Success of Foreign Policy Towards France Flashcards
What happened in the Breton crisis?
1) The regent of France proposed that her son, Charles VIII, married the daughter of the Duke of Brittany.
2) The daughter was already agreed to marry Maximillian.
3) The regent ignored this and sent a force to Brittany, which defeated the Bretons.
4) The duke died and his daughter was seized.
Why did the initial part of the Breton crisis cause a problem for Henry?
Maximillian and Ferdinand of Aragon sent troops to aid Brittany and the Duke of Brittany asked Henry for support. It was in the security interests of England to stop the whole of the coast coming under French control, but France had given Henry financial aid to seize the throne.
What was the most notable term of the Treaty of Redon with Maximillian?
Henry agreed to send 6000 troops - paid for by the Bretons - to support Brittany.
What are the two views regarding Henry’s little number of troops to support Brittany?
1) Reflects unwillingness to be dragged into the conflict + evidence of peaceful policy (traditional view).
2) Bretons limited the number of troops as Henry thought that ultimately, it would lead to the reconquest of Normandy and Guyenne (modern view).
How did the Breton Crisis end?
In July 1489, Maximillian made peace with France; Spain also made peace (despite the ToMdC); in December 1491 Brittany accepted defeat and Anne married Charles.
Why was Henry left in a difficult position after the Breton Crisis?
He had gone to war to protect Brittany and had failed, but now France was in control of most of the Channel coast and there was fear of an invasion. He had invested credibility in fighting the French, which would be lost if he made peace.
Why was Henry’s invasion of France in 1492 a success?
By the time the force arrived in France, the campaigning season was almost over, so any conflict would be short. Charles was more focused on invading Italy, so quickly offered peace in the form of the Treaty of Etaples.
What were the terms of the Treaty of Etaples?
Charles agreed to:
Give no aid to English rebels.
Pay the arrears of the Treaty of Picquigny.
Pay most of Henry’s expenses in Brittany.
Pay a pension of £5000 a year (5% of English royal income)
What was the aim of the League of Venice?
To drive France out of Italy.
Why was England excluded from the League of Venice?
Most likely because the area of war was outside England’s usual sphere of activity.
Why was Englan’s invitation to join the Holy League evidence of England being a strong country?
Ferdinand was concerned that is was dangerous to exclude England as it was feared that England would support France. Furthermore, England was allowed to join on the condition that England was not bound to go to war against France, suggesting that the League would rather have a neutral England than one allied to France.
Why did Henry become isolated during the final years of his reign?
Plans to make an anti-Ferdinand alliance failed when Louis XII backed out of it. England was not invited to join the new, anti-Venice league.
