The Loss of Normandy Flashcards
1
Q
The situation in France
A
- In 1429, Joan of Arc’s Triumph over the English so the tide turn against England, and France begin to recover
- There was a lot of infighting in Charles VII’s own government which worked in favour of the English
- To reinforce the English presence in France, Henry VI was crowned King of France in 1431
2
Q
How did the situation get worse in 1435?
A
- The Duke of Bedford died in 1435 which was bad for England as he was the French Regent for Henry VI and was a very good military strategist
- At the same time, England’s most powerful ally, the Duke of Burgundy, defected to the French side
- The Garrison of Calais came under threat in 1436
What actions to take next became a major issue between the factions in England
- Both of Henry’s uncles wanted to take different actions, one wanted peace
- The other wanted to preserve England’s conquest which meant war
3
Q
The Truce of Tours - 22nd May 1444
A
- The collapse of Northern France and the loss of Normandy were due to Henry VI
- The Truce of Tours (22 May 1444) was kept a secret from York
- Henry VI marries Margaret, the niece of Charles VII
- Henry secretly surrenders Anjou and Maine to the French King which was against the policy his noblemen made
- Agreed to a 5-year ceasefire
4
Q
How was this the fault f H6?
A
- major diplomatic miscalculations led to the war with France to begin again
- England was totally unprepared for this large conflict which led to the loss of all of Henry V’s Conquest in France
- This was all Henry VI’s fault
5
Q
How was this the fault of Somerset?
A
- Somerset himself surrendered, Rouen, the capital of Normandy on 29th October 1449 and lost most of France by 1450
- Somerset paid a large ransom for the release of himself, his family and his retinue and left behind a number of hostages
- He completely lacks nerve and chivalry
6
Q
Consequences of the loss of Normandy
A
- York was previously running France and doing a good job and was only replaced due to the jealousy of Somerset
- York was extremely angered when he heard Somerset had instantly lost all the French lands that York fought so hard to keep
-Somerset himself surrendered, Rouen, the capital of Normandy on 29th October 1449 and lost most of France by 1450
- York is angered even further as Somerset returns to England without any punishment and remains a favourite of Henry VI
- York believes if he had remained Lieutenant of France the French lands would still be in the hands of the English
-This is where the political rivalry between York and Somerset begin
