Treaty of London (1358) facts for kids

The Treaty of London was an important agreement signed during the long Hundred Years' War between England and France. It's also known as the First Treaty of London. This treaty tried to end some of the fighting and set a price for the captured French king.

A King Captured

In 1356, Edward the Black Prince, who was the son of Edward III of England, led an army into France. He came from Gascony, a part of France controlled by England. The Black Prince won a big battle called the Battle of Poitiers. During this battle, a brave Gascon noble named Jean III de Grailly, captal de Buch captured the French king, King John II. Many other French nobles were also captured.

Talking Peace

After the battle, the Pope helped start talks between the English and French. These talks led to a truce (a temporary stop to fighting) on March 13, 1357. The Black Prince then brought King John II to London. Negotiations continued there, and the First Treaty of London was signed in May 1358.

The Ransom and Its Failure

This treaty said that King John II would be set free if France paid a huge ransom of four million écus. An écu was a type of French gold coin. However, this treaty was never put into action. The main reason was that the French could not gather enough money to pay even the first part of the ransom. Because the first treaty failed, new talks began. These talks extended the truce and eventually led to a second agreement, known as the Second Treaty of London.

See also

• Hundred Years' War
• List of treaties
• Treaties of London