Treaty of Amiens (1423) facts for kids

The Treaty of Amiens was an important agreement signed on April 13, 1423. It created a defensive alliance between three powerful groups during the Hundred Years' War: Burgundy, Brittany, and England.

This treaty was signed in Amiens, France. Key leaders involved were John, Duke of Bedford for England, Duke Philip the Good for Burgundy, and Arthur de Richemont for Brittany. A main goal of the treaty was for all three parties to recognize Henry VI of England as the rightful King of France. They also promised to help each other against Charles VII, who was another person claiming the French throne. To make the alliance stronger, the treaty also arranged for Bedford and Richemont to marry sisters of the Duke of Burgundy.

What the Treaty Said

The Treaty of Amiens was a three-way agreement between England, Burgundy, and Brittany. It set up two important marriages. John, Duke of Bedford was to marry Anne of Burgundy, who was the younger sister of the Duke of Burgundy. Also, Arthur de Richemont was to marry Margaret of Burgundy, the Duke of Burgundy's older sister.

A key part of the treaty was that all three groups agreed to accept Henry VI of England as the King of France. This was something they had already promised to do two years earlier in the Treaty of Troyes.

Why the Treaty Was Needed

The Treaty of Amiens was made after another important agreement called the Treaty of Troyes. That earlier treaty said that Henry V of England and his children would become the rulers of France after the French king, Charles VI, died.

However, Henry V died just a few weeks before Charles VI. This meant Henry V never actually became King of France. His son, who was also named Henry, became Henry VI of England. He was just a baby when he became King of England. Soon after, he also became King of France.

Because the new king was so young, it was harder for the French nobles to accept him. Many chose to support Charles, who was the French heir. So, a regent was needed to rule for the young King Henry VI. John, Duke of Bedford, who was Henry V's younger brother, became the regent of France. He ruled France from Paris with a French government.

The relationship between England and Burgundy became very important. It depended a lot on the personal connection between Duke of Bedford and the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good. In 1422, Bedford wanted to make sure that Brittany and Burgundy would support his young nephew, King Henry VI. He arranged the marriage contracts for himself and Arthur de Richemont with Philip's sisters.

In February 1423, Bedford asked for a formal alliance. He suggested that both dukes should come to Amiens to talk. The discussions ended in April when they signed a personal alliance. This agreement stated that each leader would help the others with 500 soldiers and archers if needed. The most important part was their promise to work for "the good of our lord the king and his kingdom of France and England." This meant they recognized Henry VI as the rightful King of France and rejected Charles's claim.

The treaty also included a special part where the three dukes promised to help people who were poor or suffering. Even though Bedford was 15 years older than Anne of Burgundy, their marriage turned out to be a loving one.

What Happened Next

The Treaty of Amiens faced problems almost right away. Just five days after it was signed, the Bretons and the Burgundians had a secret meeting. They agreed to stay friends even if one of them made peace with Charles. For a while, both still recognized Henry VI as their ruler. But their loyalty to the Treaty of Amiens started to weaken because of their own interests.

The English and Burgundians were very strong in battles. They won the Battle of Cravant in 1423, which was celebrated in Paris. Their victory at Verneuil in 1424 was seen as a second Agincourt by many of Charles's supporters, known as the Armagnacs.

However, a disagreement between Bedford and Richemont caused Richemont to offer his help to Charles in 1424. Also, in the same year, the relationship between England and Burgundy became tense. This happened when Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, who was Bedford's brother, attacked the County of Hainault. He did this to support his wife's claim to the area, which caused problems with Burgundy.

Anne of Burgundy, the Duchess of Bedford, played a key role in keeping peace between her brother (the Duke of Burgundy) and her husband (Bedford). Her death in 1432 greatly weakened the ties between them. Even when Henry VI was crowned King of France in Notre Dame in Paris, it couldn't stop the French from taking back English lands.

By 1433, the Duke of Burgundy began talking with Charles. He started thinking about making peace with France. At the Treaty of Arras in 1435, the Duke of Burgundy officially left the alliance with England. He also stopped recognizing Henry VI as King of France. The Pope allowed Burgundy to break his earlier promise from the Treaty of Troyes. Burgundy then made peace with Charles and recognized him as the King of France.

Brittany often joined the side that seemed strongest. When it declared war on England in 1426, its eastern border was left open to attack. In 1427, Brittany was forced to go back to its earlier position as a vassal (a ruler who owes loyalty to a more powerful one). Even after Henry VI was forced out of France in 1453, English kings continued to call themselves Kings of France for many years.