Editing Louis XI (section)

==Feud with Charles the Bold==
{{more citations needed section|date=November 2024}}
Philip III was the Duke of Burgundy at the time that Louis came to the throne, and was keen to initiate a [[Crusade]] against the [[Ottoman Empire]]. However, he needed funds to organize such an enterprise. Louis XI gave him 400,000 gold crowns for the Crusade in exchange for a number of territories, including [[Picardy]] and [[Amiens]].{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=121}} However, Philip's son, the future [[Charles I, Duke of Burgundy]] (known as the Count of Charolais at the time of Louis's accession) was angry about this transaction, feeling that he was being deprived of his inheritance. He joined a rebellion called the [[League of the Public Weal]], led by Louis's brother [[Charles, Duke of Berry (1446-1472)|Charles, the Duke of Berry]].{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=142}} Although the rebels were largely unsuccessful in battle, Louis had no better luck. Louis XI fought an indecisive battle against the rebels at [[Battle of Montlhéry|Montlhéry]]{{sfn|Kendall|1971|pp=158–168}} and was forced to grant an unfavourable peace as a matter of political expediency.{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=169}}

When the Count of Charolais became Duke of Burgundy in 1467 as Charles I ("the Bold"), he seriously considered declaring an independent kingdom of his own. However, Louis's progress toward a strong centralized government had advanced to the point where the dukes of Burgundy could no longer act as independently as they had in the past. The duchy now faced many problems and revolts in its territories, especially from the people of [[Liège]], who conducted the [[Liège Wars]] against the Duke of Burgundy. In the Liège Wars, Louis XI allied himself at first with the people of Liège.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

In 1468, Louis and Charles met at [[Péronne, Somme|Péronne]], but during the course of negotiations, they learned that the citizens of Liège had again risen up against Charles and killed the Burgundian governor.{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=214}} Charles was furious. Philippe de Commines, at that time in the service of the duke of Burgundy, had to calm him down with the help of the duke's other advisors for fear that he might hit the king. Louis was forced into a humiliating treaty. He gave up many of the lands he had acquired from Philip the Good, turned on his erstwhile allies in Liège and swore to help Charles put down the uprising in Liège. Louis then  witnessed a siege of Liège in which hundreds were massacred.{{sfn|Kendall|1971|pp=222–223}}

However, once out of Charles's reach, Louis declared the treaty invalid, and set about building up his forces. His aim was to destroy Burgundy once and for all. Nothing was more odious to Louis' dream of a centralized monarchy than the existence of an over-mighty vassal such as the Duke of Burgundy. War broke out in 1472. Duke Charles laid siege to [[Beauvais]] and other towns. However, these sieges proved unsuccessful; the [[Siege of Beauvais]] was lifted on 22 July 1472,{{sfn|Kendall|1971|p=250}} and Charles finally sued for peace. Philippe de Commines was then welcomed into the service of King Louis.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

In 1469, Louis founded the [[Order of St. Michael]], probably in imitation of the prestigious Burgundian [[Order of the Golden Fleece]], founded by Charles's father Philip the Good, just as King [[John II of France]] had founded the now defunct [[Order of the Star (France)|Order of the Star]] in imitation of the [[Order of the Garter]] of King [[Edward III of England]].{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} In both cases, a French king appears to have been motivated to found an [[order of chivalry]] to increase the prestige of the French royal court by the example of his chief political adversary.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}