Atlantic West Europe (1108 – 1251 CE): The Angevin Empire, Champagne–Flanders Circuits, and Aquitaine under the English Crown

Geographic and Environmental Context

Atlantic West Europe spans northern France and the Low Countries.

• Anchors: Paris–Seine–Reims, Upper Loire (Orléans–Blois–Tours), Anjou/Angers–Maine–Le Mans, Poitou/Poitiers–La Rochelle–Saintes, Bordeaux–Gironde–Bayonne, Flanders/Bruges–Ghent–Ypres, Low Countries delta.

Climate and Environmental Shifts

• High-medieval peak supported population and urbanization; river improvements eased up-country grain and wine traffic.

Societies and Political Developments

• Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII (1137), annulled (1152), then married Henry II Plantagenet (1152)—creating the Angevin Empire (from Anjou/Normandy to Aquitaine).

• Capetian–Angevin rivalry dominated: Philip II conquered Normandy (1204), but Aquitaine/Guyenne largely remained under English suzerainty; La Rochelle and Bordeaux became Angevin pillars.

• Flanders and Champagne fairs integrated Mediterranean–northern circuits; communes of Bruges, Ghent, Ypres asserted charters.

• Brittany navigated between Plantagenets and Capetians.

Economy and Trade

• Bordeaux claret exports to England boomed; La Rochelle shipped salt and wine; Nantes handled salt fish and grain.

• Flanders/Champagne fairs: Italian capital met northern cloth; Bruges emerged as a banking mart.

• Upper Loire and Anjou–Touraine supplied wine/grain to Paris and ports.

Belief and Symbolism

• Gothic beginnings in Chartres, Paris; pilgrimage roads of Poitou–Bordeaux remained crowded.

Long-Term Significance

By 1251, Aquitaine was England’s continental anchor; Flanders the cloth workshop; Paris–Loire the Capetian core—poised for 13th–14th-century contests.

The Succession of Artois and Its Integration with the House of Burgundy (1180–1330)

The County of Artois experienced several transfers of rule over the centuries, from a feudal county to Flemish control, then to France, and later into the hands of the House of Burgundy.

Artois Under French and Flemish Rule

• Originally a feudal county, Artois was annexed by the County of Flanders before becoming part of France in 1180 as the dowry of Isabelle of Hainaut, a Flemish princess who married King Philip II of France.
• In 1237, King Louis VIII’s younger son, Robert I, was granted Artois, making it a separate county once more.

Succession Dispute After the Battle of the Golden Spurs (1302–1309)

• Count Robert II of Artois, grandson of Robert I, died at the Battle of the Golden Spurs (1302), leading to a succession crisis.
• His daughter, Mahaut of Artois, and his nephew, Robert III, contested the inheritance.
• Robert III’s claim was based on his father Philip, who had died after the Battle of Furnes in 1298, making him the male heir.
• However, the dispute was settled in favor of Mahaut, following the principle of proximity of blood, which favored direct descendants over collateral male relatives.

Artois and Franche-Comté Under the Anscarids (1315–1330)

• Upon Mahaut’s death in 1329, Artois passed to her daughter, Joan II of Artois, who had already inherited the County of Burgundy (Franche-Comté) in 1315 from her father, Otto IV of Burgundy.
• When Joan II died in 1330, she bequeathed both Artois and Franche-Comté to her eldest daughter, Joan III of Burgundy.

The Burgundian Connection: Joan III and Odo IV of Burgundy (1318–1330)

• Joan III of Artois and Burgundy had strengthened her territories by aligning with the ducal House of Burgundy, a cadet branch of the royal Capetians.
• She married Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy, in 1318, bringing Artois and Franche-Comté into Burgundian influence.

This dynastic alliance would pave the way for the later expansion of the Burgundian domains, eventually leading to the powerful Burgundian State of the 15th century, which played a crucial role in French and European politics.

Legacy

• The legal dispute over Artois (1302–1309) became one of the most famous inheritance cases in medieval France, influencing later succession laws.
• The union of Artois and Franche-Comté under Joan III strengthened Burgundian power and expanded Capetian cadet control in the Low Countries and eastern France.
• This consolidation set the stage for the later Burgundian expansion, which would challenge the authority of the French monarchy in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Through marriage and inheritance, Artois passed from French royal control to the emerging power of Burgundy, marking a key moment in the shifting political landscape of medieval France.

The Inheritance of Philip of Rouvres: A Child Duke of Burgundy (1349)

Following the death of Duke Odo IV of Burgundy in 1349, his two-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Philip of Rouvres, became the Duke of Burgundy, marking the end of the direct male line of descent from Duke Robert I. Despite his formal title as Duke of Burgundy, the young Philip was too young to rule, and the governance of his duchy and associated counties fell to his mother, Joan of Auvergne and Boulogne, and her second husband, King John II ("the Good") of France.

