[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":208},["ShallowReactive",2],{"chapter:p5ch17:en":3,"chapters:p5:en":77},{"period":4,"chapter":15},{"id":5,"title":6,"titleEn":6,"titleEs":7,"coverArtworkId":8,"range":9,"rangeEn":9,"rangeEs":9,"cover":10},"p5","High Middle Ages","Plena Edad Media","hannibal-alpes","987 → 1453",{"fileName":11,"filePageUrl":12,"imageUrl":13,"sourceLabel":14},"Facade-notre-dame-paris-ciel-bleu.JPG","https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Facade-notre-dame-paris-ciel-bleu.JPG","/assets/p5-moyen-age-classique-cover.png","Wikimedia Commons",{"id":16,"title":17,"periodId":5,"html":18,"zooms":19,"thumbnailArtworkId":71,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":74,"realm":71,"seoDescription":75,"thumbnailUrl":76},"p5ch17","Charles V the Wise: Reconquest, State, and the Western Schism (1364–1380)","\u003Cp>The accession of \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>1364\u003C/strong> opens a new phase in the history of the \u003Cstrong>Valois\u003C/strong>. Son of \u003Cstrong>John II the Good\u003C/strong>, he reaches the throne after years of war, royal captivity, political crises, and social disorder that had deeply weakened the kingdom. His reign thus stands in direct continuity with the ordeals experienced between \u003Cstrong>Poitiers\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Great Ordinance\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Jacquerie\u003C/strong>, and the peace of \u003Cstrong>Brétigny\u003C/strong>, but it also marks the beginning of a spectacular recovery of the French monarchy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Unlike his father, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> does not primarily embody an ideal of chivalric bravery. The sources and historiography portray him instead as a king of prudence, political calculation, and government. His nickname, \u003Cstrong>the Wise\u003C/strong>, refers less to a moral image than to a way of ruling: distrust of risky battles, more systematic reliance on experienced captains, close attention to finances, administration, and royal legitimacy. Under his authority, the crown returns to a more methodical practice of power, often contrasted with the imprudence of the previous reign.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The beginning of his reign comes in a still highly unstable context. The kingdom remains threatened by the \u003Cstrong>great companies\u003C/strong>, by the ambitions of \u003Cstrong>Charles the Bad\u003C/strong>, by the territorial consequences of the treaty of \u003Cstrong>Brétigny\u003C/strong>, and by the English presence firmly established at \u003Cstrong>Calais\u003C/strong> and in \u003Cstrong>Aquitaine\u003C/strong>. Yet the first successes of \u003Cstrong>1364\u003C/strong>, notably at \u003Cstrong>Cocherel\u003C/strong>, already show that the Valois monarchy can regain the initiative. From then on, Charles V undertakes to restore royal authority, reorganize institutions, and gradually reconquer much of the land lost in previous decades.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>His reign is also that of a more administrative and more learned monarchy. \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> surrounds himself with competent counselors, gives broad place to law, strengthens the instruments of government, and encourages book culture at court. This political and intellectual dimension helps make his reign a central moment in the Capetian-Valois reconstruction after the disasters of the mid-fourteenth century.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The reign of \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> thus appears as a turning point: it does not end the \u003Cstrong>Hundred Years’ War\u003C/strong>, but it reverses its course for a time. Under his government, the French monarchy recovers part of its authority, cohesion, and effectiveness. With him, the \u003Cstrong>Valois\u003C/strong> cease to be a dynasty weakened by contestation and become, at least temporarily, the architects of a durable recovery of the kingdom.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>I. 1365–1368: Pacifying the Kingdom, the Great Companies, and the Resumption of War\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>The first years of \u003Cstrong>Charles V’s\u003C/strong> reign are dominated by a double necessity: restoring royal authority within the kingdom and preparing revenge against England without exposing France to a new military catastrophe. The king therefore first seeks to stabilize the major conflicts opened under previous reigns, neutralize turbulent princes, and rid the kingdom of the \u003Cstrong>great companies\u003C/strong>, those bands of mercenaries that have ravaged the land since the peace of \u003Cstrong>Brétigny\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca class=\"kb-art-link\" href=\"/en/art/treaty-of-guerande-1365-adolphe-rouargue\" data-art-id=\"treaty-of-guerande-1365-adolphe-rouargue\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Adolphe_Rouargue_-_Treaty_of_Gu%C3%A9rande%2C_1365.jpg/960px-Adolphe_Rouargue_-_Treaty_of_Gu%C3%A9rande%2C_1365.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the Treaty of Guerande\" class=\"kb-img-contain\" >\u003Cspan class=\"kb-art-badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u003Ci class=\"pi pi-image\">\u003C/i>\u003C/span>\u003C/a>\n\u003Cem>Illustration of the Treaty of Guerande: Adolphe Rouargue, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The first success of this policy is diplomatic. On \u003Cstrong>April 12, 1365\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Guerande\u003C/strong> ends the first phase of the \u003Cstrong>War of the Breton Succession\u003C/strong>. \u003Cstrong>John of Montfort\u003C/strong> is recognized as Duke of Brittany under the name \u003Cstrong>John IV\u003C/strong>, but he must pay homage to the king of France. For \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong>, the agreement is a political victory: although the French-backed claimant, \u003Cstrong>Charles of Blois\u003C/strong>, had been killed at \u003Cstrong>Auray\u003C/strong> in 1364, the monarchy preserves the principle of its suzerainty over the Breton duchy. That same year, the monarchy also settles its dispute with \u003Cstrong>Charles II of Navarre\u003C/strong> through a treaty concluded in March, temporarily easing the quarrels born around the succession of \u003Cstrong>Burgundy\u003C/strong> and the Norman possessions.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the king must face the kingdom’s most pressing problem: the \u003Cstrong>great companies\u003C/strong>. In \u003Cstrong>1365\u003C/strong>, these armed bands still ravage the \u003Cstrong>Ile-de-France\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Normandy\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Languedoc\u003C/strong>, and the whole Midi. Pope \u003Cstrong>Urban V\u003C/strong> issues, on \u003Cstrong>June 9, 1365\u003C/strong>, a bull condemning their abuses, while \u003Cstrong>Avignon\u003C/strong> itself must pay them money to avoid pillage. Unable to crush them everywhere by force, the authorities often try to buy their departure. Thus \u003Cstrong>Seguin de Badefol\u003C/strong>, who notably holds \u003Cstrong>Anse\u003C/strong> and then other positions in the south of the kingdom, leaves certain strongholds only after major negotiations and payments. This inability to directly protect the population underlines the persistent limits of the monarchy despite the energy of the new reign.