Assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans facts for kids
The assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans happened on November 23, 1407, in Paris, France. This event took place during a big power struggle in France. The country was ruled by King Charles VI, who sometimes had mental health problems and couldn't rule properly. Two powerful groups wanted to control France during these times.
One group was led by Louis, who was the king's younger brother, and Queen Isabeau, the king's wife. They tried to take control from the House of Burgundy after their strong leader, Philip the Bold, died in 1404. Philip's son, John the Fearless, then sent people to murder Louis, who was not very popular. After the murder, John even bragged about it! This assassination made the conflict at court much worse, leading to a long and bloody fight known as the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War. This war eventually led to the assassination of John the Fearless himself twelve years later.
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A Time of Change in France
During the time of King Charles V, French armies, led by generals like Bertrand du Guesclin, slowly won back lands from England. These lands had been lost during the Hundred Years' War. At the same time, England was having its own problems at home. Because of these reasons, a truce (a temporary stop to fighting) was agreed upon in 1389 in the Hundred Years' War.
King Charles VI's Illness
Starting in 1392, the new king of France, Charles VI, began to suffer from periods of mental illness. He often had to be kept away from ruling. When he was unwell, France was governed by a special council. This council was made up of important nobles and was led by Queen Isabeau.
The Power Struggle Begins
When Philip the Bold, the Duke of Burgundy, died, the power balance changed. His son, John the Fearless, lost some influence. Instead, the king's brother, Louis of Orléans, became more powerful. Louis managed to remove the Burgundians from the royal council. He also took a large part of the royal money. He used this money to buy the Duchy of Luxembourg, which weakened the Duke of Burgundy's control over his lands like Flanders and the Duchy of Burgundy.
John the Fearless felt his power was slipping away. He decided that he needed to get rid of his rival, Louis.
The Murder of Louis of Orléans
On November 23, 1407, the Duke of Orléans went to visit Queen Isabeau. She had just given birth. She was staying at the Hôtel Barbette in Paris.
A man named Thomas de Courteheuse told Louis that King Charles VI urgently needed to see him. The king was supposedly at the Hôtel Saint-Paul.
As Louis left, he was attacked by about fifteen masked men. These men were led by Raoulet d'Anquetonville, who worked for the Duke of Burgundy. Louis's servants and guards could not protect him. An esquire (a knight's assistant) named Jacob was killed trying to defend the Duke. The attackers cut off Louis's hand and split his head with an axe.
John the Fearless had gained the support of the people of Paris and the University. He had promised them new laws that would help them. Because of this support, he was able to openly admit to the assassination. Far from hiding it, John the Fearless even had a theologian (a religious scholar) named Jean Petit write a speech. This speech praised the killing of a tyrant (a cruel ruler).
What Happened Next
To try and calm things down after the assassination, King Charles VI of France called a meeting. He brought together the Duke of Burgundy and the children of the murdered Louis. This meeting happened in Chartres on February 28, 1409. The king also asked Count William IV of Hainaut to protect everyone. William was John the Fearless's brother-in-law. He led 400 armed men and 100 archers. Their job was to keep the peace during the journey and to fight if anyone attacked.
However, the peace did not last. On April 15, 1410, a wedding took place in Gien. Charles, Duke of Orléans, the son of the murdered duke, married Bonne of Armagnac. At this wedding, many powerful people in the kingdom joined forces against the Duke of Burgundy. This led to the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War. This war lasted for thirty years, until the Treaty of Arras was signed. John the Fearless himself was assassinated by his enemies in 1419. This happened on a bridge in Montereau.
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