Assassination of John the Fearless
Encyclopedia
John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, was assassinated on the bridge at Montereau
on 10 September 1419 during a parley with the French dauphin (the future Charles VII of France
), by Tanneguy du Chastel
and Jean Louvet, the dauphin's close counsellors.
vied for power within the regency council headed by the queen Isabeau de Bavière. The duke of Orléans and leader of the Armagnacs, Louis I of Orléans, gained an advantage by becoming the queen's lover (Charles VII would be the duke of Orléans' illegitimate son). John the Fearless, sensing that he was losing power, had Louis of Orléans assassinated in Paris in 1407. This event led to a civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians. When the English recommenced hostilities, John the Fearless maneuvered to deal with them carefully, because the Low Countries, which belonged to him, were dependent on the supply of English wool for the production of draperies. Therefore, he only sent a few troops to fight them. On the contrary, he profited from the disorder by taking power in Paris, supported by the academics and artisans. However, since the English crushed the French knights at Agincourt
in 1415, putting an end to the civil war was urgent.
John the Fearless and the dauphin Charles
met for a first time on July 8, 1419, at Pouilly-le-Fort, then again on July 11. On July 19, their forthcoming reconciliation was celebrated in Paris with a Te Deum
. That, however, was delayed by an English attack which, progressing along the course of the Seine, seized Poissy
on July 31 and threatened Paris. The Duke of Burgundy had the royal family evacuated to Troyes, in the East.
Finally, John and Charles agreed to seal their alliance on the bridge across the Seine at Montereau
on September 10, 1419.
Finally, at 5 o' clock, the Duke of Burgundy decided to advance to the bridge of Montereau. When the councilors of King Charles saw the Duke of Burgundy appear on the bridge, they advanced towards the Duke and said to him, "Come down, Your Grace, he awaits you." Distrusting the intentions of the Burgundians, with a movement, Tanneguy du Chastel
encouraged the regent to come out of the gallery.
John the Fearless went to the meeting place on the bridge without the protection of his army (perhaps he wanted to gain the Daupin's trust).
The atmosphere was tense. The Duke kneeled with respect before the Dauphin, who feigned indifference. Rising, John looked for support by putting his hand on the hilt of his épée.
"You put your hand on your épée in the presence of His Highness the Dauphin?" one of the Dauphin's companions, Lord Robert of Loire, asked him, like in the fable of the Wolf and the Lamb.
Tanneguy du Chastel
didn't wait for this pretext to deliver an axe blow to the Duke's face, crying "Kill, kill!" There was then a scramble, according to narrative given afterward by John Séguinat, the Duke's secretary, to the commission of inquiry named by the Burgundians.
Men-at-arms rushed into the enclosure through the door on the Dauphin's side, which had been kept open. The Duke was stabbed repeatedly, while the Dauphin, at a distance, remained impassive.
According to some, the Duke of Burgundy had his right hand cut off as he had done several years earlier to his cousin the Dauphin's father Louis I of Orléans (November 23, 1407).
The Dauphin was pointed out as the principal instigator of the assassination of the Duke of Burgundy. Despite his refutations and excuses, he could not clear himself.
. The new Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, made an alliance with the English; John the Fearless had always avoided this, though he had observed a benevolent neutrality towards them and promptly benefited from their aide, e.g., in order to gain power in Paris. This led to the Treaty of Troyes
a year later, which gave the crown of France to Henry V of England
. The Armagnacs contested this treaty, but didn't control more than the south-east of the country.
to the Burgundian capital, a monk presented the skull of John the Fearless to the King of France, saying to him, "Sire, this is the hole through which the English entered France."
Montereau-Fault-Yonne
Montereau-Fault-Yonne, or simply Montereau, is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Name:...
on 10 September 1419 during a parley with the French dauphin (the future Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
), by Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel was a French military leader of the Hundred Years' War.- Life :In 1415, he was provost of Paris, charged with keeping order in the city. During the civil war between the Armagnacs and Burgundians, he was one of the leaders of the Armagnac faction under Bernard VII, Count of...
and Jean Louvet, the dauphin's close counsellors.
Context
The assassination took place during the Hundred Years War. Two rival factions, the Armagnacs and the BurgundiansBurgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
vied for power within the regency council headed by the queen Isabeau de Bavière. The duke of Orléans and leader of the Armagnacs, Louis I of Orléans, gained an advantage by becoming the queen's lover (Charles VII would be the duke of Orléans' illegitimate son). John the Fearless, sensing that he was losing power, had Louis of Orléans assassinated in Paris in 1407. This event led to a civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians. When the English recommenced hostilities, John the Fearless maneuvered to deal with them carefully, because the Low Countries, which belonged to him, were dependent on the supply of English wool for the production of draperies. Therefore, he only sent a few troops to fight them. On the contrary, he profited from the disorder by taking power in Paris, supported by the academics and artisans. However, since the English crushed the French knights at Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
in 1415, putting an end to the civil war was urgent.
John the Fearless and the dauphin Charles
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
met for a first time on July 8, 1419, at Pouilly-le-Fort, then again on July 11. On July 19, their forthcoming reconciliation was celebrated in Paris with a Te Deum
Te Deum
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
. That, however, was delayed by an English attack which, progressing along the course of the Seine, seized Poissy
Poissy
Poissy is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.In 1561 it was the site of a fruitless Catholic-Huguenot conference, the Colloquy at Poissy...
on July 31 and threatened Paris. The Duke of Burgundy had the royal family evacuated to Troyes, in the East.
