1422.

resistance fell into his hands. Hearing that Burgundy was threatened by the Dauphin on the Loire, an army was sent to help him but the enemy withdrew.

Henry could not accompany his forces in these later operations as he had fallen a victim to dysentery. His frame, exhausted by a hard life of continued activity, could make no resistance against the disease. On August 31st, 1422, he d, Death of Henry. breathed his last at Vincennes, near Paris. Before his death he had endeavoured to provide for the safety of his kingdom. His son was but an infant, so the uncles, Bedford and Gloucester, were appointed Regents of France and England. The dying King laid great emphasis on the Burgundian alliance, and besought his brother of Gloucester to keep on friendly terms with this important ally.

With the death of Henry V. the central figure of the Lancastrian age passed away. It was not an age of great men or good men, but he was both great and good; in fact his reign, set in such brilliant contrast to the gloom which both preceded and followed it, may be well described as a little touch of Harry in the night." A brilliant soldier, a sound politician, a cultured scholar, a devout Churchman, he stands out to all time as a type of a great Englishman.

HENRY VI. 1422—1461.

I. THE CLOSING OF THE HUNDRED YEARs War.

1. The King's Counsellors

1. Bedford

2. Gloucester

3. Beaufort

4. The Regency

ii. The Continuance of the War

a. English successes under Bedford

1. Marriage alliances

2. Victories of Cievant and Verneuil 1424

b. Change of affairs: weakness through domestic factions in England: Parliament of Bats or Bludgeons 1425

1. Siege of Orleans 1428; Battle of Herrings 1429

2. Joan of Arc

3. Siege of Orleans raised

iii. Disorder in England

I. Due to the King's character

2. Ministry of Suffolk

a. Treaty of Tours: Marriage of Henry VI. to Margaret of Anjou

a. His rivalry with York: i. Political; ii. Dynastic ; iii. Personal b. Cade's Rebellion 1450

c. Personal rivalry of Somerset and York

d. Loss of Normandy, Guienne, and Gascony

iv. Causes of English Decline in France

ii. Immediate events leading to outbreak of War

a. Importance of 1453 (King's Insanity; Chatillon; Birth of heir)
b. York made Protector 1454

c. Recovery of King leads to beginning of bloodshed

iii. THE FIRST ACT IN THE WARS OF THE ROSES

1. First Battle of S. Albans 1455 (Yorkist victory)

2. York again in power 1456

3. Temporary Reconciliation 1458 followed by retaliation on Yorkists 4. Battle of Bloreheath 1459 (Yorkist victory)

5. Rout of Ludford (Lancastrian victory)

6. Parliament of Coventry: Yorkist lords attainted

iv. THE SECOND ACT

1. The King's Counsellors.

1. Bedford.

(Stubbs iii. 97.)

2. Gloucester.

3. Beaufort.

(Stubbs iii. 143. Capes 162;

1. Distribution of Parties

2. Comparison of Parties

3. Yorkist lords return 1460

4. Battle of Northampton 1460 (Yorkist victory); Capture of Henry VI. 5 York claims the Crown-Compromise

6 Battle of Wakefield 1460 (Lancastrian victory); Death of York

7 Margaret's march South-2nd Battle of S. Alban's 1461 (Lancastrian victory); Henry VI. re-taken

8. Edward of York

a. Battle of Mortimer's Cross 1461 (Yorkist victory)

b. Edward IV. crowned King

c. Battle of Towton 1461 (Yorkist victory)

I. THE CLOSING OF THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR.

The young king was but nine months old when called to the throne of England and France. His father's will had directed that Bedford should rule over France, and Gloucester over England, while Warwick should undertake the education of the king. The reign from beginning to end was the age of great and rival nobles. The King was a mere cypher both in boyhood and manhood. At the beginning of his reign, however, he was fortunate in possessing counsellors who were also patriots ; at the close he was but the tool of rival personal ambitions.

Bedford, the King's uncle, had many of the best characteristics of the Lancastrians. He had political foresight; he was a careful statesman, a clever soldier, and above all a patriot. He worked for the king and country, sparing neither his strength nor wealth.

Gloucester, on the other hand, was the evil genius of the family. His policy was self-aggrandisement; his soldiership was rash; his morality was questionable. He never realised how essential it was to do all that might establish a dynasty which was still on its trial. Yet withal he was clever and well-read, and the presentation of his books to Oxford University has perpetuated his name there in "Duke Humphrey's Library." He was suspected by the nobles, but, possibly for that reason, was popular among the people. Hence his mysterious death led to a popular re-action in his favour.

There was yet a third uncle who played an important part in this reign. Beaufort, as the representative of the illegitimate branch of the House of Lancaster, never failed to realise the Burrows 216-22c.) importance of strengthening the dynasty. Though a cleric he is better known as a politician. Ambitious he was, but for his

house not for himself. A statesman of no mean power, he staved off the Civil War while he lived. His courage led him to oppose Gloucester and to uphold a peace policy in spite of its unpopularity. He had many faults, but they were small beside his whole-hearted devotion to the King.

