Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- Louis XI - King of France.
- Philip II - Territorial expansion
- Charles VII
- Hundred Yearsâ War - Treaty of Arras (1435) and Truce of Tours (1444)
- Hundred Yearsâ War - Henry IV, the Armagnacs, and the Burgundians
- history of the Low Countries - The Burgundians
- Hundred Yearsâ War - Conquest of Guyenne (1453), the Treaty of Picquigny (1475), and the conclusion of the war
- Philip IV - Wars with England and Flanders
Why did Philip the Good of Burgundy abandon the English alliance?
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Hundred Yearsâ War
Image depicting the Battle of Crécy, during the Hundred Years' War, in which Edward III of England defeated Philip VI of France on August 26, 1346.
Philip the Good of Burgundy abandoned his alliance with England and concluded a separate peace with the French king, Charles VII, at the Treaty of Arras in 1435.1
Several factors contributed to this shift in allegiance:
- Strategic Realignment: By the early 1430s, the momentum of the war had begun to favor the French, particularly following the recovery inaugurated by Joan of Arc. Philip recognized the changing political landscape and sought to secure his own position by negotiating with Charles VII.21
- Resolution of Civil Conflict: The alliance between Burgundy and England had been forged in the context of a bitter civil war between the Burgundians and the Armagnacs, fueled by the assassination of Philipâs father, John the Fearless. The Treaty of Arras allowed for a formal reconciliation; as part of the agreement, Charles VII condemned the murder of Philipâs father, and in return, Philip recognized Charles as his sovereign.23
- Diplomatic Exhaustion: The protracted nature of the conflict had created general exhaustion on both sides, making the prospect of a separate peace increasingly attractive to Philip as he sought to consolidate his own power and territorial interests.1