French proclaim a ‘taille’ to pay for resuming warfare
On 30 January 1404 the French proclaimed a ‘taille’ to pay for resuming warfare against England. This took place at a time when King Charles VI was unwell, with French Princes seeing opportunities to take advantage of unrest in England and Wales and threats to King Henry IV’s reign.
A time for War?
In late 1403 King Charles VI of France’s health had seen him once again incapacitated. In this period of absence, the French Royal princes met to discuss their plans for the coming year. A truce between France and England had held for some time. France had considered war in Northern Italy in 1403 but not yet pursued. Decisions needed to be made. A conference with the English was already planned for March.
Revolts in England and Wales
England at this time was in a state of turmoil. Henry IV was faced with a serious rebellion. In Wales forces of Glendower had risen with attacks on castles in the north and a large raid into Shropshire causing much damage. In the north east the Percy family were also in revolt. Scotland was also once again presenting a challenge for the English. There was an opportunity to be seized upon by France.
Funding a return to War
The French princes decided to raise a large tax, a taille, to fund a return to all out war. They opted to raise 800,000 livres. 600,000 livres to be spent on the execution of war with England and 200,000 livres to be sent to the King of Navarre in return for his surrendering of the port of Cherbourg to the crown.
Ambitious Military Plans
800,000 livres would be the largest tax for warfare that had been imposed on France to this date. It was necessarily large, as the plan was ambitious and multi-faceted. It was intended to include campaigns against English possessions in Gascony, an assault on Calais and the sending of an army to Wales in support of the rebels against Henry IV. Additionally, France was also seeking assistance from Scotland, Milan, and Brittany.
End of Anglo-French Truces
News of these plans reached England via informants and was discussed in Parliament. It was clear that when the embassies of France and England met at Leulingham in March, terms of the truce would not be extended. War was likely. The only thing that was required by the French Princes to proceed with their plan was the consent of the King.
That consent came upon Charles VIs recovery. The taille was therefore proclaimed on 30 January 1404.
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Featured Image
A coin of Charles VI, a “double d’or”, minted in La Rochelle in 1420. By World Imaging, photographed at Cabinet des Medailles – Own work, Public Domain, via Wikimedia.
