Duke of Bedford's Regency in France 1422-35 Quiz

Answer: The Armagnacs

The Armagnacs were the supporters of the Dauphin. The dukes of Bedford, Burgundy and Brittany agreed to accept Henry VI as King of France, and go against the Dauphin's claims as king of France. Also, Bedford agreed to marry Anne of Burgundy, while Jean IV, Duke of Brittany married another of the Duke of Burgundy's sisters. England declared war on Brittany in 1426, so the treaty only lasted for 34 months.

Answer: John Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas

Both John and his brother-in-law, Archibald were killed along with 4,000 other Scots. Theoretically Jean, 2nd Duke of Alençon led the French force, but in reality it was Jean d'Harcourt, Count of Aumâle. This was one of the few battles that Bedford did take part in during his regency.

Interestingly, Verneuil was the first town King Charles VII entered in triumph, when he finally started to retake Normandy in 1449.

Answer: Angers

After Salisbury was killed at Orleans, Bedford had to decide whether to continue with the siege or go somewhere else. He decided to appoint William, Earl of Suffolk to command the forces still besieging Orleans. Joan of Arc helped relieve the city, by inspiring the French soldiers and leading from the front.

Answer: Compiègne

The Duke of Burgundy had made a truce with Charles VII that involved Compiègne being surrendered to him. However, the citizens of Compiègne refused to give it to Burgundy. As soon as the truce expired the Burgundians started their siege. Joan of Arc arrived with about 200 men in the morning, and in the evening she sallied forth against her enemies.

Her retreat, after the third attack, was intercepted by a group of English. Caught between two forces she was hauled off her horse and captured, along with her brother.

Answer: She wasn't buried, her ashes were thrown into the river Seine

Bedford bought "Jehanne la Pucelle" for 10,000 livres tournois from Burgundy. Joan of Arc arrived in Rouen on 23rd December 1430, where she was tried by the French Church. It was always perceived as an English trial as Joan of Arc was held in Rouen castle, as the most secure place in town, but also where the King Henry was staying throughout her trial.

In fact only 8 of the 131 people involved in the trial were English. She was found guilty and placed on the public scaffold. When Pierre Cauchon read the charges, Joan confessed, but then retracted it again so she was burnt at the stake six days later, on 30th May 1431.

The fire was then rebuilt to make sure her body was reduced to ashes, and thrown into the Seine so there would be nowhere for supporters to worship.

There are claims that her heart survived, but conveniently, her executioner, Geoffroi Thérage, had died before these claims were made.

Answer: Henry Beaufort (Bishop of Winchester)

This should have been done at Rheims, but that city was in Armanac hands. The dauphin had been crowned Charles VII there in July 1429. The French bishops wanted to do it, and felt the were slighted by having an English bishop do it. Local dignitaries felt they were not treated with respect at the coronation feast, the food for which was cooked four days earlier.

The new King failed to follow French customs like releasing prisoners at the coronation. Most of the French nobility were absent, including Philippe of Burgundy. Well let's face it, the whole thing was a diplomatic disaster organised by Beaufort, who was acting regent in place of Bedford while the King was in France.

The ten-year-old King was then taken straight back to England by Beaufort, possibly because Beaufort had to answer charges back in England.

Answer: Arnaud Guillaume (Sire de Barbazan)

Barbazan was captain of Melun in 1420, when King Henry V besieged it. When Melun fell, Barbazan was sentenced to death. However, earlier Barbazan had lost a joust on horseback to King Henry V, in an underground mine during the siege. Barbazan had pleaded for mercy, and Henry accepted his plea. Mines were dug by both sides, by the English and Burgundians to undermine the walls, and by the Armagnac defenders to intercept these diggings. Laws of chivalry forbade Henry from killing Barbazan, so he sentenced him to life imprisonment instead. Château Gaillard was a supposedly impregnable castle, down river from Paris on the Seine. Barbazan served his cause so well, he was later buried next to Charles VII in the Saint Denis Basilica.

Answer: Soldiers in English pay sacked the village of Vicques while off duty

After Vicques was massacred, a large militia force were called out to catch them. Over a thousand were killed when Thomas Waterhouse and Roger Yker ambushed them. Some the soldiers came from the English garrison at Falaise, and they were supposed to be protecting the Norman citizens. Bedford responded by allowing more troops to moonlight.

Answer: Mont St. Michel

Many attempts were made both with arms and treachery, but all failed. The bombards left there by the English in 1424, as they were too heavy to take away quickly, can still be seen at Mont St. Michel today. In 1425 a fortress was built 4km away, to protect the besiegers - whose siege lasted for ten years. Jean d'Harcourt was Captain of Mont St. Michel for most of Bedford's regency.

The Abbot of Mont St. Michel however, defected to the English in 1420, and was one of the key pillars of the English cause.

Answer: He died

Bedford had been ill for some time, he died at Rouen Castle one week before the treaty of Arras was signed, when the Duke of Burgundy left the English cause and joined with Charles VII. Bedford was buried in Rouen cathedral, but his effigy was destroyed by Calvinists in 1562.