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Chapter summaries
Based on the SHF milestones, these résumés take you to the start of the relevant section of narrative. They are based wherever
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containing the material you wish to explore which have been transcribed. If a witness contains a version that is different
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or siege of Cherbourg).
Book 1
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Grandes Chroniques de France interpolations
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Book 2
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Book 3
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Book 4
- Battle of Sluys.
- Robert of Artois attacks Saint-Omer with Flemish troops but is pushed back.
- Letter of Edward III to Philip VI of Valois inviting him to personal combat or battle between 100 soldiers of each side (27
July 1340); negative response from Philip (30 July 1340).
- The city of Tournai, which is being besieged by Edward III, asks King Philip VI for help.
- Jeanne of Valois, countess of Hainault, negotiates a truce between the kings of France and England; end of the siege of Tournai;
Edward III returns to England and takes measures against those in government who did not fulfill their duties during his absence.
- Death of Duke John III of Brittany [30 April 1341], which starts the Breton War of Succession between the two claimants, Charles
of Blois and John of Montfort. King Philip VI sends troops to support Charles of Blois, whose right of succession had been
recognised by the Parlement.
- The truce between the French and English kings is extended (1342). Papal legates try to negociate a peace between the two
kings. Robert of Artois and the earl of Salisbury sail to Brittany to support John of Montfort. Robert is wounded during a
sea battle and later dies. The English king lands in Brittany and start sieges at Vannes and Nantes. Eventually a truces is
concluded between the two kings.
- King Philip VI imposes the gabelle tax on the sale of salt, which leads to devaluation and inflation in the kingdom.
- A conflict arises between John of Harcourt and his brother Godfrey, on the one hand, and Robert Bertran, marshal of France,
on the other. King Philip VI intervenes and summons both parties, but Godfrey of Harcourt fails to appear and allies himself
with the king of England (1343).
- Olivier de Clisson is executed, Godfrey of Harcourt is banished, the count of Montfort is imprisonned in the Louvre and several
knights are executed on suspicion of treason (1343).
- The duke of Normandy goes to Avignon to negotiate with the English, but the English envoys have not been given the required
powers. Henry of Malastrait is arrested on suspicion of treason and killed (1344). Philip, son of Philip VI of Valois, marries
the daughter of the late King Charles IV of France (18 March 1345).
- Jakob of Artevelde is suspected of duplicity and killed by the Ghenters. The count of Hainault is killed during a military
expedition in Frisia. The count of Montfort dies [September 1345].
- The duke of Normandy is sent against the earl of Derby in Gascony. The latter takes Bergerac and La Réolle. The duke besieges
Aguillon but returns to the Île-de-France when news reaches him of Edward III’s campaign against his father the king.
- La Roche-Derrien is taken by the earl of Northampton. A burgher of Compiègne, who had said that Edward III’s claim to the
French throne is better than Philip VI’s, is executed in Paris.
- Edward III lands in the Cotentin and captures the city of Caen.
- Edward III reaches Poissy on 22 August [1346]. On 26 August Philip VI is lodged near Crécy. He is misinformed about the position
of the English army and decides to attack.
- English victory at Crécy, with heavy losses on the French side, including many noblemen [26 August 1346]. Edward III besieges
Calais. The duke of Normandy, upon hearing of the French defeat, leaves the siege of Aguillon and returns home. The earl of
Derby takes Saint-Jean-d’Angély and Poitiers, then returns to Bordeaux.
- Philip VI attempts to lift the siege of Calais. An attempt to let Edward III take the city of Laon fails; the traitor is arrested
and killed.
- Charles of Blois besieges La Roche-Derrien (June 1347). Thomas Dagworth tries to lift the siege by a surprise attack during
the night. In the ensuing battle Dagworth is taken prisonner, but he is latter freed. The besiegers suffer heavy losses; Charles
of Blois is taken prisonner and later transported to London. The French king sends French noblemen who, together with Breton
troops from the province of Tréguier besiege La Roche-Derrien until the English garrison surrenders.
- Calais capitulates to the English king.