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In the same spirit, Charles V supports strategies of displacement rather than frontal confrontation. Part of the companies is encouraged to leave the kingdom and be employed elsewhere. This policy takes shape around the \u003Cstrong>Castilian expedition\u003C/strong>, which diverts part of these fighters to the Iberian Peninsula while also serving French diplomatic interests. The idea is simple: use the routiers abroad rather than endure them at home. It is in this framework that \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong>, already crowned with prestige after \u003Cstrong>Cocherel\u003C/strong>, emerges as one of the main instruments of royal policy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>1366\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> enters \u003Cstrong>Barcelona\u003C/strong> at the beginning of the year, while the Franco-Castilian intervention is organized in favor of \u003Cstrong>Henry of Trastamare\u003C/strong> against his half-brother \u003Cstrong>Peter I of Castile\u003C/strong>, called \u003Cem>the Cruel\u003C/em>. Henry is crowned at \u003Cstrong>Burgos\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>April 5, 1366\u003C/strong>, after the rapid advance of his supporters. For \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong>, the operation pursues several goals at once: weakening an ally of the English, creating a future Castilian partner, and keeping dangerous companies outside the kingdom. At the same time, the death of \u003Cstrong>Arnaud de Cervole\u003C/strong>, assassinated in \u003Cstrong>May 1366\u003C/strong>, shows just how unstable these mercenary leaders remain, difficult to control even when they temporarily serve royal interests.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On the domestic front, the reign also continues its work of reorganization. \u003Cstrong>John IV of Brittany\u003C/strong> performs simple homage to the king of France in \u003Cstrong>December 1366\u003C/strong>, confirming the integration of the Breton settlement into the feudal order of the kingdom. At the same time, Charles V works to restore finances and the means of defense. In \u003Cstrong>1367\u003C/strong>, an ordinance levies subsidies for the general defense of the kingdom and contributes to the establishment of a more supervised and more permanent army. This marks an important stage: rather than depending solely on feudal levies and improvised emergency measures, the monarchy seeks to build more stable military instruments.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The Castilian expedition nevertheless suffers a major setback. On \u003Cstrong>April 3, 1367\u003C/strong>, at the \u003Cstrong>Battle of Najera\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> is defeated and captured by the forces of \u003Cstrong>Peter the Cruel\u003C/strong>, supported by the \u003Cstrong>Black Prince\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>John of Gaunt\u003C/strong>. This defeat allows Peter to temporarily regain the throne of Castile. But the English success is misleading: the campaign financially ruins the Black Prince and weighs heavily on \u003Cstrong>English Aquitaine\u003C/strong>, while Henry of Trastamare quickly rebuilds his forces. By autumn \u003Cstrong>1367\u003C/strong>, he crosses the \u003Cstrong>Pyrenees\u003C/strong> again and resumes the offensive.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>This reversal prepares the great turning point of \u003Cstrong>1368\u003C/strong>. Taking advantage of the growing discontent of the Aquitanian lords against the \u003Cstrong>Black Prince’s\u003C/strong> taxation, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> chooses to regain the initiative against England. On \u003Cstrong>June 30, 1368\u003C/strong>, he decides to resume the war at the appeal of the count of \u003Cstrong>Armagnac\u003C/strong> and the lord of \u003Cstrong>Albret\u003C/strong>, who challenge the justice exercised in Aquitaine by the English prince. A few months later, on \u003Cstrong>November 20, 1368\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Toledo\u003C/strong> seals the alliance between France and \u003Cstrong>Henry of Trastamare\u003C/strong> against England. This alliance, soon strengthened by the commitment of the Castilian fleet on France’s side, is one of the great diplomatic successes of the beginning of the reign. It opens a new phase of the Hundred Years’ War, in which \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> intends to methodically recover the territories lost under \u003Cstrong>John II\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>II. 1369–1370: War Resumed, the Castilian Alliance, and the Valois Military Recovery\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>1369\u003C/strong> begins in a context still darkened by the return of the \u003Cstrong>plague\u003C/strong> in Europe, which continues to weigh on societies and on the military capacities of kingdoms. Politically, however, the moment favors the French crown. In \u003Cstrong>Aquitaine\u003C/strong>, discontent against the \u003Cstrong>Black Prince’s\u003C/strong> taxation and English justice deepens. On \u003Cstrong>January 15, 1369\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Cahors\u003C/strong> rises against English occupation, and a few weeks later its consuls swear to support the king of France, affirming that even under English domination the city had never ceased to maintain a deep attachment to the kingdom. This attitude is not isolated: in spring, hundreds of towns and castles of the former principality of Aquitaine turn toward \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> and acknowledge his authority.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In this context, the king of France chooses to act through law as much as through war. On \u003Cstrong>January 25, 1369\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Edward III\u003C/strong> is summoned to appear before the king of France in \u003Cstrong>Paris\u003C/strong>, in his capacity as Duke of Aquitaine and therefore as a vassal for his continental possessions. His refusal to answer this summons gives Charles V the feudal basis necessary to officially relaunch the war. The \u003Cstrong>Estates General\u003C/strong>, gathered in \u003Cstrong>Paris\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>May 9\u003C/strong>, approve the resumption of hostilities. A few months later, on \u003Cstrong>November 30, 1369\u003C/strong>, the king pronounces the \u003Cstrong>confiscation of Aquitaine\u003C/strong>, reaffirming that the English duke has failed in his obligations and that his lands must revert to the crown.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca class=\"kb-art-link\" href=\"/en/art/la-mort-du-roi-pierre-i-er-de-castille-arturo-montero-y-calvo\" data-art-id=\"la-mort-du-roi-pierre-i-er-de-castille-arturo-montero-y-calvo\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/La_muerte_del_Rey_Don_Pedro_I_de_Castilla.jpg/960px-La_muerte_del_Rey_Don_Pedro_I_de_Castilla.jpg\" alt=\"The death of King Peter I of Castile\" class=\"kb-img-contain\" >\u003Cspan class=\"kb-art-badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u003Ci class=\"pi pi-image\">\u003C/i>\u003C/span>\u003C/a>\n\u003Cem>The death of King Peter I of Castile: Arturo Montero y Calvo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The resumption of the war then benefits from decisive diplomatic support: that of \u003Cstrong>Castile\u003C/strong>. In \u003Cstrong>March 1369\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Henry of Trastamare\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> win the \u003Cstrong>Battle of Montiel\u003C/strong> against the supporters of \u003Cstrong>Peter I of Castile\u003C/strong>, until then supported by the English. A few days later, on \u003Cstrong>March 23\u003C/strong>, Peter the Cruel is killed, and \u003Cstrong>Henry II of Trastamare\u003C/strong> establishes himself on the throne of Castile. This victory profoundly transforms the strategic balance of the conflict: France now has a major ally both at sea and on land, capable of threatening England with its fleet and supporting Valois policy in Iberia.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>That same year, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> also consolidates the dynastic position of his house. On \u003Cstrong>June 19, 1369\u003C/strong>, his brother \u003Cstrong>Philip II the Bold\u003C/strong>, Duke of Burgundy, marries \u003Cstrong>Margaret of Male\u003C/strong>, heiress to the county of Flanders. This union, of considerable importance, prepares the future entry of Flanders into the sphere of influence of the \u003Cstrong>Valois dukes of Burgundy\u003C/strong>. In the immediate term, Philip the Bold takes part in the war in \u003Cstrong>Normandy\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Poitou\u003C/strong>, even if the king, faithful to his cautious strategy, sometimes orders him to dismiss his troops rather than risk a badly prepared confrontation.