Editing Louis XI (section)

==Childhood==
Louis was born in [[Bourges]] on 3 July 1423, the son of King [[Charles VII of France]] and [[Marie of Anjou]].{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=33}} At the time of the [[Hundred Years War]], the English held northern France, including the city of Paris, and Charles VII was restricted to the centre and south of the country.{{sfn|Guérard|1959|p=552}} Louis was the grandson of [[Yolande of Aragon]], who was a force in the royal family for driving the English out of France, which was at a low point in its struggles. Just a few weeks after Louis's christening at the [[Bourges Cathedral|Cathedral of St. Étienne]] on 4 July 1423, the French army suffered a crushing defeat by the English [[Battle of Cravant|at Cravant]].{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=34}} Shortly thereafter, a combined Anglo-Burgundian army briefly raided Bourges itself.{{sfn|Sumption|2023|p=60}}

[[File:L'Adoration des mages, Heures d'Étienne Chevalier.jpg|thumb|left|In this painting by [[Jean Fouquet]], Louis's father Charles VII is depicted as one of the [[Adoration of the Magi|three magi]], and it is assumed that Louis, then dauphin, is one of the other two.]]

During the reign of Louis's grandfather [[Charles VI of France|Charles VI]] (1380–1422), the Duchy of Burgundy was very much connected with the French throne, but because the central government lacked any real power, all the duchies of France tended to act independently.{{sfn|Guérard|1959|p=105}} In its position of independence from the French throne, Burgundy had grown in size and power. By the reign of Louis's father Charles VII, [[Philip the Good]] was reigning as duke of Burgundy, and the duchy had expanded its borders to include all the territory in France from the [[North Sea]] in the north to the [[Jura Mountains]] in the south and from the [[Somme River]] in the west to the [[Moselle River]] in the east.{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=84}} During the Hundred Years War, the Burgundians allied themselves with England against the French crown.{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=42}}

In 1429, young Louis found himself at [[Loches]] in the presence of [[Joan of Arc]], fresh from her first victory over the English at the [[Siege of Orléans]],{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=34}} which initiated a turning point for the French in the Hundred Years War. Joan later led troops in other victories at the [[Battle of Jargeau]] and the [[Battle of Patay]].{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=42}} Paris was recaptured after her death, and Louis and his father were able to ride in triumph into the city on 12 November 1437.{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=46}} Nevertheless, Louis grew up aware of the continuing weakness of France. He regarded his father as a weakling, and despised him for this.