The Lineage and Succession of Philip of Rouvres

• Odo IV of Burgundy had married Joan III, Countess of Burgundy and Artois, in 1318, securing the union of the Duchy of Burgundy with the Free County of Burgundy (Franche-Comté) and Artois.
• Their only surviving son, Philip, married Joan I of Auvergne and Boulogne, the heiress to Auvergne and Boulogne, further expanding Burgundian influence.
• However, Philip died in 1346 in an accident with a horse, predeceasing his parents.
• Countess Joan III died in 1347, and when Duke Odo IV died in 1349, their grandson, Philip of Rouvres, inherited the duchy as a toddler.

Philip of Rouvres' Titles and Territories

By 1349, the young duke held the following titles:

• Duke of Burgundy (since 1349, after Odo IV's death).
• Count of Burgundy (Franche-Comté) and Artois (since 1347, after his grandmother's death).
• Heir to Auvergne and Boulogne, through his mother, Joan of Auvergne and Boulogne.

Regency Under Joan of Auvergne and King John II of France

• With Philip of Rouvres too young to govern, power was assumed by his mother, Joan of Auvergne and Boulogne, and her second husband, King John II ("the Good") of France, whom she had married in 1349.
• This arrangement meant that Burgundy was effectively under French royal influence, as John II, now King of France, had direct control over the young duke's affairs.

Significance of Philip of Rouvres' Inheritance

• The consolidation of territories – With Philip's inheritance, Burgundy, Franche-Comté, Artois, Auvergne, and Boulogne were brought under a single ruler, although he remained a child.
• French royal influence over Burgundy – The regency under John II of France ensured that Burgundy remained closely tied to the French Crown, limiting its autonomy.
• The fragile future of Burgundy – The survival of the Burgundian state now depended on the survival of a single young boy, making its future uncertain.

Despite his vast inheritance, Philip of Rouvres' minority rule (1349–1361) would lead to political complexities, shaping the future of Burgundy and its relationship with the French Crown.

The Madness of Charles VI and the Struggle for Power (1392–1420)

Between 1388 and 1392, King Charles VI of France implemented governmental reforms and financial economies, seeking to stabilize royal administration after the tumultuous reign of his father, Charles V. However, after 1392, Charles VI began to suffer from recurrent bouts of insanity, rendering him incapable of ruling effectively. His mental decline created a power vacuum, leading to a prolonged struggle for control of the French government between the House of Burgundy and the House of Orléans.

The Rivalry Between Burgundy and Orléans

With the king unable to govern, two factions emerged to fill the void:

• The Burgundians, led by Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (the king’s uncle), and later his son John the Fearless.
• The Armagnacs, led by Louis, Duke of Orléans (the king’s younger brother), and after his assassination in 1407, by his son Charles of Orléans and his allies.

This dynastic struggle eventually erupted into a civil war (1407–1435) that paralyzed France, weakening its financial and military systems and leaving the kingdom vulnerable to English intervention in the later stages of the Hundred Years’ War.

The Disintegration of France’s Military and Financial System

As factional conflicts intensified, the once-strong French military and taxation system—carefully built under Charles V—began to fall apart:

• Royal finances collapsed, as tax revenues were siphoned off by competing factions.
• Mercenary bands, known as the Écorcheurs ("Skinners"), ravaged the countryside as central authority eroded.
• The English renewed their invasion, with Henry V delivering a crushing defeat to the French at Agincourt (1415).
• The Burgundian-Orléanist feud ultimately resulted in John the Fearless' assassination in 1419, leading Burgundy to ally with England and support the Treaty of Troyes (1420), which disinherited the dauphin (future Charles VII) in favor of Henry V of England.

Long-Term Consequences

The mental decline of Charles VI and the subsequent struggle for power not only crippled France’s ability to defend itself, but also paved the way for English dominance in northern France. The kingdom would remain in turmoil until Joan of Arc’s intervention in 1429, which helped turn the tide in favor of the Valois dynasty.

The History of Douai and the Rise of Philip the Bold in Flanders (10th–14th Century)

The town of Douai, historically known as Douay or Doway in English, has long been an important textile market center in Flanders. The site likely corresponds to Duacum, a fourth-century Roman fortress, and by the 10th century, it had become a fiefdom of the Counts of Flanders.

By 1384, Douai became part of the expanding Burgundian domain, as Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, inherited Flanders and other territories through marriage, transforming Burgundy into a major European power.

Philip the Bold and the Union of Flanders with Burgundy

• Philip the Bold (r. 1363–1404) ruled Flanders as Duke Philip II of Burgundy, following his marriage in 1369 to Margaret of Dampierre, widow of Philip of Rouvres and heir to the rich Flemish territories.
• When Margaret’s father, Count Louis II of Flanders, died in 1384, Philip inherited:
  • The French counties of Flanders, Artois, Rethel, and Nevers.
  • The Free County of Burgundy (Franche-Comté), making him a direct vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Impact of the Burgundian Inheritance

• Philip’s acquisition of Flanders merged the economic power of the Low Countries with the military strength of Burgundy, creating a formidable political entity.
• The cities of Flanders, including Douai, Bruges, and Ghent, were among the wealthiest in Europe, dominating cloth production and trade.
• His control over both French and Imperial territories positioned Burgundy as a major rival to both France and the Holy Roman Empire.