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca class=\"kb-art-link\" href=\"/en/art/clock-of-charles-v-on-the-tour-de-lhorloge-before-restoration-siren-com\" data-art-id=\"clock-of-charles-v-on-the-tour-de-lhorloge-before-restoration-siren-com\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Horloge_justice_avant_restauration.jpg/500px-Horloge_justice_avant_restauration.jpg\" alt=\"Clock of Charles V on the Tour de l'Horloge, before restoration\" class=\"kb-img-contain\" >\u003Cspan class=\"kb-art-badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u003Ci class=\"pi pi-image\">\u003C/i>\u003C/span>\u003C/a>\n\u003Cem>Clock of Charles V on the Tour de l’Horloge, before restoration: Siren-Com, CC BY-SA 3.0 \u003Ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>1370\u003C/strong> confirms this French rise in power. While the kingdom continues its effort of institutional reconstruction, with the installation of the first \u003Cstrong>public clock\u003C/strong> in the royal palace of \u003Cstrong>Paris\u003C/strong>, the laying of the first stone of the \u003Cstrong>Bastille\u003C/strong>, and the foundation of the \u003Cstrong>College of Beauvais\u003C/strong>, the war intensifies in the southwest. On \u003Cstrong>August 24, 1370\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Limoges\u003C/strong> surrenders to the king of France. But the city is soon retaken by the \u003Cstrong>Black Prince\u003C/strong>, who seizes it on \u003Cstrong>September 19\u003C/strong> and carries out bloody repression against the garrison and French supporters. The episode leaves a lasting impression on contemporaries and illustrates the persistent brutality of the conflict.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Karel5_Guesclin_Fouquet.jpg/500px-Karel5_Guesclin_Fouquet.jpg\" alt=\"Bestowal of the sword of constable on Bertrand du Guesclin\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Bestowal of the sword of constable on Bertrand du Guesclin: Jean Fouquet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Despite this local English recovery, the strategic advantage increasingly shifts to the French side. On \u003Cstrong>October 2, 1369\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> is appointed \u003Cstrong>constable of France\u003C/strong>. This appointment symbolizes the new way of waging war desired by \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong>: less chivalric display, more patience, mobility, and efficiency. Charged with driving out the English without seeking major frontal battles, Du Guesclin becomes the chief instrument of reconquest. A few weeks later, on \u003Cstrong>December 4, 1370\u003C/strong>, he wins the \u003Cstrong>Battle of Pontvallain\u003C/strong> against the English troops of \u003Cstrong>Robert Knolles\u003C/strong>, who had ravaged the Ile-de-France, the West, and Brittany. This is a major victory: it ends a large English chevauchee, restores confidence to the kingdom, and demonstrates the effectiveness of the new French command.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Battle_of_Pontvallain.jpg/500px-Battle_of_Pontvallain.jpg\" alt=\"Battle of Pontvallain\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Battle of Pontvallain: Loyset Liedet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Thus, between \u003Cstrong>1369\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>1370\u003C/strong>, the Hundred Years’ War clearly changes rhythm and direction. Through the combination of reaffirmed feudal legitimacy, skillful diplomacy, the Castilian alliance, and the command of \u003Cstrong>Du Guesclin\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> launches a gradual reconquest that strongly contrasts with the disasters of the time of \u003Cstrong>John II\u003C/strong>. The Valois monarchy ceases to be on the defensive: it now regains the initiative.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>III. 1371–1372: Reconquest of the West, the Naval Triumph of La Rochelle, and England’s Retreat\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>1371\u003C/strong>, operations in \u003Cstrong>Poitou\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Aunis\u003C/strong>, and \u003Cstrong>Saintonge\u003C/strong> show the growing effectiveness of the method of war desired by Charles V. On \u003Cstrong>March 15\u003C/strong>, the English suffer a defeat at \u003Cstrong>Bressuire\u003C/strong>, and the reconquest continues through a series of sieges that weaken their regional implantation. This progress is neither spectacular nor immediate, but it wears down enemy garrisons and gradually reduces the space actually controlled by supporters of the king of England in the west of the kingdom. At the same time, the king seeks to stabilize other fronts: the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Vernon\u003C/strong>, concluded between \u003Cstrong>March 25\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>29, 1371\u003C/strong>, provisionally settles the conflict with \u003Cstrong>Charles the Bad\u003C/strong>, while in \u003Cstrong>June\u003C/strong> the \u003Cstrong>siege of Metz\u003C/strong> reminds all that the eastern margins of the kingdom also remain crossed by princely and urban tensions.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The war nevertheless continues in west-central France. At the end of summer \u003Cstrong>1371\u003C/strong>, the English and several Poitevin barons seize \u003Cstrong>Moncontour\u003C/strong>, proof that the French reconquest remains fragile and locally contested. Despite these resistances, the general dynamic gradually turns in favor of the Valois, because English authority suffers both from the scattering of its forces and from the growing dependence of its continental positions on maritime communications.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>1372\u003C/strong> marks a major turning point in this regard. On \u003Cstrong>June 22 and 23\u003C/strong>, off \u003Cstrong>La Rochelle\u003C/strong>, the Castilian fleet allied with France destroys or captures most of the English fleet sent to support the continental positions. This naval victory, won against the forces of the Earl of \u003Cstrong>Pembroke\u003C/strong>, has considerable significance: it cuts England off from part of its means of supply, ruins its ability to reinforce its western strongholds quickly, and gives Charles V a maritime advantage that no king of France had obtained at the start of the war. The siege of \u003Cstrong>La Rochelle\u003C/strong>, begun in connection with this naval operation, ends with the surrender of the city, accelerating the English retreat throughout the region.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The reconquest then speeds up. On \u003Cstrong>August 7, 1372\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> takes \u003Cstrong>Poitiers\u003C/strong>. Then, in \u003Cstrong>August\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>September\u003C/strong>, the French obtain a string of rapid successes: victory before \u003Cstrong>Soubise\u003C/strong>, the surrender of \u003Cstrong>La Rochelle\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Angouleme\u003C/strong>, followed by the submission of \u003Cstrong>Saint-Jean-d’Angely\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Saintes\u003C/strong>. In a few months, the English presence in the West is sharply reduced. This sequence of operations shows how much the Capetian strategy, founded on the gradual isolation of enemy strongholds and the control of communication routes, proves more effective than seeking frontal battle.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The diplomatic environment nonetheless remains unstable. On \u003Cstrong>March 28, 1372\u003C/strong>, the Count of \u003Cstrong>Flanders\u003C/strong> makes peace with England, while on \u003Cstrong>July 10\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Tagilde\u003C/strong> links \u003Cstrong>John of Gaunt\u003C/strong> and the king of \u003Cstrong>Portugal\u003C/strong> in a new hostile combination against France and Castile. Likewise, the \u003Cstrong>secret Treaty of Westminster\u003C/strong>, concluded on \u003Cstrong>July 19, 1372\u003C/strong>, between \u003Cstrong>John IV of Brittany\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Edward III\u003C/strong>, reveals the persistence of English maneuvering in Brittany, even if this agreement, discovered soon afterward by the French, does not suffice to stop the reconquest already under way. These maneuvers show that the Hundred Years’ War remains a conflict of coalitions as much as a direct struggle between two crowns.