, where Charles V applies has to tie alliances and to insulate always more Edouard III (it hardens the bonds with Scot, Welsh, Castilians and the Saint Worsens, while accepting peace with Charles de Navarre of which the kingdom encircled by alliance free-Castilian could be threatened), the year 1372 sees the conflict rocking. King de Castille is combined in Charles V, the more so as this one helped it to reverse Pierre Cruel the, but they are the claims the crowns of Castille and Leon in 1372 by Jean of Ghent, son-in-law of fire Pierre the Cruel one, which decide it to be thrown in the conflict. The Castillane fleet intercepts the English task force with La Rochelle on June 22nd, 1372 and the 23 abrasive one destroys it cane and of drifting scathing attacks (it awaited the low tide so that its ships with weak draft is an advantage on the heavy constrained English buildings with the operation by the high sandy funds rochelais). It is a disaster for England which loses the control of the seas.

The countryside for the reconquète of Poitou, Aunis, Saintonge and the Angoumois starts at once after the Bataille of the La Rochelle. But the reconquest is not done easily: the barons poitevins massively chose the English party (Poitou exports salt towards England). The royal army besieges the fortress of Saint-severe, which capitulates on July 31st. During this Montcontour time is taken again, then Poitiers opens its doors with of Guesclin on August 7th.

The French forces progress along the dimension, towards the south. The Captal de Buch is captured on August 23rd whereas it was going to help Soubise besieged: its army is intercepted by the Welsh fleet and Castilian which goes up the Charente. The Ile de Ré and of Oléron make their tenders on August 26th, but the barons poitevins remain faithful to the English and cut off themselves in Thouars. of Guesclin continues has to progress along the littoral to La Rochelle which is taken on September 8th. Thus isolated, the cities go in turn: Angouleme (the capital of prince Noir) and Saint-Jean-in Angely on September 20th, Holy 24.

Ride of the Duke of Lancaster

Not having average logistics and financial to support the war of seat which Charles V imposes to him and who seems to lead to the progressive reconquest of all Aquitaine, Edouard III tries to weaken the French effort in Guyenne by the opening of new faces. Edouard III tries a judicious Ride to ruin France in his lifeblood. June 12th, 1373, it institutes his son Jean de Lancatre special lieutenant and general captain in the kingdom of France. It leads through France a ride of the more devastators. But this one remains under control: Philippe Bold the holds the bridges and the castle on its right wing, Dugesclin follows it and prevents any folds towards Calais. It crosses Picardy and Vermandois but not being able to go towards the west it moves towards Rheims, then Troyes where it finds closed doors. Beaten by Clisson with Sens, the duke of Lancaster cannot join Brittany, it thus tries to rejoin Guyenne while crossing the Limousin. Charles V can be able to take again more ground the Of Bordeaux one being too Anglophiles because of the commercial links (they massively export wine towards England). All its strategy being based on the reconquest of the hearts before that of the territories, it does not wish to be encumbered of a city lends to rebel on the first occasion. In 1377, the royal fleet counts 120 warships with including 35 vessels of high edge equipped with heavy artillery. Since 1309, the popes resident with Avignon, are mainly French (generally close to king de France) and name of the French like Légat S and governors of the ecclesiastical provinces of Italy. However the French are not familiar of the local businesses and are hated Italians. Gregoire XI makes the error to perpetuate these bad habits. With its death, the despoiled Italians foment riot S to influence the vote and to make elect Urbain VI, on April 8th, 1378.

It is about the first Italian pope since papacy left to settle in Avignon, his election was done under the pressure of the street, but the cardinals chose it thinking that, not very powerful, he would not give their privileges concerned. Hardly elected official, Urbain VI, scramble the cardinals of Avignon while wanting to force to them to live in accordance with the Gospel, by reducing their way of life, while renonçant with their pensions and while investing in the restoration of the Church. The members of the College in French majority, accustomed to the records and the backstage maoeuvrings to which they could reach their so remunerative loads see of a very evil eye this pope moralizer. Benefitting from its estrangement with the queen of Naples, they meet again in Naples and summon it to abdicate on August 2nd. They dispute its election with under the pressure of the Roman population in insurrection. September 18th, with Rome, Urbain VI names 29 new cardinals including 20 Italians. It obtain initially the support of the Queen of Naples (which belongs to the house of Anjou and opposed to Viscontis since the war of the guelfes and the gibelins). They make play their networks of influence and convince the advisers of Charles V then the king himself of nonthe validity of the election of Urbain VI. He addresses his agreement to the rebellious cardinals his agreement on October 6th, 1378. The Spanish kingdoms initially remain neutral but claim a council The lying one had been ordered of alive sound, with the sculptor André Beauneuveu. Its tomb, like that of all the princes and dignitaries resting in the basilica, was profaned by the revolutionary in 1793.

