Editing Charles V of France (section)

===Treaty of Brétigny===
John's capture gave the English the edge in peace negotiations following the [[Battle of Poitiers]]. The King signed the [[Treaty of London (1359)|Treaty of London]] in 1359 that ceded most of western France to England and imposed a ruinous ransom of 4&nbsp;million [[Écu|''écus'']] on the country. The Dauphin (backed by his councillors and the [[Estates General (France)|Estates General]]) rejected the treaty, and English King Edward invaded France later that year. Edward reached [[Reims]] in December and Paris in March, but Charles forbade his soldiers from direct confrontation with the English, relying on improved municipal fortifications made to Paris by Marcel. He would later rebuild the wall on the Left Bank (''Rive gauche''), and he built a new wall on the Right Bank (''Rive droite'') that extended to a new fortification called the [[Bastille]]. Edward pillaged and raided the countryside but could not bring the French to a decisive battle, so he eventually agreed to reduce his terms. This [[Fabian strategy|non-confrontational strategy]] would prove extremely beneficial to France during Charles' reign.

The [[Treaty of Brétigny]], signed on 8 May 1360, ceded a third of western France (mostly in [[Aquitaine]] and [[Gascony]]) to the English and lowered [[Ransom of King John II of France|the King's ransom]] to 3&nbsp;million ''écus''. King John was released the following October. His second son, [[Louis I, Duke of Anjou|Louis of Anjou]], took his place as a hostage.

Though his father had regained his freedom, Charles suffered a great personal tragedy at nearly the same time. His three-year-old daughter Joan and infant daughter Bonne died within two months of each other late in 1360; at their double funeral, the Dauphin was said to be "so sorrowful as never before he had been." Charles himself had been severely ill, with his hair and nails falling out; some suggest the symptoms are those of [[arsenic]] poisoning.<ref>Jean-Sébastien Laurentie, ''Histoire de France, divisée par époques depuis les origines gauloises jusqu'aux temps présents'', Tome IV, Deuxième époque, (Lagny Frères, Libraires, Paris, 1841), p. 61</ref>

John proved as ineffective at ruling upon his return to France as he had before his capture. When Louis of Anjou escaped from English custody, John announced he had no choice but to return to captivity himself. He arrived in London in January 1364, became ill, and died in April.