Treaty of Tours
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Tours was an agreement between Henry VI of England
and the French
King Charles VII
, signed on 22 May 1444. The terms stipulated the marriage of Charles VII's fifteen year old niece, Margaret of Anjou
, to Henry VI and the agreement of a 21-month truce between the Kingdoms of England
and France
. In exchange for the marriage, Charles wanted the area of Maine
in northern France. Henry VI married Margaret a year later, in April 1445, when Henry VI was 23 years old. He did not, however, give up Maine. Charles threatened Henry VI and sent envoys to pressure him; even Margaret tried to persuade Henry to give it up. Henry eventually yielded in 1448 when Charles VII threatened English garrisons with a large army. The Treaty was seen as a major failure for England as the bride secured for Henry VI
was a poor match, being related to King Charles VII
only distantly, and through marriage rather than by blood. Her marriage came also without a dowry
, when the amount that should have been given was 20,000 livres. Margaret of Anjou
was the daughter of the impoverished René of Anjou and in addition to being presented with Margaret without a dowry, Henry was also expected to pay for the wedding. The Treaty of Tours exacerbated rifts between the court's Beaufort faction and the Dukes of Gloucester
and York
, and has been considered a potentially contributory factor to the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses
.
was signed which stipulated the marriage of Henry V
of England to Catherine
, daughter of Charles VI of France, and also stated that Henry and his heirs would inherit the throne of France on Charles VI’s death. However, with the death of both Kings in 1422, the throne of France went to Charles VII and the throne of England went to the infant Henry VI. In 1423, the Treaty of Amiens
confirmed the terms of the Treaty of Troyes, but with the military battles of Charles VII against the territories held by England in France, the treaty was rendered moot and the Hundred Years War continued.
In 1444, Henry VI, Charles VII, and Philip of Burgundy reached an agreement that their commissioners should meet at Tours to discuss peace terms and a possible marriage alliance between England and France.1 The English embassy was headed by William de la Pole
, 1st Earl of Suffolk
, who was less than enthusiastic about the meeting, realizing that a peace with the French would not be popular with England.2 In March of 1444, Suffolk landed in France and in April, he met with the French embassy. 2 He formally requested the hand of Margaret of Anjou
, daughter of Rene of Anjou (brother in law to Charles VII) as a wife for Henry.2 Rene agreed, but insisted that he had no money and could not provide the customary dowry.2 He demanded that in exchange for the marriage and a proposed 21 month truce in the War, England return to France the lands of Maine and Anjou.2 Suffolk knew that this would not be popular in England, but Henry insisted on the truce, having heard that the Count of Nevers was preparing to offer marriage to Margaret himself. 2
The marriage was not considered advantageous to England since Margaret was not a close relation to Charles VII, and was related only through the marriage of her father to the King’s sister. All of the concessions in the treaty were made by England and France got the better end of the truce.3 Henry believed it was a first step towards a lasting peace; Charles intended to use it purely for military advantage.4 Additionally, the blame of the unfavorable request to return Maine and Anjou to the French was laid at Suffolk’s feet, though he insisted that he had made no promises at the Treaty to that demand.5
Suffolk brought the new queen back to England later that year6 to meet the king. When she landed in England, the King dressed himself as a squire and brought a letter supposed to be from the King so that he could watch Margaret in secret. When Suffolk asked later what she thought of the squire, the queen stated that she did not notice him at all. Suffolk told her that she had just been with the King, and she was upset, realizing she’d kept him on his knees the entire time he read the letter. 7
The Treaty of Tours was to expire in April of 1446, and England sought to extend it in order to find a longer lasting peace with France.8 This was perhaps undermined by the fact that Henry VI refused to cede the lands of Maine and Anjou until 1448, and only then on threat of military force from Charles VII.
Shortly thereafter, the remnants of the treaty fell apart and fighting resumed until 1453 when the Hundred Years War officially ended.
The marriage of Henry VI to Margaret of Anjou and subsequent offspring Edward Tutor, who married Margaret Beaufort
, provided an alternate line of succession to the thrown; previously Henry VI had no living heirs. Meanwhile, Richard Plantagenet
, 3rd Duke Of York
had arguably a superior claim to the throne over the House of Lancaster
(of which Henry VI was a member) prior to the marriage and firstborn. This led to a widening of the rift between the Houses of Lancaster and York, aided by the fact that Henry VI and John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset
, both supported the Percy
family, who was feuding with the Nevilles, long time allies of the House of York
. The entire affair is cited as a factor in the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses, two years after the end of the Hundred Years War.
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
and the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
King Charles VII
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
, signed on 22 May 1444. The terms stipulated the marriage of Charles VII's fifteen year old niece, Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
, to Henry VI and the agreement of a 21-month truce between the Kingdoms of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In exchange for the marriage, Charles wanted the area of Maine
Maine (province)
Le Maine is one of the traditional provinces of France . It corresponds to the old county of Maine, with its center, the city of Le Mans.-Location:...
in northern France. Henry VI married Margaret a year later, in April 1445, when Henry VI was 23 years old. He did not, however, give up Maine. Charles threatened Henry VI and sent envoys to pressure him; even Margaret tried to persuade Henry to give it up. Henry eventually yielded in 1448 when Charles VII threatened English garrisons with a large army. The Treaty was seen as a major failure for England as the bride secured for Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
was a poor match, being related to King Charles VII
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
only distantly, and through marriage rather than by blood. Her marriage came also without a dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
, when the amount that should have been given was 20,000 livres. Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
was the daughter of the impoverished René of Anjou and in addition to being presented with Margaret without a dowry, Henry was also expected to pay for the wedding. The Treaty of Tours exacerbated rifts between the court's Beaufort faction and the Dukes of Gloucester
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
and York
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenêt, 3rd Duke of York, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, and 7th Earl of Ulster, conventionally called Richard of York was a leading English magnate, great-grandson of King Edward III...