Its tomb, today in Louvre, was at the origin in the Abbaye of Maubuisson, according to the wish of Charles V who part of him remains close to the tomb of his/her mother, Bonne of Luxembourg. As for its heart, it is with the cathedral of Rouen (Charles V was before any duke of Normandy).

His/her son Charles VI succeeds to him, but it is too young to control, his uncles thus share the capacity, until its emancipation in 1388.

Restoration of the Royal authority

Largest reign of Charles V demolished is to restore the authority of the crown after the events of 1357-1358. The kingdom is with the hands of the companies and in a state of nonright, the currency a long time guaranteed not the capétiens is in freefall, recurring plunderings, the insecurity of the roads and monetarist blocks the trade and the economy is with most badly, finally the defeats are connected since the beginning of the Guerre one hundred year old and the reign of Jean the Good is marked the arbitrary one: Valois do not have any more any authority.

Economic revival

The Franc is not an invention of Charles but of his father and his council. Prisoners in London, Jean the Good and his advisers note the benefits of a hard currency. They thus prepare the reforms necessary and Jean the Good frankly creates the , on December 5th, 1360, on the way of the return to Paris. It is about a currency with very strong gold content (3,88 grams of fine gold), being worth a delivers and whose name indicates that it is not a question of a currency to the devaluated title. It shows the king charging with horse in the line line with the chivalrous ideal: the objective is to restore the royal authority by putting an end to the monetary changes which involved many devaluations during all first half of XIVe century. A hard currency constitutes the principal request of the General states, illustrated by the theory worked out by Nicolas Oresme. The abandonment of the monetary changes, deprives the State of an important source of incomes. To pay the ransom, the council of the king hopes on the indirect taxation: the ordinance of Compiegne of December 5th, 1360 institutes a tax of 5%, taken on all the exchanges. This choice supports the nobility which is not touched by this tax and more generally the landowners (clergy, nobility and great urban patriarchate) whose incomes are calculated in money of account. On the other hand, the trade, agriculture and industry are penalized hard and the economy is slowed down by this measurement. Same manner the tenants and peasants who must pay to the owner a sum fixes are very penalized by the monetary reinforcement.

Charles V by guaranteeing the stability of the Franc, supports on the contrary the exchanges. He goes thus parking monetary stability and puts an end to the so much décriées changes. N the other hand, it makes accept the creation of a taxation controlled by royal officers to finance the effort of war and the payment of the ransom of Jean the Good. And especially, it is justified by its effects on the ground: the standing army that the taxes finance removes the country from the companies and what starts again the exchanges. He resorts in addition to the Aide S, with the Fouage which touches the hearths: this taxation has a broader plate and penalizes less the exchanges. Charles V continues this policy of monetary stability and makes permanent an initially provisional and renegotiated taxation every year to the General states.

Finally Charles V applies a policy of great work (especially of the fortifications) which creates work (thus avoiding the riots or that vagrants will enlarge the rows of the companies) and allows to reinject liquidities in the economy. On the whole, it starts again the economy in a few years and can count on very abundant tax entries: 1.6 Franc million per annum.

A novel mode of government

Witness of the misfortunes caused by the captivity of his father, it has a law not to order his troops in person and directs all the bottom of his cabinet. He has as generals Olivier de Clisson, Bertrand Of Guesclin, which he makes Connétable of France the October 2nd 1370, and Jean de Boucicaut, which helps it to reconquer the near total of the kingdom. Charles the Wise one is a manager, a diplomat, a lawyer. Made careful and reflected by the tests of its youth, it can be pressed on good advisers: Jean and Guillaume de Dormans, Pierre d' Orgemont are his successive Chancelier S. Nicolas Oresme is with Finances. Also take part in its council Pierre Aycelin de Montaigut, bishop of Nevers, then, starting from 1370 bishop-duke of Laon, which it sometimes uses as ambassador. Thus, in 1368, it envoit the Cardinal future of Laon near the Pope Urbain V. In 1379, Montaigut plays a big role in the support brought by France for the Antipape Clément VII.

