Regency government, 1422–1437 facts for kids

The regency government of England from 1422 to 1437 was a special time when King Henry VI was too young to rule by himself. During this period, important decisions were made in the king's name by a group called the Regency Council. This council was made up of the most powerful and influential people in England.

Regency of England

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (above) and Henry Beaufort (bottom)

The two most important figures in the Regency Council were the king's uncle, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and Henry Beaufort, who was a powerful bishop and later a cardinal. Humphrey was the brother of Henry VI's father, King Henry V. Henry Beaufort was Humphrey's half-uncle.

Who Was on the Regency Council?

When the regency started on December 9, 1422, many important people were part of the council. They helped make decisions for the young king.

Who Led the Regency?

The official leader of the regency was John, Duke of Bedford, who was Humphrey of Gloucester's older brother. However, John spent most of his time in France, managing the English lands there. Because of this, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, became the Lord Protector of England. This meant he was in charge of ruling England while his brother was away.

But Humphrey didn't rule alone. He had to share power with Cardinal Henry Beaufort. Beaufort held the important position of Lord Chancellor and led the Regency Council, which included many of England's powerful nobles.

What Challenges Did They Face?

The time of the regency was often filled with arguments and disagreements, especially between Humphrey of Gloucester and Cardinal Beaufort. Their disagreements sometimes led to tense situations, like the event known as the Parliament of Bats.

One of the biggest disagreements within the council was about the Hundred Years' War with France.

The War in France

Humphrey of Gloucester strongly believed that England should continue fighting the war in France until they won, no matter the cost. This war had been started by his brother, King Henry V.

However, things changed in France. A young French leader named Joan of Arc helped the French army become stronger. In 1429, the French prince, known as the Dauphin, was crowned as King Charles VII. It became clear that the French were starting to win and push the English out of their country.

Because of this, a group led by Cardinal Beaufort believed that the war was costing too much money and could not be won. They wanted to make peace with France.

Losing Allies

For most of the regency, the council managed to govern England well. But the disagreements became much clearer towards the end.

In 1432, Anne of Burgundy died. She was the younger sister of Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy. Anne had been married to John, Duke of Bedford. Their marriage was very important because it helped keep England and Burgundy as allies against France.

After Anne died, Bedford married someone else, Jacquetta of Luxembourg. The Duke of Burgundy didn't approve of this marriage, and as a result, Burgundy made peace with France. Losing Burgundy as an ally was a big blow for England.

With the loss of Burgundy, Bedford became convinced that making peace was the only way forward. A peace meeting was held in Arras in 1435, but the English representatives refused to give up their claim to the French throne.

John, Duke of Bedford, died shortly after this meeting. He was replaced by Richard, Duke of York, who did not support the idea of making peace.

Henry VI Takes Over

When King Henry VI finally became old enough to rule in 1437, he took control at a very difficult time. The disagreements about the war and the rivalries between the nobles were at their worst. England had also built up huge debts from the war. In France, English territories seemed to be slowly slipping away from their control due to a lack of strong leadership.

See also

• Dual monarchy of England and France
• England in the Late Middle Ages
• Parliament of Bats
• Readeption of King Henry VI
• Regency era