On 25 February 1408 John the Fearless arrived at St. Denis at the head of an armed force. At a time of high tension, he was met by the Dukes of Berry, Anjou and Brittany, who presented him with a command from the King.
Tension in France
Parlement and Paris were beginning to slip into internal conflict. The Kings illness again led to a struggle for power between the Royal Dukes, the Dauphin and Queen. As they vied for control of the Council, tensions began to rise.
Suspicions of nobles
This built on earlier conflicts, primarily that between the Duke of Burgundy and the assassinated Duke of Orléans, an event which loomed large in the memory. It meant that John the Fearless was highly suspicious of other nobles, who he feared may intend to invade Burgundy. On the other hand, those very nobles who John was suspicious of remained wary of him. John did however command the support of the commons of Paris.
War or Peace?
With both sides seeing the need for reconciliation, a conference was called to be held in Amiens in January 1408. John and his allies arrived in Amiens before the Dukes of Berry and Anjou. Above his quarters he placed symbols of both war and peace, effectively asking his kinsmen to decide what course they would like to choose.
‘Do not travel to Paris‘
As this conference drew to a close, the Dukes of Berry and Anjou informed the Duke of Burgundy that he should not travel to Paris until summoned. This was unlikely to happen, John would insist on being heard by the King, and the Dukes of Berry and Anjou probably knew that.
John the Fearless and his Burgundian retainers assemble at St. Denis
John planned for his retainers to assemble outside Paris and await his arrival. The large Burgundian force would be a potent threat to those in opposition to him, for they knew that he also had the support of many within the City Walls.
On 25 February 1408 John and his entourage reached St. Denis. He was getting close to his force and the gates of Paris. The Dukes of Berry, Anjou and Brittany rode out to treat with him. They presented him with a written command from the King to enter Paris with no more than 200 men as an escort.
Featured Image
John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy. João, Duque de Borgonha – The Portuguese Genealogy. Via Wikimedia
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