Finally, John and Charles agreed to seal their alliance on the bridge across the Seine at Montereau
Montereau-Fault-Yonne
Montereau-Fault-Yonne, or simply Montereau, is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Name:...
on September 10, 1419.
Motives
- The Armagnacs couldn't tolerate a rapprochement between the dauphin and the Burgundians, which would diminish their influence.
- They wanted to avenge the assassination of Louis of OrléansAssassination of Louis I, Duke of OrléansThe assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans took place on November 23, 1407 in Paris.-Background:Under the reign of Charles V, French generals like Bertrand du Guesclin had steadily regained ground previously lost to the English in the Hundred Years' War. At the same time England was suffering...
(1407), their former leader. - Since Louis of Orléans was probably the real father of Charles the dauphin, it is not impossible that the latter himself was behind the assassination. However, Charles VII would show himself to be a cold, calculating person who knew to use Joan of ArcJoan of ArcSaint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
to have himself crowned, whereas his mother Isabeau de Bavière had designated Henry V as the future king of France in the Treaty of Troyes (1420), on the grounds of her son being a bastard. Still, he would not hesitate to grant independence to Burgundy with the Treaty of Arras in 1435 in order to fight better against the English. Charles VII showed himself to be a very shrewd politician and it would have been surprising if he had been able to commit such a gross error deliberately. The theory that the Armagnac plot aimed to foil an alliance with the Burgundians seems to be the most likely.
Course
On September 10, 1419, the two armies arrived around 3 o' clock in the evening on the two banks of the Seine, on either side of the bridge of Montereau. John the Fearless was informed that his life was in danger, and his entourage increased its watch in order to protect the duke. The same was done for the regent. Near the bridge, carpenters had raised an enclosure with a door on each side. It had been agreed that the two rivals would enter the enclosure, each with an escort of ten people, and that the doors would be closed throughout the meeting. Each of the ten men had taken an oath. Despite the arrangements that had been made, the Duke of Burgundy had second thoughts about the validity of this dangerous meeting. On either side of the Seine, the two princes watched each other closely.Finally, at 5 o' clock, the Duke of Burgundy decided to advance to the bridge of Montereau. When the councilors of King Charles saw the Duke of Burgundy appear on the bridge, they advanced towards the Duke and said to him, "Come down, Your Grace, he awaits you." Distrusting the intentions of the Burgundians, with a movement, Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel was a French military leader of the Hundred Years' War.- Life :In 1415, he was provost of Paris, charged with keeping order in the city. During the civil war between the Armagnacs and Burgundians, he was one of the leaders of the Armagnac faction under Bernard VII, Count of...
encouraged the regent to come out of the gallery.
John the Fearless went to the meeting place on the bridge without the protection of his army (perhaps he wanted to gain the Daupin's trust).
The atmosphere was tense. The Duke kneeled with respect before the Dauphin, who feigned indifference. Rising, John looked for support by putting his hand on the hilt of his épée.
"You put your hand on your épée in the presence of His Highness the Dauphin?" one of the Dauphin's companions, Lord Robert of Loire, asked him, like in the fable of the Wolf and the Lamb.
Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel was a French military leader of the Hundred Years' War.- Life :In 1415, he was provost of Paris, charged with keeping order in the city. During the civil war between the Armagnacs and Burgundians, he was one of the leaders of the Armagnac faction under Bernard VII, Count of...
didn't wait for this pretext to deliver an axe blow to the Duke's face, crying "Kill, kill!" There was then a scramble, according to narrative given afterward by John Séguinat, the Duke's secretary, to the commission of inquiry named by the Burgundians.
Men-at-arms rushed into the enclosure through the door on the Dauphin's side, which had been kept open. The Duke was stabbed repeatedly, while the Dauphin, at a distance, remained impassive.
According to some, the Duke of Burgundy had his right hand cut off as he had done several years earlier to his cousin the Dauphin's father Louis I of Orléans (November 23, 1407).
The Dauphin was pointed out as the principal instigator of the assassination of the Duke of Burgundy. Despite his refutations and excuses, he could not clear himself.
Consequences
This act would have catastrophic consequences for France, already greatly weakened by struggles for power and the French defeat at AgincourtBattle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
. The new Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, made an alliance with the English; John the Fearless had always avoided this, though he had observed a benevolent neutrality towards them and promptly benefited from their aide, e.g., in order to gain power in Paris. This led to the Treaty of Troyes
Treaty of Troyes
The Treaty of Troyes was an agreement that Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the throne of France upon the death of King Charles VI of France. It was signed in the French city of Troyes on 21 May 1420 in the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt...
a year later, which gave the crown of France to Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
. The Armagnacs contested this treaty, but didn't control more than the south-east of the country.
John's skull seen by Francis I
In 1521, during a visit by Francis I of FranceFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
to the Burgundian capital, a monk presented the skull of John the Fearless to the King of France, saying to him, "Sire, this is the hole through which the English entered France."
Sources
- Le Meurtre de Jean Sans Peur sur le pont de Monterau (Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, 15th c, bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Paris)
- Philippe de ComminesPhilippe de ComminesPhilippe de Commines was a writer and diplomat in the courts of Burgundy and France. He has been called "the first truly modern writer" and "the first critical and philosophical historian since classical times"...
The assassination of John the Fearless (15th c)