\u003C/p>\n\u003Ch3>The Black Prince’s Retreat and the Collapse of the Principality of Aquitaine\u003C/h3>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the year \u003Cstrong>1372\u003C/strong> ends with an admission of failure from the English camp. On \u003Cstrong>October 5\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Black Prince\u003C/strong> renounces the \u003Cstrong>principality of Aquitaine\u003C/strong>, marking the collapse of a political construction established after the treaty of \u003Cstrong>Brétigny\u003C/strong>. Since \u003Cstrong>1362\u003C/strong>, the son of \u003Cstrong>Edward III\u003C/strong> had governed an enlarged Aquitaine that the English intended to administer as a coherent and broadly autonomous princely state. But this structure had rapidly weakened.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The \u003Cstrong>Castilian expedition\u003C/strong> of \u003Cstrong>1367\u003C/strong>, despite the victory of \u003Cstrong>Najera\u003C/strong>, had cost the Black Prince dearly and compromised his finances. To cover these expenses, he had tried to impose heavy taxation in \u003Cstrong>Aquitaine\u003C/strong>, which aroused the hostility of part of the great Gascon lords, notably the counts of \u003Cstrong>Armagnac\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Albret\u003C/strong>. Their appeal to \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> provided the king of France with the legal foundation necessary to resume the war.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>To this internal weakening were added in \u003Cstrong>1372\u003C/strong> the French and Castilian military successes: destruction of the English fleet at \u003Cstrong>La Rochelle\u003C/strong>, the successive loss of several western cities, and the general retreat of English authority in \u003Cstrong>Poitou\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Saintonge\u003C/strong>, and \u003Cstrong>Aunis\u003C/strong>. In these conditions, the principality of Aquitaine ceases to be a credible instrument of English domination in southwestern France.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The Black Prince’s renunciation is therefore far more than a symbolic measure: it acknowledges the failure of a policy intended to make Aquitaine into a great princely state under English control. In a few years, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> thus succeeds in reversing the balance of power inherited from the disasters of the middle of the century. Without any major battle comparable to \u003Cstrong>Crecy\u003C/strong> or \u003Cstrong>Poitiers\u003C/strong>, but through a methodical sequence of operations, alliances, and sieges, the French monarchy regains the initiative on sea and land and begins a lasting reconquest of the kingdom.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>IV. 1373–1375: Reconquest of the West, Maritime Organization, and the Truce of Bruges\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>1373\u003C/strong>, French successes in the West continue. The king rewards the towns returned to his obedience: on \u003Cstrong>January 8\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> grants to the mayor, aldermen, and successors of \u003Cstrong>La Rochelle\u003C/strong> a hereditary and perpetual right of nobility, in recognition of the role played by the city in expelling the English. A few days later, on \u003Cstrong>January 22\u003C/strong>, he creates the \u003Cstrong>government of Aunis\u003C/strong>, distinct from \u003Cstrong>Saintonge\u003C/strong>, reflecting the royal desire to better organize the reconquered territories and strengthen authority there.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>On the military field, the campaign of \u003Cstrong>1373\u003C/strong> confirms the English retreat. After the failure of an attempted landing at \u003Cstrong>Saint-Malo\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>March\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> wins a victory at \u003Cstrong>Chize\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>March 21\u003C/strong>, then secures the capitulation of \u003Cstrong>Niort\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>March 27\u003C/strong>, thus assuring the king control of \u003Cstrong>Poitou\u003C/strong>. At the same time, the position of \u003Cstrong>John IV of Brittany\u003C/strong> rapidly deteriorates. Recognized as duke by the \u003Cstrong>Treaty of Guerande\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>1365\u003C/strong>, he remains fragile, since a large part of the Breton nobility wishes to preserve the \u003Cstrong>neutrality\u003C/strong> of the duchy in the war between France and England. Yet John IV, long exiled at the court of \u003Cstrong>Edward III\u003C/strong> and heavily supported by the English, increasingly appears as the representative of their influence in Brittany. The discovery of the \u003Cstrong>secret Treaty of Westminster\u003C/strong> concluded with England, followed by the landing of an English army at \u003Cstrong>Saint-Malo\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>March 1373\u003C/strong>, provides \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> with the pretext and legitimacy needed to intervene. Supported by part of the Breton nobility, \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> then campaigns and quickly regains the advantage. Politically as well as militarily isolated, \u003Cstrong>John IV\u003C/strong> is forced to flee to \u003Cstrong>England\u003C/strong> at the end of \u003Cstrong>April 1373\u003C/strong>, leaving \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> with the advantage in the duchy.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>England nevertheless attempts to regain the initiative. Beginning in \u003Cstrong>August 1373\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>John of Lancaster\u003C/strong> leads a great \u003Cstrong>chevauchee\u003C/strong> from \u003Cstrong>Calais\u003C/strong> to \u003Cstrong>Guyenne\u003C/strong>. This expedition, one of the most ambitious undertaken by the English camp in this phase of the war, ultimately proves a failure. It exhausts the troops without producing decisive gains and confirms the limits of large-scale rides across enemy territory when they are not followed by durable reconquest. For \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong>, this English failure is an indirect but major success.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The same year, the French monarchy continues its effort of organization. On \u003Cstrong>December 7, 1373\u003C/strong>, a royal ordinance clarifies the jurisdiction of the \u003Cstrong>admiralty\u003C/strong>, while \u003Cstrong>Jean de Vienne\u003C/strong> is appointed \u003Cstrong>admiral of France\u003C/strong>. This decision is crucial: it shows that reconquest does not rely only on land captains, but also on a more systematic command of naval affairs. Charles V understands that the war against England requires tighter control of the coastline, ports, and maritime communications.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Ofensivas_Tovar-Vienne_contra_Inglaterra_01.jpg/960px-Ofensivas_Tovar-Vienne_contra_Inglaterra_01.jpg\" alt=\"Attacks by Franco-Castilian fleets against England\">\n\u003Cem>This illustration shows the main attacks carried out against England by joint Franco-Castilian fleets commanded by Admirals Fernando Sanchez de Tovar and Jean de Vienne between 1374 and 1380 during the Hundred Years’ War: Luis Garcia, CC BY-SA 3.0 \u003Ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>1374\u003C/strong>, the king continues to structure the military and administrative apparatus of the kingdom. On \u003Cstrong>January 13\u003C/strong>, a new ordinance on the \u003Cstrong>organization of the army\u003C/strong> extends the reform effort already under way for several years. At the same time, the siege of \u003Cstrong>Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte\u003C/strong>, prepared by \u003Cstrong>Jean de Vienne\u003C/strong>, mobilizes significant means and illustrates the increasingly methodical character of French reconquest.