3A- The significance of English losses in France in the Hundred Years War Flashcards
How the Treaty of Tours Ended
The truce was not to last. In 1449, an English force attacked Fougères in Brittany, looting the toum.
The reasons for this attack are unclear, and it was an extremely unwise move. Charles VIl declared
that he therefore was no longer bound by the terms of the Tours truce. Charles had effectively
reorganised his army and the French fought very successfully against the English, defeating them in
Normandy and Gascony by 1450. Despite the valiant eilorts of one English commander, John Talbot,
who managed to regain Bordcaux, these victories proved a death knell for English interests in France.
The final blow came on 17 July 1453, when Talbots army was routed at the Battle of Castillon.
Quickly, all of the English territorics in France Ill, exocot Calais.
The defeats of the carly 1450s can be regarded as a disaster lor England, as well as a personal
catastrophe for King Henry VI.
In 1450, the king was dealing with not only news of the loss of
Normandy and Gascony, but also a widespread peasant rebellion in the south of England led by
a figure called ‘Jack Cade While the rebels had a range of grievances, the poor handling of the
war and level of royal debt was high on their priority list and their ranks were swollen by soldiers
récently relurned from France, who were very disillusioned by their military defeats there.
The decline in royal authority had also contributed to
a major breakdown in law and order in the
north of England owing to an ongoing feud between the Nevilles and the Percies.
The final blow
to Henry, however, came
on learning the news of the English defeat at Castillon, which seemed
to trigger a complete mental and physical collapse in the English king. he fell into a complete stupor
for 17 months and was apparently incapable of speaking, reasoning or understanding what was
said to him. The political ramifications of this were great, as it was unclear when (or if) the king
would recover or who should rule the country in the meantime.
During the king’s period of incapacity, great tensions arose between
the duke of Somerset and
the duke of York, both of whom wished to control government. During the autumn of 1453, both
Somerset and the queen endeavoured to exclude York from power, In early 1454, Margaret of Anjou
apparently made a bid to gain the right to rule as regent in the king’s name. Margaret ruling, however, was very unpopular. It was perhaps concern about the queens possible
move, as well as the death of the chancellor, John Kemp, Archbishop of Canterbury, in March that
made parliament more favourable towards the caso of the duke of York. On 27 March. York was to
become the Defender and Protector of the Realm’ during the period of the king’s Illness.
