Two years elapsed before he could collect a sufficient treasure to undertake another expedition with any pros pect of success. He then embarked with 25,000, and subdued, almost without opposition, the whole of lower Normandy. The contending factions in France were now headed by the Dauphin and the Duke of Burgundy, in concert with the Queen. Henry entered into a nego tiation with the Burgundians, and offered peace upon condition of receiving all the provinces which had been ceded to Edward III. by the treaty of Brctigni, with the addition of Normandy. The terms were accepted ; but before matters could be finally adjusted, the treaty was broken off by the reconciliation of Burgundy and the Dauphin. This reconciliation, however, was but of short duration ; and the assassination of the Duke of Burgundy opened to Henry more certain prospects of aggrandisement. The young Duke, intent only on aven ging his father's murderers, entered into a league with the King of England, and sacrificed to his passions the true interests of his country. The parties met at Troye, whither the French court had retired, and it was there agreed that Henry should espouse the Princess Cathe rine; that lie should be declared and acknowledged law ful heir of the monarchy ; that he should be entrusted with the administration of the government during the life of Charles; and that England and France should for ever be united under one king. It was also stipu lated, that they should unite their arms against the Dau phin, and make no peace or truce with him, but by common consent and agreement. This treaty was im mediately followed by Henry's marriage, when he con ducted his father-in•aw to Paris, and put him in pos session of the capital. The treaty of Troye was con firmed by the parliament of Paris and the three estates, and the King of England administered the government at his pleasure.
Henry now turned his arms against the Dauphin, who was unable to keep the field. He made himself master of Sens and Montereau, and after an obstinate resistance, took Melun. But the want of supplies obli ged him to go over to England. During his absence, the Dauphin had been reinforced by 7000 Scots, under the Earl of Buchan, and had obtained considerable suc cesses in Anjou. At the battle of Bauge, the English, under the Duke of Clarence, the king's brother, were ompletely defeated ; the Duke himself slain, and the Earls of Somerset, Dorset, and Huntingdon, taken soners. But the return of Henry with a numerous ar my, soon restored the fortune of his arms. The Dau phin was compelled to retire before him. The principal fortresses which were held by the adherents of that prince, fell into his hands ; and he himself was driven beyond the Loire, and threatened with total destruction. In the midst of these successes, the Queen of England war delivered of a son, which occasioned great rejoicings, both at London and Paris. The infant prince was call ed by his father's name, and seemed to be universally regarded as the future heir of the two most powerful monarchies in Europe.
But Henry was cut off in the zenith of his glory by the stroke of death. IIe was seized with a fistula, a disease at that time not sufficiently understood, and sen sible that his end was approaching, he proceeded to re gulate the government of his kingdom and family. He left the regency of France to his elder brother, the Duke of Bedford ; that of England to his younger brother, the Duke of Gloucester; and the care of his son's per son to the Earl of Warwick. He advised them never to restore the prisoners taken at Agincourt till his son came of age ; and to endeavour, by every mean, to maintain the friendship of the Duke of Burgundy, by whose assistance alone they would be enabled to place young Henry upon the throne of France. He also en
treated them to continue towards his son that fidelity and attachment which he himself had so happily experi enced during his lifetime. He then applied himself to his devdtions, arid expired at the castle of Vincennes, in the 34th year of his age, and lOth of his reign. The general character of this prince, as well as his splendid achievements, endeared him to his subjects, and his me mory is still held in reverence by his countrymen. He attached his friends, by his affability and engaging man ners ; and he overcame his enemies, by his address and clemency. His magnanimous conduct towards the Earl of Marche, who was the rightful heir to the throne, spews his superiority to the petty jealousies which gene rally influence princes in similar situations ; and his cha racter for candour and sincerity must have been firmly established, when his rival could rely so entirely on his friendship. The exterior figure of Henry was also high ly prepossessing. His countenance was beautiful ; his limbs genteel and slender, but full of vigour ; and his stature somewhat above the middle size.
Upon the death of Henry, the English parliament proceeded to arrange the administration of the govern ment during the minority of his son. They entirely de parted from the will of Henry. They declined the title of regent with regard to England, and appointed the Duke of Bedford protector or guardian of that kingdom. They invested the Duke of Gloucester with the same dignity during his brother's absence, while conducting the war with France ; and entrusted the person and edu cation of the young king to his great uncle the Bishop of Winchester.
The Duke of Bedford continued to prosecute the war in France with the same success which had distinguished the arms of Henry. He had strengthened himself by an alliance with the Duke of Brittany, and had also pro cured the neutrality of Scotland. But while employed in these negotiations, he at the same time pushed his conquests with such vigour, that the Dauphin, who, on the death of his father, had been crowned at Poictiers by the name of Charles VII. was reduced to the last ex iremity. The fatal battle of Verncuil had deprived him of the bravest of his nobles, and the flower of his army. Ile wandered a stranger in his own dominions, without any resources for recruiting or subsisting his troops; with out even money sufficient for the decent subsistence of himself and a few followers. The towns which were held by his adherents, though bravely defended, were daily surrendering to the enemy for want of relief or supply ; and he had the dismal prospect of being soon stripped of all his patrimonial dominions. But the dissensions of his enemies relieved him from hig fears, and restored to him the territories which he had lost. The Duke of Brittany withdrew from the English alliance, and joined himself to Charles, which gave to his affairs a more fa vourable aspect; and the discomfiture of the English at the siege of Orlemis, which was defended by the famous Joan of Arc, was the beginning of disasters, which gra dually led to the destruction of the English interest in France. This was hastened by the defection of the Duke of Burgundy, and the death of the Duke of Bedford ; and though they continued for several years after to carry on an unequal war, they daily lost ground, and in 1450 were finally expelled from all their conquests in France, except Calais and Guicnne. See FRANCE.