Legacy and Consequences

• The union of Flanders and Burgundy under Philip the Bold laid the foundation for the powerful Burgundian State, which would later challenge the French monarchy during the 15th century.
• The wealth of Flanders fueled Burgundian expansion, allowing Philip and his successors to pursue grand artistic, political, and military ambitions.
• Douai, along with other Flemish cities, became an integral part of the Burgundian economic and cultural sphere, reinforcing its importance in medieval Europe.

Philip the Bold’s inheritance of Flanders in 1384 marked a turning point in European politics, establishing Burgundy as a dominant force and shaping the future struggles between France and the Burgundian state.

France has evolved from a feudal country to an increasingly centralized state (albeit with many regional differences) organized around a powerful absolute monarchy that rely on the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings and the explicit support of the Gallican Church.

Mid-fifteenth century France is significantly smaller than it is today, and numerous border provinces (such as Roussillon, Cerdagne, Calais, Béarn, Navarre, County of Foix, Flanders, Artois, Lorraine, Alsace, Trois-Évêchés, Franche-Comté, Savoy, Bresse, Bugey, Gex, Nice, Provence, and Brittany) are autonomous or foreign-held (as by the Holy Roman Empire); there are also foreign enclaves, like the Comtat Venaissin.

In addition, certain provinces within France are ostensibly personal fiefdoms of noble families (like the Bourbonnais, Marche, Forez and Auvergne provinces held by the House of Bourbon.)

The Duke of Burgundy has assembled a large territory including his native duchy and the Burgundian Netherlands.

Le Dauphin, the son of France’s King Charles VII, has ruled efficiently in the Dauphiné, but in 1456 his father seizes the land and drives his son into exile at the Burgundian court.

Their respective advisors, in purposely encourage the misunderstandings between father and son, enable the continuation of the feud.

The Burgundian Wars and Fall of Charles the Bold (1474–1477)

The Burgundian Wars, lasting from 1474 to 1477, marked a climactic conflict between the ambitious Burgundian Duke Charles the Bold and the rival kingdoms of France and the Old Swiss Confederacy, drastically reshaping the geopolitical landscape of late medieval Atlantic West Europe. This decisive conflict ultimately led to Burgundy's dramatic downfall as an independent power, significantly influencing European political history.

Origins and Outbreak of the War (1474)

Open warfare commenced in 1474, reflecting long-simmering tensions between Charles’s aggressive territorial ambitions and King Louis XI’s strategic pursuit of centralized French power. Charles’s efforts to establish a unified Burgundian empire, extending from northern France into the Low Countries and the Rhineland, threatened both French royal interests and the autonomy of neighboring territories, particularly the fiercely independent Swiss Cantons. The alliance of Louis XI and the Swiss Confederates formed a potent coalition determined to halt Burgundian expansion.

Military Campaigns and Burgundian Defeats (1475–1477)

Over the subsequent three years, Charles suffered three catastrophic defeats:

• Battle of Grandson (March 1476): Charles’s forces suffered a devastating defeat against the Swiss Confederates, signaling the beginning of his military decline.
• Battle of Morat (Murten) (June 1476): Charles again faced defeat at the hands of Swiss forces, suffering heavy losses and severely damaging Burgundian military power.
• Battle of Nancy (January 1477): The decisive battle, fought near the Burgundian capital Nancy, resulted in a catastrophic Burgundian defeat and the death of Charles himself. His body, famously found mutilated and frozen after the battle, symbolically underscored the dramatic end of his ambitious political and military career.

Immediate Political and Territorial Consequences

Charles’s death abruptly dissolved the Burgundian dream of a cohesive empire. The Duchy of Burgundy proper and several other territories immediately reverted to French control, significantly bolstering the territorial consolidation and centralization policies of Louis XI.

However, the expansive Burgundian Netherlands and the strategically important region of the Franche-Comté passed to Charles’s sole heir, his daughter Mary of Burgundy. Her subsequent marriage in 1477 to Austrian Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg decisively shifted Burgundian influence into the orbit of the powerful House of Habsburg, establishing a pivotal dynastic link between the Netherlands and Austria.

Cultural and Economic Impact

The Burgundian Wars not only reshaped political boundaries but also drastically altered regional economic and cultural trajectories. The dissolution of the Burgundian state weakened traditional trade networks, initially disrupting commerce. However, the subsequent integration of the Low Countries into the Habsburg domain provided renewed stability and facilitated economic prosperity, enhancing the Netherlands’ role as a major center of European trade, culture, and political influence.

Long-Term Historical Significance

The collapse of Burgundy dramatically reshaped Europe's political landscape, strengthening French royal authority under Louis XI and initiating Habsburg dominance in the Low Countries. The Burgundian Wars thus decisively marked the decline of medieval feudal principalities, paving the way toward early modern states defined by centralized monarchies and dynastic empires.

Charles the Bold’s defeat at Nancy remains a pivotal historical turning point, marking the end of Burgundy as a major independent power and laying the foundations for the intense dynastic rivalries and territorial conflicts that would shape European politics for centuries.