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The campaign of \u003Cstrong>1374\u003C/strong> also brings new successes in the southwest. On \u003Cstrong>August 21\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>La Reole\u003C/strong> surrenders after being besieged by royal forces. At the same time, \u003Cstrong>Aunis\u003C/strong> is definitively separated from \u003Cstrong>Saintonge\u003C/strong>, confirming the territorial reorganization undertaken the previous year. Within the kingdom, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> also reinforces the framework of monarchy: an ordinance of \u003Cstrong>August 1374\u003C/strong> fixes the majority of the king of France at \u003Cstrong>thirteen completed years\u003C/strong>, while new fortification works are undertaken in \u003Cstrong>Paris\u003C/strong>. These measures show that military reconquest goes hand in hand with institutional consolidation.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Yet these successes unfold in a difficult context. The \u003Cstrong>plague\u003C/strong> continues to reappear in Europe, and a \u003Cstrong>famine\u003C/strong> strikes southern France between \u003Cstrong>1374\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>1375\u003C/strong>. War, poor harvests, and epidemics therefore remain the constant backdrop of the reign even as the military situation improves for the Valois.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>1375\u003C/strong> extends this dynamic while leading to a diplomatic pause. On \u003Cstrong>June 1\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Cognac\u003C/strong> surrenders after the siege led by the \u003Cstrong>Duke of Berry\u003C/strong>. On \u003Cstrong>July 3\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte\u003C/strong> in turn capitulates after a long siege that becomes emblematic of French strategic patience. These successes finish reducing several of the most important English positions in \u003Cstrong>Normandy\u003C/strong> and the West.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>However, the exhaustion of both kingdoms and diplomatic mediation ultimately lead to a suspension of hostilities. On \u003Cstrong>June 27, 1375\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Truce of Bruges\u003C/strong> is concluded between France and England. It does not end the Hundred Years’ War, but it marks the culmination of a phase favorable to \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong>. In a few years, the king has recovered much of the territory lost after \u003Cstrong>Brétigny\u003C/strong>, restored royal authority in the West, and shown that reconquest can be carried out without a decisive battle, through a policy of sieges, alliances, and the gradual organization of the kingdom.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>V. 1376–1378: End of the Truce, Renewed French Offensive, and the Beginning of the Great Western Schism\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>The years \u003Cstrong>1376–1378\u003C/strong> extend the recovery initiated by \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> while also giving the reign a more European dimension. As the war against England resumes in a context favorable to France, the monarchy continues strengthening its instruments of government. But these same years also witness the opening of the \u003Cstrong>Great Western Schism\u003C/strong>, which durably divides Latin Christendom and reshapes alliances among powers.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>1376\u003C/strong>, the truce of \u003Cstrong>Bruges\u003C/strong> is extended until \u003Cstrong>June 24, 1377\u003C/strong>, still allowing hope for a temporary calming of the Franco-English conflict. At the same time, several institutional developments show that war continues to transform states. In \u003Cstrong>England\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Good Parliament\u003C/strong> of \u003Cstrong>1376\u003C/strong> demonstrates the growing power of Parliament against the government of \u003Cstrong>Edward III\u003C/strong>: it secures the prosecution of several royal counselors for corruption, generally regarded as the first recognized use of \u003Cstrong>impeachment\u003C/strong>; the House of Commons is moreover presided over there by \u003Cstrong>Peter de la Mare\u003C/strong>, often presented as the first true \u003Cstrong>Speaker\u003C/strong>. In France, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> continues the structuring of the kingdom’s means: an ordinance of \u003Cstrong>September 1376\u003C/strong> places the forest of \u003Cstrong>Roumare\u003C/strong> at the service of naval construction, a sign of the king’s attention to the fleet and strategic resources.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The situation changes profoundly in \u003Cstrong>1377\u003C/strong>. The death of \u003Cstrong>Edward III\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>June 21\u003C/strong>, followed by the accession of his grandson \u003Cstrong>Richard II\u003C/strong>, aged ten, opens in England a period of political fragility dominated by the regency of his uncles, foremost among them \u003Cstrong>John of Gaunt\u003C/strong>. This transition gives France a window of opportunity. Peace negotiations undertaken between April and June fail, and hostilities quickly resume. At the same time, \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> actively supports the reconquest of the West: \u003Cstrong>Auray\u003C/strong> falls to \u003Cstrong>Olivier de Clisson\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>August 1377\u003C/strong>, while the French advance in \u003Cstrong>Guyenne\u003C/strong>, notably securing the surrender of \u003Cstrong>Bergerac\u003C/strong> and then \u003Cstrong>Duras\u003C/strong> in autumn. A \u003Cstrong>Franco-Castilian\u003C/strong> fleet also raids the \u003Cstrong>Isle of Wight\u003C/strong>, illustrating France’s new ability to threaten English coasts thanks to its alliance with Castile. Despite these successes, the renewed war does not immediately lead to a decisive campaign, notably because of England’s internal political difficulties.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>1378\u003C/strong> opens under the sign of \u003Cstrong>Charles V’s\u003C/strong> diplomatic prestige. In \u003Cstrong>January\u003C/strong>, the king receives in \u003Cstrong>Paris\u003C/strong> Emperor \u003Cstrong>Charles IV of Luxembourg\u003C/strong> and his son \u003Cstrong>Wenceslas\u003C/strong>, King of Bohemia. This meeting, marked by a great banquet at the palace of the Cite, underlines the central place now occupied by the French monarchy in the political balances of the West. On the ground, however, Charles V pursues above all a more concrete objective: reducing the last positions of \u003Cstrong>Charles the Bad\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>Normandy\u003C/strong>. After the arrest of several of his close supporters, including \u003Cstrong>Jacques de Rue\u003C/strong>, royal forces led by the Duke of \u003Cstrong>Burgundy\u003C/strong>, the Duke of \u003Cstrong>Bourbon\u003C/strong>, the lord of \u003Cstrong>Coucy\u003C/strong>, and \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> gradually seize his Norman possessions; by the end of June, the king of Navarre retains little more than \u003Cstrong>Cherbourg\u003C/strong>. This operation almost completely ends his political foothold within the kingdom of France.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the Breton situation turns around. On \u003Cstrong>June 20, 1378\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>John IV of Brittany\u003C/strong> is summoned to appear before the court of peers; failing to appear, he sees his duchy confiscated. Yet this decision, which at first seems to confirm the success of royal policy, produces the opposite effect in Brittany: a significant part of the nobility and population rejects direct French royal control and soon recalls the exiled duke. This episode shows the limits of Capetian-Valois authority in peripheral principalities even at the height of its military successes.