Crisis of insanity of Charles VI in the forest of Mans

After the attempted murder of Olivier V of Clisson perpetrated by Pierre de Craon the June 13rd 1392, this last finds refuge near Jean IV of Brittany.

Charles VI of France is pressed by his/her uncles and the Marmousets, those claim revenge for the attempted murder on Olivier V on Clisson and the war against the duchy on Brittany.

In August 1392, in spite of its feverish state, Charles VI with the head of the royal army goes to Brittany by the Mans where the large one of its army stations. The August 5th 1392, the king of France takes the command of the army and leaves Mans for Brittany.

First crisis of insanity of Charles VI

We are in August, month of strong heats. Charles VI is vêtu of a surcot (kind of short dress) out of black velvet and of fit black, the covered head of a scarlet red velvet hood also. Charles VI overlaps very ahead, the princes being held with good distance not to inconvenience it.

Suddenly, a man emerges to the mine patibulaire vêtu of a white tunic which seizure brutally the support of the horse of the sovereign, while howling: “Stops, noble king, does not pass in addition to, you are betrayed”. The princes go to the help of the king, make release the support of the horse held by the rowdy character, but tolerate his presence during about thirty minutes to the back of the small troop, from where it continues his imprécations.

The king and the princes arrive at orée of the forest of Mans, in front of them extends a sandy plain, the sun is with his zenith. Charles VI and his continuation must cross this plain, in full midday.

A page, with mission of carrying the lance of the king, calms down on his horse, the royal lance leaves its hand to fall on the helmet from another page from the continuation from the king. Charles VI surprised in his torpor, starts and, of the point of his sword, strikes the two pages while shouting: “Known, known with the traitors! They want to deliver to me!”. Then always in an extreme state of agitation, it moves the sword in hand towards his brother Louis Ier of Orleans which manages to escape the blows from the sovereign. Nevertheless, in this insane aggression, four men fall under the mortal blows from the king.

The princes await the return to a state of calm of the king. Prudently, a prince arrives in the back of the sovereign, his weapons gently are removed to him, and one extends it on the ground. The eyes of Charles VI roll such of the balls in its orbits. People who surround it became to him foreign, it do not recognize more anybody, not even his brother, and remain dumb.

Jules Michelet did not continue its account concerning this crisis of fatal madness. Today still, the question still arises: who Charles VI has T wanted to kill? Who was the man who accosted the king in the forest of Mans? “A malicious man”? like Jean Froissart writes it. In any case this man disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Sources

Charles VI the insane king of Francoise Autrand

Internal bond

Charles VI of France

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