, and has been considered a potentially contributory factor to the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
.
Origins and Aftermath
The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) was between the Houses of Valois and Plantagenet who were both contesting the throne of France. In 1420, the Treaty of TroyesTreaty of Troyes
The Treaty of Troyes was an agreement that Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the throne of France upon the death of King Charles VI of France. It was signed in the French city of Troyes on 21 May 1420 in the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt...
was signed which stipulated the marriage of Henry V
Henry V
Henry V may refer to:People* Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg * Henry V of England * Henri, comte de Chambord, nominally Henry V of France, Entertainment...
of England to Catherine
Catherine
Catherine is a feminine given name.The nicknames include Cathy, Cate, Cat, Cati, Catie and others. Catherine may refer to one of the following historical figures, place names, books, or bands.-Literature:...
, daughter of Charles VI of France, and also stated that Henry and his heirs would inherit the throne of France on Charles VI’s death. However, with the death of both Kings in 1422, the throne of France went to Charles VII and the throne of England went to the infant Henry VI. In 1423, the Treaty of Amiens
Treaty of Amiens
The Treaty of Amiens temporarily ended hostilities between the French Republic and the United Kingdom during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was signed in the city of Amiens on 25 March 1802 , by Joseph Bonaparte and the Marquess Cornwallis as a "Definitive Treaty of Peace"...
confirmed the terms of the Treaty of Troyes, but with the military battles of Charles VII against the territories held by England in France, the treaty was rendered moot and the Hundred Years War continued.
In 1444, Henry VI, Charles VII, and Philip of Burgundy reached an agreement that their commissioners should meet at Tours to discuss peace terms and a possible marriage alliance between England and France.1 The English embassy was headed by William de la Pole
William de la Pole
William de la Pole may refer to:*Sir William de la Pole *Sir William de la Pole of Hull *William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk...
, 1st Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk is a title that has been created four times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title of Earl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour of Ralph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir, Ralph de Guader, in 1074...
, who was less than enthusiastic about the meeting, realizing that a peace with the French would not be popular with England.2 In March of 1444, Suffolk landed in France and in April, he met with the French embassy. 2 He formally requested the hand of Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
, daughter of Rene of Anjou (brother in law to Charles VII) as a wife for Henry.2 Rene agreed, but insisted that he had no money and could not provide the customary dowry.2 He demanded that in exchange for the marriage and a proposed 21 month truce in the War, England return to France the lands of Maine and Anjou.2 Suffolk knew that this would not be popular in England, but Henry insisted on the truce, having heard that the Count of Nevers was preparing to offer marriage to Margaret himself. 2
The marriage was not considered advantageous to England since Margaret was not a close relation to Charles VII, and was related only through the marriage of her father to the King’s sister. All of the concessions in the treaty were made by England and France got the better end of the truce.3 Henry believed it was a first step towards a lasting peace; Charles intended to use it purely for military advantage.4 Additionally, the blame of the unfavorable request to return Maine and Anjou to the French was laid at Suffolk’s feet, though he insisted that he had made no promises at the Treaty to that demand.5
Suffolk brought the new queen back to England later that year6 to meet the king. When she landed in England, the King dressed himself as a squire and brought a letter supposed to be from the King so that he could watch Margaret in secret. When Suffolk asked later what she thought of the squire, the queen stated that she did not notice him at all. Suffolk told her that she had just been with the King, and she was upset, realizing she’d kept him on his knees the entire time he read the letter. 7
The Treaty of Tours was to expire in April of 1446, and England sought to extend it in order to find a longer lasting peace with France.8 This was perhaps undermined by the fact that Henry VI refused to cede the lands of Maine and Anjou until 1448, and only then on threat of military force from Charles VII.
Shortly thereafter, the remnants of the treaty fell apart and fighting resumed until 1453 when the Hundred Years War officially ended.
The marriage of Henry VI to Margaret of Anjou and subsequent offspring Edward Tutor, who married Margaret Beaufort
Margaret Beaufort
Lady Margaret Beaufort , later Countess of Richmond and Derby, was the mother of King Henry VII and grandmother of King Henry VIII of England. She was a key figure in the Wars of the Roses, an influential matriarch of the House of Tudor and foundress of two Cambridge colleges...
, provided an alternate line of succession to the thrown; previously Henry VI had no living heirs. Meanwhile, Richard Plantagenet
Richard Plantagenet
Richard Plantagenet was the name applied, in some cases anachronistically, to several members of the royal Plantagenet family of England, including:*Richard I of England , also known as Richard the Lionheart, third son of King Henry II of England...
, 3rd Duke Of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
had arguably a superior claim to the throne over the House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
(of which Henry VI was a member) prior to the marriage and firstborn. This led to a widening of the rift between the Houses of Lancaster and York, aided by the fact that Henry VI and John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
, both supported the Percy
Percy
The name "Percy" derives from the village of Percy-en-Auge in Normandy from which was derived the British surname, first taken by the Norman lords of Northumbria. From there it came into use as a given name.-Places:* Percy-en-Auge, Calvados, France...
family, who was feuding with the Nevilles, long time allies of the House of York
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
. The entire affair is cited as a factor in the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses, two years after the end of the Hundred Years War.