- In 1348 there is an outbreak of the Black Death in France, which starts in Roissy. In the course of the epidemic 50,000 Parisians
die.
- Philip VI of Valois remarries [11 January 1350]. His eldest son John remarries ([1]9 February 1350). Humbert of Vienne sells
the Dauphiné to the king; the king’s eldest son takes possession of it. Geoffroi de Charny tries to capture the city of Calais.
- Pope Clement VI grants indulgences for the jubilee year 1350. Thomas Dagworth is killed in Brittany. Philip VI of Valois dies
(22 August 1350).
- Raoul, count of Eu and Guines and constable of France, is arrested on suspicion of treason and executed (18 November 1350).
- Charles of Spain is made constable (January 1351). Guy of Nesle, marshal of France, is defeated in Saintonge and taken prisonner
(1 April 1351).
- King John II of France founds the Order of the Start (October 1351). Guines is taken by the English. Charles of Spain, constable
of France, marries the daughter of Charles of Blois, duke of Brittany.
- Guy of Nesle, marshal of France, is killed in battle in Brittany (14 August 1352). Pope Clement VI dies (6 December 1352);
Étienne Aubert is elected Pope Innocent VI.
- Charles of Spain, constable of France, is killed in Laigle on the orders of Charles II, king of Navarre (8 January 1354).
King John II of France and Charles II of Navarre make peace.
- The count of Harcourt and his brother Louis, who were also involved in the murder of Charles of Spain, make peace with the
King. Cardinal Guy of Boulogne goes back to Avignon.
- French and English negociators go to Avignon to negociate a peace deal facilitated by the Pope (November 1354). King John
II goes to Normandy to confiscate all the cities and castles held by Charles II of Navarre, except for six cities which refuse
to surrender.
- King John II of France mints a new type of florin (‘agnel’) (January 1355). A safe-conduct is issued for Charles II of Navarre.
English troops take the castle of Nantes by surprise by are defeated (17 February 1355 NS).
- The dauphin is sent to Normandy (5 April 1355). Charles II of Navarre returns from Navarre to Normandy; he meets the king
in Paris and asks forgiveness (24 September 1355). The prince of Wales lands in Gascony and launches a chevauchée (October
1355).
- The English king lands in Calais but returns to England after a brief military action against Hédin (October 1355). The prince
of Wales, after having reached Toulouse and Narbonne during his chevauchée, returns to Bordeaux (November 1355).
- The king of France summons the representatives of the Three Estates to Paris and asks for a subsidy to help with the war effort;
in return he promises to mint strong money (30 November 1355). The king grants the duchy of Normandy to his eldest son the
dauphin (8 December 1355). The Three Estates promise the king a subsidy of 5 million pound parisis, to be collected partly
from a gabelle tax and partly from fix-yield taxation. On 1 March 1356 (NS) the Three Estates convene again. Seeing that the
income from the current taxation falls short of the expected return, they decide to introduce a direct personal tax to be
imposed throughout the kingdom, without any of the traditional exemptions.
- The commons of Arras attack the patriciate, kill 21 of them and take control of the city (6 March 1356 NS).
- The French king makes a surprise appearance at a dinner held by his eldest son Charles in Rouen castle, which is attended
by Charles II of Navarre, John, count of Harcourt, and a number of Norman noblemen (5 April 1356). The king of Navarre, the
count of Harcourt and their followers are taken into arrest. The count and three other men are summarily executed; the rest,
including the king of Navarre, are imprisoned in the Châtelet in Paris. Because of the king of France’s actions, Philip of
Navarre, brother of the king of Navarre, and Godfrey of Harcourt, uncle of the count of Harcourt, fall out with the king.
- Arnoul of Audrehem, marshal of France, puts down the Arras insurrection by arresting 100 persons in the city, of which 20
are executed on the market square (17 April 1356).
- The duke of Lancaster lands in the Cotentin and links up with Philip of Navarre and Godfrey of Harcourt (June 1356). They
start reconquering towns and castles from the French and lift the siege of the castle of Pontaudemer. The French king reacts
by raising and army; he unsuccessfully pursues his ennemies, but takes the castle of Bretueil after a 7-week siege.
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