The reign opened with a dispute over a constitutional point. 4. The Regency. Henry V. had appointed Gloucester regent of England. The Lords, suspecting his over-bearing and ambitious nature, found his claim to be untenable. Neither his close relationship to the young king nor the wish of the late monarch could make his position legal without the assent of Parliament. Bedford was appointed to be Protector of the State, the Church, and the King of England. In his absences in France Gloucester, with the help of a Council of 16, was to govern the kingdom. Regencies are inevitable with a hereditary monarchy. They are usually found during the infancy, illness, madness, or absence of the king. The principle was clearly laid down in 1422 that a regent could only be appointed by the estates of the realm. Two months after Henry V'.s death, Charles of France II. The continupassed away, so by the Treaty of Troyes the infant ruler of England became also ruler of France. But the Dauphin was practically supreme south of the Loire. Though Bedford called him "King of Bourges in mockery, he knew he had no mean adversary. So he at once began to strengthen the Burgundian alliance by marriages. He himself married the 1. Marriage duke's sister and by another alliance secured the co-operation of Brittany. This placed the coast-line of France in English hands. Meantime James of Scotland was liberated and returned to his country with an English bride.

Gloucester, selfish and short-sighted, soon after destroyed the harmony by an injudicious marriage with Jacqueline of Hainault who laid claim to part of Flanders. This began to loosen the Anglo-Burgundian alliance, whilst quarrels at home between Beaufort and Gloucester, about this marriage and other points, weakened the attacking forces.

ance of the War.

a, English successes under Bedford. 1423-1427.

alliances.

1423.

vant and Verneuil. 1424,

However success as yet attended the English arms. Salis- 2. Victories of Crebury secured communication with Burgundy by the battle of Crevant, whilst Bedford by a brilliantly-fought action at Verneuil did the same for Brittany; he also drove back the French in confusion behind the Loire. The only flaw in the b, Change of affairs. English success was the bickerings at home which recalled Weakness through Bedford more than once to mediate between Beaufort and England. - Parlt. of Bats or Bludgeons, Gloucester. Once in 1425 their parties faced one another in 1425. Parliament for 10 days armed with clubs, and prevented all business.

In 1428 the English made a definite attempt to secure their position as masters of the north of France. Salisbury set about to reduce Orleans by starvation. Great towers were

domestic factions in

(Barnard 75-6.)

1. Siege of Orieans, erected round the town which should guard the gates and 1428. eventually command the walls. By a chance cannon-shot the Still the siege went on. A desperate attempt was made to ambush a convoy to the besiegers, but the attackers were driven off by the brave and cautious tactics of Sir John Fastolf. Orleans seemed doomed when a new factor appeared on the French side which went far to win the day eventually for them. This was the appearance of Joan of Arc, as she is popularly called, a village maid of Domremi. She declared that by visions and holy voices she had been bidden to raise the siege of Orleans and crown Charles, the Dauphin, in Rheims. In spite of almost incredible difficulties, opposition, and disbelief, she convinced the Dauphin of her genuineness. As a last desperate resort she was entrusted with a command. Her advent raised the French soldiery from the depths of despair to the heights of patriotism. Animated by a new spirit they were ready to follow her anywhere. In despite of the English, who regarded her as a 3. Siege of Orleans witch or worse, she revictualled Orleans. Entering the town

B. of Herrings, 1429. English commander was killed.

2. Joan of Arc.
(Green 274.)

raised.

4. Capture of Suffolk and Talbot.

B. of Pataye

with daring brilliancy, she encouraged the defenders to such an extent that many of the besiegers' towers fell into their hands, including the important one of Les Tournelles. Overstrained by the long siege and disheartened by the success of these sallies, the English withdrew, pursued by the victorious French.

Misfortunes crowded thickly on the English arms. Suffolk was beaten and captured at Jargeau, whilst Talbot fell a (Barnard 76.) captive to the Maid of Orleans " at Pataye. Bedford, returning in haste from England, was unable to stem the tide of disaster. Roused by success, and urged by Joan of Arc, Charles began a triumphal march on Rheims, a task impossible a few months before. Well to the north of the Loire the French army marched-taking Chalons and Troyes-and at length Rheims was reached. Charles VII. was crowned King of France. Such a step was a bold defiance of the conqueror. It won for the new king the allegiance of all patriotic Frenchmen. Private quarrels were laid aside that all might unite and drive the invaders from their shores. The English supremacy was more than shaken and Joan of Arc had done her work. But she was not allowed to return home as she desired.

5. Charles VII. crowned at Rheims.

In spite of these successes, for a time the English more than held their ground. The Duke of Burgundy, whose doubtful friendship was strengthened by the cession of Champagne and La Bris, attacked Compiégne. Joan of Arc failed in an assault on Paris, whilst Charles VII. had been driven back to the Loire. Henry VI. was brought over to France for his coronation in order to counter-balance that of Charles VII. Owing to mistake or jealousy the Maid fell into Burgundian