Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/576

 526 THE HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE difficulty with the towns of Flanders than his father-in-law had experienced, and now Paris and the other French towns joined the Burgundian party while the feudal nobles were generally Orleanists. In 1404 John the Fearless became Duke of Burgundy and three years later murdered Louis of Orleans. This for the moment left the Orleanists without a head, but in 14 10 various nobles formed a league against Burgundy in which the leading spirit was the Count of Ar- magnac. Henceforth, therefore, the civil strife is spoken of as between the Burgundians and Armagnacs. The dauphin sided first with one party and then with the other. This divided state of France gave the brilliant and am- bitious King of England, Henry V, an opportunity to carry . . the war once more into French territory. He Agincourt. ., J opened negotiations with the Burgundian party and in 141 5 conducted a campaign similar to that which had led to the battle of Crecy in 1346. Like Edward III, he landed on the coast of Normandy, but north of the Seine, where he besieged and took Harfleur. He then marched north and had difficulty in crossing the Somme, just as had Edward III, and finally won, over a much larger French army, a victory at Agincourt, nor far from Crecy, and by similar tactics to those employed at that battle. He also resembled Edward III in not following up his victory, but in continuing his march north to Calais and returning home. In 141 7, however, he resumed his attempt to reduce the towns of Normandy and gained a rapid series of successes, and was now actively aided by the Duke of Burgundy who had held aloof from both sides at Agincourt. In 141 8 Paris opened its gates to the Burgundians and the Count of Armagnac was murdered. But soon the English successes and exorbitant terms of peace named by Henry V caused Duke John of Burgundy to seek a reconciliation with the dauphin. By this time the death of his older brothers had made dauphin the youngest son of the insane king. As the Duke of Burgundy knelt before this sixteen-year-old prince, he was attacked and slain, paying the penalty for his murder of Orleans fifteen years before.