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Grand_schisme_1378-1417.svg/960px-Grand_schisme_1378-1417.svg.png\" alt=\"Great Schism, 1378–1417\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Great Schism, 1378–1417: @lankazame, Mipmapped, CC BY-SA 3.0 \u003Ca href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The most important event of \u003Cstrong>1378\u003C/strong>, however, is religious and European: the beginning of the \u003Cstrong>Great Western Schism\u003C/strong>. After the death of \u003Cstrong>Gregory XI\u003C/strong>, who had returned to Rome in 1377, the election of Pope \u003Cstrong>Urban VI\u003C/strong> is quickly contested by part of the cardinals, mostly French, who claim to have voted under pressure from the Roman crowd. Gathered at \u003Cstrong>Fondi\u003C/strong>, they elect in \u003Cstrong>September 1378\u003C/strong> another pope, \u003Cstrong>Clement VII\u003C/strong>, who then settles in \u003Cstrong>Avignon\u003C/strong>. From then on, two papal obediences face each other: one centered on \u003Cstrong>Rome\u003C/strong>, the other on \u003Cstrong>Avignon\u003C/strong>. The schism is not merely an ecclesiastical dispute: it divides Europe along lines that are as diplomatic as they are religious. \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> supports \u003Cstrong>Clement VII\u003C/strong>, while England aligns behind \u003Cstrong>Urban VI\u003C/strong>. The fracture between the two crowns is thus doubled by a fracture within Christendom itself.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Thus, between \u003Cstrong>1376\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>1378\u003C/strong>, the reign of \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> reaches a high point of influence. France takes advantage of English difficulties to continue its military gains, reduces the room for action of \u003Cstrong>Charles the Bad\u003C/strong>, and affirms itself as a central power in western diplomacy. But the opening of the \u003Cstrong>Great Western Schism\u003C/strong> also reminds us that the end of the fourteenth century is not shaped only by the Franco-English war: it is also marked by a profound crisis in the religious and political unity of Latin Europe.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>VI. 1379–1380: The Return of John IV, the Great Western Schism, and the End of Charles V’s Reign\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>1379\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Charles V’s\u003C/strong> Breton policy turns against him. After the confiscation of the duchy pronounced in \u003Cstrong>1378\u003C/strong> against \u003Cstrong>John IV of Brittany\u003C/strong>, a significant part of the Breton nobility rejects the prospect of direct administration by royal officers. On \u003Cstrong>April 26, 1379\u003C/strong>, Breton barons gathered at \u003Cstrong>Rennes\u003C/strong> sign an act of confederation and recall the exiled duke. On \u003Cstrong>August 3\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>John IV\u003C/strong> lands at \u003Cstrong>Dinard\u003C/strong> with English support and quickly reestablishes himself in the duchy. This development shows that French suzerainty in Brittany cannot be exercised durably without the adhesion of local elites. The failure is all the more sensitive because several Bretons who had until then served \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> rally to their duke returned from exile.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Jacques_Joseph_Lecurieux_-_Revolt_of_the_Chaperons%2C_1379.jpg/960px-Jacques_Joseph_Lecurieux_-_Revolt_of_the_Chaperons%2C_1379.jpg\" alt=\"Revolt of the White Hoods, 1379\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Revolt of the White Hoods, 1379: Jacques-Joseph Lecurieux, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the Flemish crisis resumes. On \u003Cstrong>September 5, 1379\u003C/strong>, the revolt of the \u003Cstrong>White Hoods\u003C/strong> breaks out in \u003Cstrong>Ghent\u003C/strong> against the Count of Flanders. The movement then spreads to \u003Cstrong>Bruges\u003C/strong> and \u003Cstrong>Ypres\u003C/strong>, before extending across much of the county. Even if a provisional peace is concluded at the end of the year, the renewed conflict in \u003Cstrong>1380\u003C/strong> shows that Flanders remains one of the major spaces of political and social instability in northwestern Europe. This unrest directly concerns France, both because of the county’s proximity and because of the economic weight of its cloth-making cities.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Unable to impose himself in Rome, \u003Cstrong>Clement VII\u003C/strong> returns to \u003Cstrong>Avignon\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>June 20, 1379\u003C/strong>. Two papal obediences now face each other: that of \u003Cstrong>Rome\u003C/strong>, supported notably by \u003Cstrong>England\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Flanders\u003C/strong>, several German states, and the Scandinavian kingdoms; and that of \u003Cstrong>Avignon\u003C/strong>, backed by \u003Cstrong>France\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Scotland\u003C/strong>, and \u003Cstrong>Castile\u003C/strong>. This schism profoundly transforms the political life of Europe, because it overlays dynastic and territorial rivalries with a durable religious division of Latin Christendom. \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> resolutely chooses the Avignon party, further reinforcing the opposition between the French monarchy and the English camp.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>The year \u003Cstrong>1380\u003C/strong> opens in a still troubled climate. In \u003Cstrong>Languedoc\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Louis of Anjou\u003C/strong> must face the revolt of \u003Cstrong>Montpellier\u003C/strong>, which he enters on \u003Cstrong>January 20\u003C/strong>; his administration is nonetheless judged disappointing, and \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> is eventually called upon to play a more direct role in the region. Internationally, on \u003Cstrong>March 1, 1380\u003C/strong>, an alliance is concluded at \u003Cstrong>Westminster\u003C/strong> between \u003Cstrong>England\u003C/strong> and Duke \u003Cstrong>John IV of Brittany\u003C/strong>, proof that Brittany remains an active stake in the Hundred Years’ War. At the same time, the Italian ambitions of French princes are already taking shape: on \u003Cstrong>June 29, 1380\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Joan I of Naples\u003C/strong> designates \u003Cstrong>Louis I of Anjou\u003C/strong> as her heir, opening a new field of intervention for the French royal house in the Italian peninsula.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Mus%C3%A9e_deu_Louvre_-_Nicolas-Guy_Brenet%2C_La_mort_de_Bertrand_du_Guesclin_%2813_juillet_1380%29.jpg/500px-Mus%C3%A9e_deu_Louvre_-_Nicolas-Guy_Brenet%2C_La_mort_de_Bertrand_du_Guesclin_%2813_juillet_1380%29.jpg\" alt=\"The death of Bertrand du Guesclin (July 13, 1380)\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>The death of Bertrand du Guesclin (July 13, 1380): Nicolas-Guy Brenet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>But the great loss of the year for the French monarchy is that of its principal captain. On \u003Cstrong>July 13, 1380\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> dies during the siege of \u003Cstrong>Chateauneuf-de-Randon\u003C/strong> in \u003Cstrong>Gevaudan\u003C/strong>, after having led the reconquest for years in the name of \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong>. His disappearance deeply affects the king and deprives the monarchy of the man who had embodied its military strategy: avoiding ruinous battles, retaking strongholds one by one, harassing the enemy, and methodically reconquering the kingdom.