Sovereignty

Whereas Edouard III remained about it with the feudal concept which wants that the fact of receiving the homage for a ground is enough to be sovereign about it, that the capacity is summarized with a simple feudal pyramid. In fact, until this time it was possible to annex enormous portions of a foreign territory. Charles V is lit by the initial discredit of Valois and the events of 1357 and 1358: he develops with his advisers the concept of sovereignty. It is not enough to occupy a ground: it is necessary that the inhabitants want to recognize it for sovereign. Consequently, the reconquest is done before while conceding for example tax facilities at the cities likely to turn French. These conciliating measurements contribute to make popular the crown. The reconquest stops in Bordeaux and Calais knowing that for economic reasons these cities are savagely pro-English (Bordeaux massively exports its wine in England and all the English wool bound for the continent passes by Calais). Edouard III, imposes to him in 1361 English as national language (until this date the official language at the English court was theNorman one); this measurement reinforces in return the anglophobia in the conquered territories. Same manner, it wishes that the crown gather the whole of the fatherlands of the territory (at that time each area is a fatherland) and that bets is the flexible material. This concept of sovereignty is a large projection towards the concept of nation and it is clearly the desire of national membership in France which will end in the final victory against the English in 1453.

Decentralization

The policy of the Prerogative S.A. imagined like a decentralization to improve management of the provinces far away from the capital. These last are had by the family close to the king and return to the crown in the absence of male heir, which avoids losing control of it after a marriage. The princes receive their finances of the permanent taxes collected by the king, which makes it possible this one theoretically to keep them under control. Each prerogative raises an army including/understanding knights and troops sent by the cities, to see peasants and can thus drive out the companies which devastate the country and start again the economy. In the second time, the taxes returning, these armies are professionnalisées and balanced permanently what allows the reconquest of the grounds conceded with the treaty of Brétigny. The authority of the king and the princes in fate thus reinforced and the liftings of taxes are justified.

The Rule of law

August 1st Like monetary stability, Justice is one of the points marking of the reign of Saint-Louis which is the reference for the time. Charles V thus gives the right to the center of his form of government: he is surrounded Lawyers and fact call to the courts of justice for returning certain decisions. He thus guarantees equity on his subjects and restores the royal authority. He slices thus with arbitrary reign of his father. It is thanks to a decision of the courts of justice that it can confiscate Guyenne in Angalis and by another which it gets rid of Meulun.

Schedule on the forests

As of the 13th century, one becomes aware of the importance of the forests. On the one hand, wood rarefies and is increased because of the intensive grubbings carried out in occident since the 10th century. Wood is, at the beginning of the Middle Ages, the principal fuel and construction material, easily available in the vicinity immediate and easy to transport by floatation. The increase in wood led to a more systematic use of the stone for construction and coal like industrial fuel (mainly for the forging mills). In addition, the forest threatens not to more fulfill its feeder role for the population and of hunting ground for the nobility. The authorities thus take measures for better controlling grubbings. Charles V falls under this step while promulgating in 1376 an ordinance of 52 articles on the forests, elaborate on his order by the Chambre of the accounts after a meticulous investigation. The royal forests are entrusted to 6 forest Masters having to inspect 2 times per annum the forests of which they have the load! The stop of the courts of justice royal falls on August 31st, 1375: the rights of use are restored to the communities, the temporal justice of the archbishop's palace is confiscated by the king and Jean of Melun sees himself withdrawing his load of sovereign of National Forestry Commission. Deprived of prowesses on the battle fields because of infirmity from which its right hand suffers. Royal constructions all are practically carried out in Paris and in its surroundings: The capital materializes the unification of the kingdom by the crown. The image of the king is everywhere: one finds statues of the sovereign in Louvre, with the Chatelet, on the gate of the célestins, with the Bastille what constitutes at the time an innovation. Constructions of fortifications materializes the action of the king against the exactions of the companies or the raids English and validates in the opinion the good use of the resources which the introduction of a permanent tax gets. Lastly, Christine de Pisan note which these massive investments belong to a policy of great work intended to start again the economy. Indeed Charles V who could note the threat that can constitute the désœuvrés men who gather in place of strike, gives them work thus. Their wages are spent and create thus activity.

Fortified towns and fortifications

Its regency and its beginning of reign being marked by the disorders due to the companies and the threat of English Ride S, it makes improve the fortifications of the cities which could be attacked and shave those which could be taken to prevent that they are not used by the companies.

