Assassination of John the Fearless facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Assassination of John The Fearless |
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Miniature showing the assassination, painted by the Master of the Prayer Books
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| Location | Montereau, France |
| Date | September 10, 1419 |
| Target | John The Fearless |
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Attack type
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Assassination, stabbing |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Assailants | Tanneguy du Chastel, Jean Louvet, and their men-at-arms |
John the Fearless, who was the Duke of Burgundy, was killed on a bridge in Montereau. This happened on September 10, 1419. He was meeting with the French dauphin, who would later become Charles VII of France. The people who killed him were Tanneguy du Chastel and Jean Louvet, who were close advisors to the dauphin.
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Why Did This Happen?
This event took place during the Hundred Years War. At that time, two powerful groups, the Armagnacs and the Burgundians, were fighting for control in France. They both wanted to guide the country's young king, who was not yet old enough to rule.
The leader of the Armagnacs, Louis I of Orléans, was very influential. John the Fearless felt he was losing his power. So, in 1407, John arranged for Louis of Orléans to be killed in Paris. This act started a civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians.
When the English army invaded France, John the Fearless had to be careful. His lands, called the Low Countries, relied on English wool for their cloth-making businesses. Because of this, he only sent a few soldiers to fight the English. He used the war to gain more power in Paris, with support from teachers and craftspeople.
However, the English badly defeated the French knights at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. This made it very important to stop the civil war in France.
John the Fearless and the dauphin Charles met several times to try and make peace. They met on July 8, 1419, and again on July 11. On July 19, people in Paris celebrated their upcoming peace agreement. But this was delayed when the English attacked and took over Poissy on July 31, threatening Paris. The Duke of Burgundy moved the royal family to safety in Troyes.
Finally, John and Charles agreed to form an alliance. They decided to meet on the bridge over the Seine River in Montereau on September 10, 1419.
What Were the Reasons?
There were several reasons why the Armagnacs might have wanted John the Fearless dead:
- The Armagnacs did not want the dauphin and the Burgundians to become friends. This would make the Armagnacs less powerful.
- They wanted to get revenge for the killing of Louis of Orléans in 1407. Louis was their former leader.
How It Happened
On September 10, 1419, the dauphin and John the Fearless arrived at the bridge in Montereau. Each leader had their soldiers with them on opposite sides of the river. John the Fearless had been warned that his life might be in danger, so his guards were extra watchful. The dauphin's guards were also on high alert.
In the middle of the bridge, workers had built two barriers with a door on each side. This created a small enclosed area for the meeting. It was agreed that both leaders would enter this area with ten people each. The doors were supposed to be closed during the meeting. Everyone involved had promised to follow these rules. Even with these plans, the Duke of Burgundy had doubts about the meeting.
The atmosphere was very tense. The Duke knelt respectfully before the Dauphin, who seemed to act as if he didn't care. When John stood up, he put his hand on the handle of his sword, as if for support.
One of the Dauphin's companions, Lord Robert of Loire, asked him, "You put your hand on your sword in the presence of His Highness the Dauphin?" Before John could answer, Tanneguy du Châtel struck the Duke in the face with an axe, shouting "Kill, kill!"
According to an account from the Duke's secretary, Jean Séguinat, there was a rush of people. Soldiers from the Dauphin's side rushed into the enclosed area because their door had been left open. The Duke was stabbed many times. The Dauphin watched from a distance and did not react.
Many people believed the Dauphin was the main person behind the killing of the Duke of Burgundy. Even though he denied it and made excuses, he could not fully clear his name.
What Happened Next?
This killing had terrible results for France. The country was already weak from fighting and the big loss at the Battle of Agincourt. The new Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, decided to make an alliance with the English. John the Fearless had always avoided this, even though he had been friendly towards them and used their help to gain power in Paris.
This new alliance led to the Treaty of Troyes a year later. This treaty temporarily gave the crown of France to Henry V of England. The Armagnacs did not agree with this treaty, but at that time, they only controlled the southeastern part of France.
John's Skull Seen by Francis I
In 1521, Francis I of France visited the Burgundian capital. A monk showed the King the skull of John the Fearless. The monk said to him, "Sire, this is the hole through which the English entered France." This was a way of saying that the assassination led to the English gaining more power in France.
See Also
Sources
- Le Meurtre de Jean Sans Peur sur le pont de Monterau (Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, 15th century, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Paris)
- Philippe de Commines The assassination of John the Fearless (15th century)