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Couronnement_de_Charles_VI_le_Bien-Aim%C3%A9.jpg/500px-Couronnement_de_Charles_VI_le_Bien-Aim%C3%A9.jpg\" alt=\"Coronation of Charles VI the Well-Beloved\" class=\"kb-img-contain\">\n\u003Cem>Coronation of Charles VI the Well-Beloved: Jean Fouquet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>A few weeks later, the reign itself comes to an end. \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> dies on \u003Cstrong>September 16, 1380\u003C/strong>. By then, the military situation is very different from the one he had inherited in \u003Cstrong>1364\u003C/strong>: in France, the English now control only \u003Cstrong>Calais\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Cherbourg\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Brest\u003C/strong>, the \u003Cstrong>Bordelais\u003C/strong>, and the region of \u003Cstrong>Bayonne\u003C/strong>. The recovery of the kingdom is therefore considerable. His son succeeds him as \u003Cstrong>Charles VI\u003C/strong>, but since he is still a minor, power passes into the hands of his uncles, notably \u003Cstrong>Louis of Anjou\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>John of Berry\u003C/strong>, \u003Cstrong>Philip of Burgundy\u003C/strong>, and \u003Cstrong>Louis of Bourbon\u003C/strong>. The young king is crowned at \u003Cstrong>Reims\u003C/strong> on \u003Cstrong>November 4, 1380\u003C/strong>, while \u003Cstrong>Olivier de Clisson\u003C/strong> becomes constable at the end of the month.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the years \u003Cstrong>1379–1380\u003C/strong> conclude a reign of reconstruction and reconquest, but they also open a period of uncertainty. The monarchy of \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> has restored much of French authority, but the Breton question remains unresolved, the \u003Cstrong>Great Schism\u003C/strong> divides Europe, and the new king is a child. The kingdom emerges strengthened from the reign of \u003Cstrong>Charles the Wise\u003C/strong>, but it also enters a phase in which the weight of princes and crises of government again becomes central.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🧠 Key Takeaways\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1364\u003C/strong>: \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> becomes king after the death of \u003Cstrong>John II\u003C/strong>; the victory at \u003Cstrong>Cocherel\u003C/strong> immediately strengthens Valois authority.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1365–1368\u003C/strong>: the king pacifies the kingdom, contains \u003Cstrong>Charles the Bad\u003C/strong>, fights the \u003Cstrong>great companies\u003C/strong>, and prepares the resumption of war without risking a catastrophic battle.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1369\u003C/strong>: war against England officially resumes; \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> relies on the appeals of Aquitanian lords and on the Castilian alliance.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1370\u003C/strong>: \u003Cstrong>Bertrand Du Guesclin\u003C/strong> becomes constable; the victory at \u003Cstrong>Pontvallain\u003C/strong> confirms the French military recovery.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1372\u003C/strong>: the naval victory of \u003Cstrong>La Rochelle\u003C/strong> breaks English maritime power in the West and accelerates the French reconquest.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1373–1375\u003C/strong>: sieges, attrition warfare, and military reorganization allow France to regain the initiative; the \u003Cstrong>Truce of Bruges\u003C/strong> suspends fighting without settling the conflict.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1378\u003C/strong>: the \u003Cstrong>Great Western Schism\u003C/strong> durably divides Europe; France supports \u003Cstrong>Clement VII\u003C/strong> in Avignon, while England supports \u003Cstrong>Urban VI\u003C/strong> in Rome.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1379–1380\u003C/strong>: despite difficulties in \u003Cstrong>Brittany\u003C/strong>, the reign ends with a recovered kingdom; at \u003Cstrong>Charles V’s\u003C/strong> death, the English hold in France only a few major strongholds.\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>1380\u003C/strong>: the death of \u003Cstrong>Charles V\u003C/strong> opens the minority of \u003Cstrong>Charles VI\u003C/strong>; the kingdom is better governed and militarily stronger than it had been in \u003Cstrong>1364\u003C/strong>.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n",[20,23,26,29,32,35,38,41,44,47,50,53,56,59,62,65,68],{"id":21,"title":22},"p5ch17z1","1364: Charles V's Accession and the Consolidation of Power",{"id":24,"title":25},"p5ch17z10","1380: The Death of Charles V and His Political Legacy",{"id":27,"title":28},"p5ch17z11","16-19 May 1364: Cocherel, End of Civil Conflict, and Charles V's Coronation",{"id":30,"title":31},"p5ch17z12","1364-1365: Charles the Bad, the Treaty of Avignon, and the Evreux-Montpellier Exchange",{"id":33,"title":34},"p5ch17z13","1364-1375: Military Reorganization, Muster Controls, and Artillery",{"id":36,"title":37},"p5ch17z14","1364-1377: Isolating England Through Diplomacy and Alliances",{"id":39,"title":40},"p5ch17z15","1368-1369: Gascon Appeals and the 'Legal' Relaunch of War",{"id":42,"title":43},"p5ch17z16","1372-1373: Occupation of Brittany and Rupture with Jean IV",{"id":45,"title":46},"p5ch17z17","1373-1377: Lancaster's Chevauchee, the Truce of Bruges, and the Return of War",{"id":48,"title":49},"p5ch17z2","Finance, Administration, and a 'Currency of Trust'",{"id":51,"title":52},"p5ch17z3","Du Guesclin and a New Way of War",{"id":54,"title":55},"p5ch17z4","1365: The Treaty of Guerande and Breton Pacification",{"id":57,"title":58},"p5ch17z5","1366-1369: The First Castilian Civil War, Companies, and Strategic Realignment",{"id":60,"title":61},"p5ch17z6","1369-1375: French Reconquest and the Decline of England's 'Great War' Model",{"id":63,"title":64},"p5ch17z7","Charles V's Paris: Fortifications, the Louvre, and the Royal Library",{"id":66,"title":67},"p5ch17z8","1378: The Western Schism, Avignon, and Rome",{"id":69,"title":70},"p5ch17z9","Princes, Appanages, and Succession Tensions","",true,false,"1364 à 1380","Reconquête sous Charles V, du Guesclin et Schisme d’Occident (1364–1380). The accession of Charles V in 1364 opens a new phase in the history of the Valois .","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch17.jpg",{"period":78,"chapters":83},{"id":5,"title":6,"titleEn":6,"titleEs":7,"coverArtworkId":79,"range":9,"rangeEn":9,"rangeEs":9,"cover":80},"bataille-bouvines",{"fileName":71,"filePageUrl":81,"imageUrl":82,"sourceLabel":14},"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bataille_de_Bouvines_gagnee_par_Philippe_Auguste.jpg","/assets/carousels/p5/Bataille_de_Bouvines_gagnee_par_Philippe_Auguste.jpg",[84,90,97,104,111,118,125,132,139,146,153,160,167,174,181,188,195,197,203],{"id":85,"title":86,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":87,"thumbnailArtworkId":71,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":88,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":89,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch1","Hugh Capet: The Birth of the Capetian Dynasty (987–996)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch1.jpg","Élection de 987, association de Robert II, consolidation capétienne (987–996).","987 à 996",{"id":91,"title":92,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":93,"thumbnailArtworkId":94,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":95,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":96,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch2","Robert II the Pious: Consolidating the Capetian Monarchy (996-1031)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch2.jpg","cover-p5ch2","Règne de Robert II : Église, alliances, Bourgogne, tensions religieuses et succession (996–1031).","996 à 1031",{"id":98,"title":99,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":100,"thumbnailArtworkId":101,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":102,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":103,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch3","Henry I: Preserving