Ransom of John II of France
Finally settled in the Treaty of Brétigny in 1360, the ransom of John II had serious consequences for the ongoing degradation of the stability of France and helped increase English influence during the war.
Vital provinces such as Normandy maintained a high level of autonomy from the crown and frequently threatened to disintegrate into private wars.
'[2] The French defeat at Crécy under John's father, Philip VI of France, and the loss of Calais had increased the pressures on the Valois family to achieve military success.
As with Edward III's creation of the Order of the Garter, John hoped to play on the concepts of knightly chivalry to bolster his prestige and authority.
His reliance upon a close circle of trusted advisers frequently alienated his nobles, who objected to what they perceived as arbitrary justice and the elevation of unworthy associates, such as Charles de la Cerda.
[3] The issues of friction within the French nobility, weaknesses in personal administration and chivalric ideals would play out in the ransom of King John.
[4] In September, 1355, Edward, The Black Prince, led an English-Gascon army in a violent raid, termed a chevauchée, across southwestern France.
In an era in which chivalry placed high importance on winning renown through personal feats of arms, or 'prowess',[5] and in which victory was a sign of God's favour, the prospect of a decisive battle must have been politically appealing to the troubled King.
The Battle of Poitiers was a disaster for the French as a result of superior defensive position and strategy allowing the use of English longbows effectively.
As a prisoner of the English for several years, John was granted royal privileges, permitting him to travel about and to enjoy a regal lifestyle.
Now in English captivity, King John began the challenging task of negotiating a peace treaty, which would likely require the payment of a large ransom and territorial concessions.
But many of those assembled, furious at what they saw as poor and secretive management under King John, formed an opposition group body led by Etienne Marcel, the Provost of Merchants.
In an attempt to raise money, Charles tried to devalue the currency; Marcel ordered strikes, and the Dauphin was forced to cancel his plans and recall the Estates in February 1357.
The Third Estate (the commoners), with support from many nobles, presented the Dauphin with a Grand Ordinance, a list of 61 articles that would have severely restricted royal powers.
Edward reached Reims in December and Paris in March, but his advances were unsuccessful in drawing out the French army to a decisive battle.
King Edward reduced his terms to a third of western France (mostly in Aquitaine and Gascony), and a ransom of 3 million crowns, which was agreed to in the Treaty of Brétigny (1360).
Acts of mercy and clemency were looked upon positively in medieval times, but behaviour that violated the chivalric code was usually forgotten if it was clearly in the interests of the state.
