The Fall of the Cabochiens and the…

The Fall of the Cabochiens and the Return of the Armagnacs to Power (September 1413)

By late August 1413, the Armagnac-Burgundian conflict in Paris had reached a turning point. While university leaders remained aligned with John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, the Parisian haute bourgeoisie, led by lawyer Jean Jouvenel des Ursins, began favoring the return of the Armagnacs. In response, Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac, acting on behalf of his son-in-law, Charles, Duke of Orléans, seized control of Paris, crushing the Cabochien movement and overturning the reforms imposed by the Burgundians.

I. The Fall of the Cabochiens and the Overturning of the Ordinance

• The Cabochiens, having terrorized Paris for months, lost popular support as their radical methods alienated the city's elite and bourgeoisie.
• The Armagnacs, led by Bernard VII, entered Paris and swiftly took control.
• On September 5, 1413, the Cabochienne Ordinance was officially overturned, restoring royal authority over taxation and administration.

II. The Execution and Exile of the Cabochiens

• Many Cabochiens who could not escape were executed, their reign of terror brought to an end.
• Simon Caboche, the leader of the movement, managed to escape alongside John the Fearless, who fled Paris to avoid retaliation.

III. Bernard VII’s Reward: Appointed Constable of France

• In gratitude for his decisive role in restoring Armagnac rule, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, head of the regency council, appointed Bernard VII as Constable of France.
• This appointment cemented the Armagnacs’ dominance over the French court, though the conflict with the Burgundians was far from over.

IV. Consequences and the Continued Civil War

• The expulsion of John the Fearless from Paris in 1413 did not end the conflict—it merely intensified hostilities between the two factions.
• John would later return to power, and the Armagnac-Burgundian rivalry would escalate into open warfare.
• The internal divisions weakened France further, making it more vulnerable to English intervention, leading to Henry V’s invasion in 1415 and the disastrous French defeat at Agincourt.

The overthrow of the Cabochiens on September 5, 1413, marked a temporary victory for the Armagnacs, but the factional struggle for control of France continued, ultimately tearing the kingdom apart and paving the way for English dominance in the coming years.