the Capetian Balance (1031-1060)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch3.jpg","cover-p5ch3","Règne d’Henri Ier : rivalités princières, arbitrages, montée normande et association de Philippe (1031–1060).","1031 à 1060",{"id":105,"title":106,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":107,"thumbnailArtworkId":108,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":109,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":110,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch4","Philip I: Enduring in Feudal France (1060-1108)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch4.jpg","cover-p5ch4","Règne de Philippe Ier : régence, choc anglo-normand, crise matrimoniale et succession (1060–1108).","1060 à 1108",{"id":112,"title":113,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":114,"thumbnailArtworkId":115,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":116,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":117,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch5","Louis VI: The King Against the Lords (1108–1137)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch5.jpg","cover-p5ch5","Règne de Louis VI : pacification du domaine, alliances avec l’Église, communes et Oriflamme (1108–1137).","1108 à 1137",{"id":119,"title":120,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":121,"thumbnailArtworkId":122,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":123,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":124,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch6","Louis VII: Crusade, Lost Aquitaine, and the Plantagenet Challenge (1137–1180)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch6.jpg","cover-p5ch6","Règne de Louis VII : Vitry, Deuxième croisade, rupture avec Aliénor et affrontement Plantagenêt (1137–1180).","1137 à 1180",{"id":126,"title":127,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":128,"thumbnailArtworkId":129,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":130,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":131,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch7","Philip II Augustus: The Affirmation of Capetian Power (1180–1223)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch7.jpg","cover-p5ch7","Règne de Philippe Auguste : Normandie capétienne, Bouvines, Paris fortifié et montée en puissance (1180–1223).","1180 à 1223",{"id":133,"title":134,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":135,"thumbnailArtworkId":136,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":137,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":138,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch8","Louis VIII the Lion: Southern Conquests and Capetian Succession (1223–1226)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch8.jpg","cover-p5ch8","Règne bref et décisif : reconquête à l’ouest, Avignon, croisade albigeoise et régence de Blanche (1223–1226).","1223 à 1226",{"id":140,"title":141,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":142,"thumbnailArtworkId":143,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":144,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":145,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch9","Louis IX (Saint Louis): Regency, Royal Justice and Crusades (1226–1270)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch9.jpg","cover-p5ch9","Régence, paix du Midi, justice royale, Sainte‑Chapelle et croisades (1226–1270).","1226 à 1270",{"id":147,"title":148,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":149,"thumbnailArtworkId":150,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":151,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":152,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch10","Philip III the Bold: Capetian Continuity and Mediterranean Crises (1270–1285)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch10.jpg","cover-p5ch10","Retour au domaine en 1271, concile de Lyon, Vêpres siciliennes et croisade d’Aragon (1270–1285).","1270 à 1285",{"id":154,"title":155,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":156,"thumbnailArtworkId":157,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":158,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":159,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch11","Philip IV the Fair: State, Taxation and Conflict with the Papacy (1285–1314)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch11.jpg","cover-p5ch11","Flandre, États généraux, conflit avec la papauté, Templiers et Avignon (1285–1314).","1285 à 1314",{"id":161,"title":162,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":163,"thumbnailArtworkId":164,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":165,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":166,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch12","Louis X the Quarrelsome: Dynastic Crisis and Reforms Under Pressure (1314–1316)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch12.jpg","cover-p5ch12","Apaiser après 1314, ordonnances de 1315, et crise de succession de 1316.","1314 à 1316",{"id":168,"title":169,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":170,"thumbnailArtworkId":171,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":172,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":173,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch13","Philip V the Tall: Stabilizing the Kingdom After the Crisis (1316–1322)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch13.jpg","cover-p5ch13","Règle de succession, administration et maintien de l’ordre (1316–1322).","1316 à 1322",{"id":175,"title":176,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":177,"thumbnailArtworkId":178,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":179,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":180,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch14","Charles IV the Fair: The Last Direct Capetian and Dynastic Shift (1322–1328)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch14.jpg","cover-p5ch14","Gascogne et tensions franco-anglaises, Avignon, et crise dynastique (1322–1328).","1322 à 1328",{"id":182,"title":183,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":184,"thumbnailArtworkId":185,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":186,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":187,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch15","Philip VI of Valois: A New Dynasty, A War Begins (1328–1350)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch15.jpg","cover-p5ch15","Naissance des Valois, rupture de 1337, Crécy, Calais et peste noire (1328–1350).","1328 à 1350",{"id":189,"title":190,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":191,"thumbnailArtworkId":192,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":193,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":194,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch16","John II the Good: Captivity, Internal Crisis, and the Treaty of Brétigny (1350–1364)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch16.jpg","cover-p5ch16","Poitiers (1356), crise parisienne, Jacquerie et traité de Brétigny (1350–1364).","1350 à 1364",{"id":16,"title":17,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":76,"thumbnailArtworkId":71,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":196,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":74,"realm":71,"ready":72},"Reconquête sous Charles V, du Guesclin et Schisme d’Occident (1364–1380).",{"id":198,"title":199,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":200,"thumbnailArtworkId":71,"hasEn":72,"isFallback":73,"teaser":201,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":202,"realm":71,"ready":72},"p5ch18","Charles VI: Minority, Madness, and Civil War (1380–1422)","/assets/covers/cover-p5ch18.jpg","Minorité, révoltes urbaines, maladie du roi, guerre civile et traité de Troyes (1380–1422).","1380 à 1422",{"id":204,"title":205,"periodId":5,"thumbnailUrl":71,"thumbnailArtworkId":71,"hasEn":73,"isFallback":72,"teaser":206,"coverFit":71,"coverPosition":71,"chronicle":207,"realm":71,"ready":73},"p5ch19","Charles VII : Jeanne d’Arc, reconquête et restauration de l’État (1422–1461)","Jeanne d’Arc, reconquête, Arras, réformes et consolidation de l’autorité royale (1422–1461).","1422 à 1461",1777502612280]