In 1396 Philip the Bold was the most powerful man in France, but his nephew Louis Duke of Orleans was coming for his position. The turn of the 15th century saw a number of political upheavals in Europe and Louis hoped that the new political landscape would favor him over his uncle. While over the past few years Philip’s dominance was unchallenged, the Duke of Orleans was maturing and his ambitions were growing to match.
Time Period Covered: 1396 – 1401
Notable People: Philip the Bold, Louis Duke of Orleans, King Charles VI, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, John Duke of Berry, Joan Duchess of Brabant, William I of Guelders and Julich, John of Bavaria, Waleran of Luxembourg Count of Saint-Pol, King Richard II of England, King Henry IV of England, Wenceslas of Luxembourg, Rupert of the Palatinate
Notable Events/Developments: French Expansion into Genoa, Guelders-Brabant War (1397-1399), French Withdrawal from Avignon, Overthrow of Richard II, Deposition of Wenceslas of Luxembourg
Sources
Philip the Bold by Richard Vaughan
The Hundred Years War: Divided Houses by Jonathan Sumption
The Hundred Years War: Cursed Kings by Jonathan Sumption
Magnanimous Dukes and Rising States by Robert Stein
Warfare in Medieval Brabant 1356-1406 by Sergio Boffa
The Life and Afterlife of Isabeau of Bavaria by Tracy Adams
The Promised Lands by Wim Blockmans and Walter Prevenier
The Golden Age of Burgundy by Joseph Calmette
The Valois: Kings of France 1328-1589 by Robert Knecht
Wise and Foolish Kings by Anne Denieul-Cormier
Grand Dukes of the West 