In 1356, Etienne Marcel makes build new ramparts around the districts located at the north of the Seine, however this imposing work stops with its death in 1358. Charles V faithful to his strategy of the deserted Ground wants to improve the fortifications of the city. On left bank, to protect Paris from the English, crenels the enclosure makes crown known as of Philippe Auguste . On Right Bank, it makes build a new rampart, known as of Charles V , whose construction will be completed in 1383. The fortifications Right Bank have long layout a 5 kilometers and a rampart of masonry would have been out of price and vulnerable to the Artillerie which has just appeared on the battle fields, and calls into question the medieval military architecture. A clever solution is developed: the network of fortifications consists of one or two ditches, then of first earth fills then large a 12 m broad ditch on 4 of depth filled with water and finally of large earth fills 25 m broad overcome of a small wall. The whole of the fortifications makes 90 meters of depth what is higher than the range of the machine of war and of bombard time and the embankments are able to box the shootings of artillery. Same manner the slopes and the flooded ditch make these fortifications far from vulnerable to the Sape the USSR.

On the contrary the French monarchs finance a policy which restores the royal authority by the introduction of permanent taxes and maintains it a balanced army. The trade in France which cannot be done without the security of the terrestrial commercial axes, the middle-class ends up accepting a State extremely financed by a heavy taxation which evolves gradually to the Absolutisme of the 17th century.

Taxes and standing army

The establishment of a standing army to avoid plunderings due to the demobilized mercenaries is an undeniable progress, but it undermines the social function of the nobility, whose importance on the battle field decreases with the profit of Roturier s.
During the War One hundred Year old, many country revolts and middle-class women take place in England (Révolte of the peasants) and in France (Jacquerie S). In England, the formation of all the population to the handling of the arc is even an error: during the revolt of the English peasants of 1390, it is: 100000 peasants who threaten London. The feudal social order is threatened: this revolt is repressed in blood, just like the Jacqueries. It is besides for this reason that in France, under Charles VI, the nobility asks and obtains for the removal of the balanced companies instituted after decision of Charles V.

It is his/her small son Charles VII who reorganizes his army in a similar way to be able to overcome the English. He gradually obtains States of the language of oil (1438 and 1443) then of oc (1439) the possibility of renewing the assistances without joining together the States annually: he re-establishes the permanence of the tax. He then has the means of maintaining a standing army and of preventing that the demobilized mercenaries do not deliver themselves to plundering. He sends the dolphin Louis to the head of more than 20000 flayers fighting the Swiss cantons revolted against the duke of Austria. That enables him to test its men and to get rid of the elements doubtful or badly equipped. Many Routiers perishes vis-a-vis the Swiss ones and with the Alsatian ones. On the whole, it retains with its service only about half of the combatants. By the Ordinance of Louppy-le-Châtel of 1445, it organizes them in Lance S : basic unit where competences of each one are complementary. Each one makes up of a man-at-arms accompanied by two archers with horse, of a Coutilier (armed with a sword and a long scraping-knife), of a page and a servant (the latter combatant not in general). 100 lances form a company. The 15 companies add up 9.000 men, including 6.000 combatants who form the large ordinance ): it is called Franc-archer. Chosen by the agents of the king, it is held with the service of this last. The kingdom counts approximately 8.000 and has of them finally a archery comparable with the English army.

It is starting from Louis XI that a new library is made up and (more important for the continuity of the establishment) is transmitted of king as a king, of which it names intendant humanistic the Guillaume Budé with mission of increasing the collection by it. It is in 1540 that it charges Guillaume Pellicier, ambassador in Venice, to buy and make reproduce Venetian manuscripts as much as possible. As François Ier installs his own library with Fontainebleau, there exists a time two libraries royal, but that of Blois is moved with Fontainebleau as of 1544.

Under Charles IX, the new library, resulting from the fusion of the two preceding ones, is repatriated with Paris. Henri IV installs it with the Collège of Clermont (1594) then to the Couvent of Cordeliers (1603).

The Bibliothèque really develops under Louis XIV, time which sees many innovations: installation street Vivienne, not far from the current Richelieu site, integration of several collections of private origin (Gaston of Orleans, Michel de Maroilles, Loménie de Brienne), opening to the Engraving and the Music printed, creation of the classification of Nicolas Clement (used until in 1996), opening to the public (1692).

The resolution of the schism by the Conciliarisme weakens papacy and allows Charles VII to be essential in 1438 like the natural chief of the Church of France, which enters thus the era of the Gallicanisme.

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