Robert the Cock

Robert the Cock (V. 1310 - 1373) is bishop of Laon of 1351 with 1358.

Born with Montdidier, wire of a royal officer anobli, it makes studies of right to the Université of Orleans, then it enters to the Parlement, becomes member of the Grand the Council of Jean the Good which it accompanies with Avignon. It lines up at the sides of Charles II of Navarre against Pierre of the Forest of which it covets the station of Chancelier of Normandy. Compared to the Navarrese party, it is the object into 1356 of the articles against Robert the Cock . During the meeting of the General states of 1356 and 1357, it plays a very important part like in the Parisian rising caused by Etienne Marcel. It contributes with this last to impose to the regent (future Charles V of France) the large ordinance of 1357. After the fall of Etienne Marcel (1358), it is excluded from the consecutive amnesty to the treaty of Calais (1360). Having lost its évêché, it takes refuge in Spain where Charles the Bad one offers 800 to him ecus incomes. In 1363, he becomes bishop of the diocese of Calahorra and dies there in 1373.

The attempt at running away

The uncle of the dolphin and emperor Charles IV, undergoing a diplomatic offensive on behalf of the English and worried by the growing influence of the French on the west of the empire (the Burgundy, the Dauphine and of many fortified towns are controlled by the French), threat to renegotiate its alliance with his/her beautiful Jean brother the Good and émancipe the duke of Burgundy for his ground possessions of empire (because of its young age, its grounds are managed by his/her father-in-law, the king of France). 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.

General states of 1355 and 1356

Etienne Marcel is not essentially against Valois. On the contrary the interests of the king and those of the Parisian mediums of business converge: The war involves the blocking of the economic roads and the prosperity of Paris passes by the security of the Seine and the access to Flandres. With the General states of May 8th, 1355, one tries to simplify the calculation of the tax to make it more effective. The States are extremely being wary as for management of public finances (scalded by the Dévaluation S pulled by the monetary changes which made lose with the royal currency 82% of its value in one year). The nobility whose devaluations decrease the incomes (royalties due on their grounds are of fixed amount) has an imperative need for a hard currency. The tradesmen need especially a stable currency. After the ride of the black Prince in Languedoc and the duke of Lancaster in Artois, the states are aware of the need for raising an army, but still for more financing garrisons to defend the cities. The taxes returning badly and the new currency devaluating itself quickly, the States are again joined together in March 1356 and decide to widen the tax base by also taxing the land incomes. What appears difficult because one would need an administration able to quantify the incomes of the taxpayers.

Extremely of this army financed by the States, the king continues the Prince Noir launched in a news Chevauchée. He catches up with it in the south of Poitiers. The stake is more than soldier: it is necessary to regild the blazon of the nobility, largely tarnished since the disaster of Crécy and which moreover is unable to protect the people from plunderings whereas it is precisely its role in the medieval company. It is in this spirit that it returns the troops sent by the cities to support it with the battles of Poitiers: it is to the king and with the nobility to overcome. The battle takes place on September 19th, 1356, the king Jean the Good, not wanting to flee like had made his/her father with Crécy, fights heroically. It is made prisoner by the English, but acquires in this business a great prestige and saves its crown. The black Prince, impressed, makes so that it is received with the honors during his London captivity.

His/her son the dolphin Charles, which could leave the battle field, ensures regency and tries to negotiate with England while the demobilized mercenaries, gathered in Grandes companies, plunder the campaigns. To avoid such overflows, the dolphin proposes to create a standing army of: 30000 men. For that, it is necessary for him to find financings while raising new taxes which it asks the General states by convening them again.

The ordinance of 1357

Controlled monarchy

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, 1356. The dolphin, very weakened, will encounter a strong opposition: Etienne Marcel, with the head of the middle-class, combined with the friends of Charles II of Navarre, said Charles the Bad one, gathered around the bishop of Laon, Robert the Cock. The General states, declare the dolphin lieutenant of the king and defender of the kingdom in the absence of his father and associates to him a council of twelve representatives of each kind.

The States require the dismissal of the most compromised advisers (honnis to have brutally devaluated the currency on several occasions), the capacity to elect a council which will assist the king as well as the release of the Navarrese. The dolphin close to the reforming ideas is not against the granting of a more important role of the States in the control of monarchy. On the other hand, the release of Charles de Navarre is unacceptable because it would put an end to the reign of Valois. Not enough powerful to be able to refuse from the start these proposals, the dolphin defers its answer (pretexting the arrival of messengers of its father. Selected Etienne, him the party of the companions and the tradesmen against the upper middle class and the speculators whom it holds for persons in charge of his misfortunes in the succession of Pierre of Essars: He becomes Master of the street.

During this time the dolphin Metz will return to homage to his/her uncle the emperor to Charles IV for the Dauphine one what enables him to obtain its diplomatic support. On its return in March 1357, it 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. 9 advisers of the dolphin are revoked (Etienne Marcel holds its revenge against Robert de Lorris). 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.

In the middle of the confrontation between Charles de Navarre and the dolphin

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. In addition, the Dolphin takes balance and does not hesitate in August to point out the sacrificed advisers and to ask for to the provost Merchants of be worried only municipal businesses. 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 a spontaneous character giving him the aspect of a knack of faithful Navarreses. 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 is invited 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 Paris 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 blaming the States on 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 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

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