Armagnac (party)
Encyclopedia
The Armagnac party was prominent in French politics and warfare during the Hundred Years' War
. It was allied with the supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans against John the Fearless after Charles' father Louis of Orléans
was killed
at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407. The party took its name from Charles' father-in-law, Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
, who guided the young Duke during his teens and provided much of the financing and some of the seasoned Gascon
troops that besieged Paris
before their defeat at Saint-Cloud
. Later, John the Fearless was sent back to his lands, and Bernard of Armagnac remained in Paris and, some say, in the Queen's bed. He was assassinated in 1419.
Sporadic warfare continued between the Armagnacs and Burgundians for a number of years, although after the Burgundians allied themselves with the English in 1419 and the Armagnacs became interlinked with the cause of Charles VII
, the factional rivalry was scarcely distinguishable from the Royal dispute between the French and English monarchies. The terms remained in use until they were outlawed by Charles VII toward the close of the Hundred Years War, as part of efforts to heal the factional rift.
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
. It was allied with the supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans against John the Fearless after Charles' father Louis of Orléans
Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
Louis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons....
was killed
Assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans
The 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...
at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407. The party took its name from Charles' father-in-law, Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac was the Count of Charolais, Count of Armagnac, and Constable of France. He was the son of John II and Jeanne de Périgord. He succeeded in Armagnac at the death of his brother, John III, in 1391...
, who guided the young Duke during his teens and provided much of the financing and some of the seasoned Gascon
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
troops that besieged Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
before their defeat at Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
. Later, John the Fearless was sent back to his lands, and Bernard of Armagnac remained in Paris and, some say, in the Queen's bed. He was assassinated in 1419.
Sporadic warfare continued between the Armagnacs and Burgundians for a number of years, although after the Burgundians allied themselves with the English in 1419 and the Armagnacs became interlinked with the cause of Charles VII
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...
, the factional rivalry was scarcely distinguishable from the Royal dispute between the French and English monarchies. The terms remained in use until they were outlawed by Charles VII toward the close of the Hundred Years War, as part of efforts to heal the factional rift.