CHARLES VI., called Le Bien-sin:id (the Well-beloved), eon of the last-mentioned prince, came to the throne upon the death of his father in 1380, being yet in his minority. The guardianship of the king's person and the administration of his power became the subject of dispute between his uncles, Louis of Anjou, Jean of Berri, and Philippe of Bourgogne ; the first-mentioned of whom had managed upon the death of Charles V. to possess himself of the crown-jewels and treasure, and of a deposit of the precious metals in bars, which that king had caused to be secretly built into the walls of his palace at Melon. The difference was terminated by an arrangement : Anjou was allowed to retain the valuables which he had purloined, and the king was declared to be of an age to assume the government, which was however really regulated by a counciL The beginning of Charles's reign was marked by intestine commotions. The Duke of Berri, governor of Languedoc, goaded the people of that province into rebellion by exactions as galling as those of his brother and predecessor Louis of Anjou. These troubles were not immediately extinguished either by the powerful force or dreadful severity of the duke, although he succeeded in repressing open insurrection; for the peasantry took refuge in the woods, and waged against those of higher station a war as much marked by unpitying atrocity as that of the Jacquerie. [Caesars V.) An attempt to establish a market-toll led to serious commotiona both at Rouen and at Paris ; the commotiona were suppressed, and were followed by numerous executions, open and secret, in both cities.
Troubles in Flanders, where the wealthy inhabitants of the great manufacturing towns were engaged in perpetual broils with their feudal lords, next engaged the attention of the young king. The Flemings had rebelled against Count Lonia, father-in-law of the Duke of Bourgogne; and the king marched to the support of the count with a completely-appointed army, and defeated Philippe von Arteveld, leader of the Flemings, in the great battle of Roabecque, with dreadful slaughter (1382). Courtray was plundered, and Bruges and Tourney came into the hands of the French ; but Ghent and other places held out, and the approach of winter compelled the king to disband his army. Upon his return to Paris, Charles punished severely some tumults which the citizens had raised during his absence, and similar measures of coercion were adopted at Rouen, Chtilons-sur-Marne, Sens, and Orleans. A campaign, the following year, against the Flemings, who were supported by a body of English under Henry le Spenser, the warlike bishop of Norwich, was on the whole successful, though not marked by any brilliant exploit. This war partook of the nature of a religious war, for it was the time of the great schism In the papacy, and the English sod Flemings supported Urban VI., one
of the claimants, while the French supported Clement VIL, his rival. The troubles of Flanders were composed by a treaty (1384), during the negociation of which the Count of Flanders died, stabbed, according to some accounts, by the Duke of Berri, the king's uncle.
The year 1385 was distinguished by the marriage of Charles with Isabelle, daughter of the Duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt, as well as by a renewal of the troubles in Flanders ; and the following year (1386) by the assemblage of a vast force for the invasion of England. This force amounted, according to Froissart, to 20,000 men-at-arms, 20,000 cross bowmen, partly Genoese, and 20,000 ' stout varlets.' Other accounts enlarge the number to 600,000 fighting men. A fleet almost innu merable, 1287 vessels according to some, was collected on the coast of Flandere from all parts of Europe, from the Baltic to the extremity of Spain ; and an enormous wooden bulwark was constructed, capable of sheltering, it was said, the whole army from the dreaded archery of England : it could be taken to pieces and replaced at pleasure. But various delays, whether from contrary winds or other causes, prevented the Railing of the fleet, or a tempest so far shattered it as to frustrate its object ; and the king, who was to, embark in person, returned•to Paris, after exhausting his resources in the equipment of such a force, and desolating by the consequences of its march the face of the country which be traversed. The project of invasion was resumed next year, with preparations of a far less costly nature ; but this expedition was act aside by the captivity of the Constable do Clisson, who was treacherously seized by his mortal enemy De Montfort, duke of Bretagne, who was jealous of De Clisson's proposed alliance with the house of Blois, which had disputed the succession of Bretagne with De Montfort. De Mason was released, but upon hard conditions; and his hostility was probably diverted from England to Bretagne. In the year 1388 Charles undertook an expedition against the Duke of Oneldres, but he could obtain only a qualified submission; and the result of the expedition was, considering his superior force, regarded as inglorious. The public murmured, and it is likely their murmurs were chiefly directed against the king's uncles, the dukes of Berri and Bourgogne, for the king took the opportunity to emancipate himself from the tutelage in which he had been held by these royal dukes. The cardinal of Leon, who had acted a prominent part in bringing about this change, was taken off by poison : the immediate author of his death was detected, but the probable instigators of the crime were too lofty for punishment.