Editing Charles the Bold (section)

=== Rivalry with Louis XI ===
[[File:The Duke of Burgundy providing a sumptuous feast for Louis, Dauphin of France.jpg|alt=Miniature painting, a feast with Louis and Philip sitting next to each other|thumb|''The Duke of Burgundy providing a sumptuous feast for Louis, Dauphin of France'', by [[Job (illustrator)|Job]], 1905]]

In 1457, [[Louis XI|Louis]], Dauphin of France and the heir to Charles VII, suddenly arrived at Philip the Good's court at Brussels.{{Sfn|Blockmans|Pervenier|1999|p=115}} Philip saw his guest as an opportunity to mend his relations with the crown and took the dauphin in, indulging him with kindness, showing humility, and refusing all the king's requests to send the dauphin back. At Philip's expense, Louis lived in [[Genappe]], where he led a comfortable life.{{Sfn|Blockmans|Pervenier|1999|p=115}} Charles VII attempts to regain his son failed. He reportedly said: "My cousin Burgundy is feeding a fox who will eat up all his chickens".{{Sfn|Van Loo|2021|p=347}} Louis would go on to become Philip's [[favourite]], in consequence of Philip's quarrel with his son.{{Sfn|Van Loo|2021|p=352}}

In contrast to Louis's friendship with Philip the Good, Louis and Charles disliked each other.{{Sfn|Smith|De Vries|2005|p=140}} However, Charles asked the dauphin to be godfather to his daughter, Mary.{{Sfn|Van Loo|2021|p=353}} Charles's hatred for Louis increased when the latter ascended to the French throne after the death of his father on 22 July 1461.{{Sfn|Smith|De Vries|2005|p=140}} Louis was crowned king on 31 August in [[Reims]] under the [[regnal name]] Louis XI, with Philip the Good personally placing the crown on his head.{{Sfn|Van Loo|2021|p=359}} While the duke thought that the hostilities between France and Burgundy were at an end, the new king at his coronation ceremony refused to participate in the feast sponsored by Philip in his honour. The latter thus returned to his realm disappointed.{{Sfn|Van Loo|2021|pp=359–360}} Charles feared Louis's intention was to demolish the Burgundian defensive system in Picardy, and he was furious when a crisis occurred in autumn 1463 regarding the [[Somme towns]], land belonging to his father.<ref>{{harvnb|Schnerb|2008|p=450}}; {{harvnb|Blockmans|Pervenier|1999|p=115|year=}}.</ref> De Croÿ persuaded Philip to agree to amend the Treaty of Arras, which had given him cities such as [[Saint-Quentin, Aisne|Saint-Quentin]], [[Abbeville]], [[Amiens]], [[Péronne, Somme|Péronne]], and [[Montdidier, Somme|Montdidier]]. Philip agreed to accept 400,000 gold ''[[écu]]s'' from Louis to return those cities to [[Crown lands of France|the crown domains]].<ref>{{harvnb|Van Loo|2021|p=364}}; {{harvnb|Blockmans|Pervenier|1999|p=115|year=}}.</ref> When Charles was chosen as {{Transliteration|Fr|lieutenant général}} in 1464, he provoked a war against Louis by forming the [[War of the Public Weal|League of the Public Weal]].{{Sfn|Schnerb|2008|p=450}}

The League of the Public Weal was a confederation of prominent French princes — [[Charles of Valois, Duke of Berry|Charles of Berry]] (the king's brother), [[Francis II, Duke of Brittany]], [[John II, Duke of Bourbon]], and [[Jacques d'Armagnac|Jacques]] and [[John V, Count of Armagnac|John d'Armagnac]] — which was formed to undermine Louis XI's authority.{{Sfn|Schnerb|2008|p=450}} They declared Charles of Berry the regent of France and appointed Francis II as the captain general of the army.{{Sfn|Potter|2012|p=185}} With the threat of rebellion looming, Louis offered to pardon all the dukes and lords. Minor lords accepted the pardon, but the dukes persisted with their demands.{{Sfn|Potter|2012|p=185}} The members of the league chose Charles as their leader and began amassing an army.{{Sfn|Potter|2012|p=185}} The League became the most dangerous in a series of princely revolts against the French crown; one chronicle recorded the number of the participants against Louis XI to be seven dukes, twelve counts, two lords, one marshal, and 51,000 men-at-arms.{{Sfn|Vaughan|Small|2010|p=379}}

To counteract the rebels, Louis XI amassed an army and sent it southwards to central France to defeat John II of Bourbon. Charles soon mustered an army of 25,000 men and marched towards Paris.{{Sfn|Potter|2012|p=185}} Louis and his army hastily returned to Paris to defend the city against Charles's army.{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}} On 15 July, Charles reached the village of [[Montlhéry]]; in search of his allies' armies, he discovered that the royal army was camped in [[Arpajon]], a few miles south.{{Sfn|Vaughan|Small|2010|p=385}} On learning of Charles's position, Louis moved to fight him.{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}}

[[File:Bataille de Montlhéry (Mémoires de Philippe de Commines, Ms18).jpg|alt=Two armies, one with the banners of Louis XI and one with the banners of the Duchy of Burgundy, fighting a pitched battle against each other|thumb|[[Battle of Montlhéry]],  early-16th-century miniature illustrating [[Philippe de Commines]]|245x245px]]

On 16 July 1465, the two armies met and fought the [[Battle of Montlhéry]].{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}} Charles placed himself next to the defensively positioned Burgundian vanguard, led by [[Louis, Count of Saint-Pol|Louis of Saint-Pol]]. He attacked into the French left flank led by [[Charles IV, Count of Maine]]. Charles was pursuing the fleeing count and his army, when the French vanguard counterattacked,{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}} and Charles was wounded in the throat. He evaded capture and returned to his lines.{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}} After his return, he ordered his gunners to shoot at the king's army; by his account, 1,200–1,400 men and a large number of horses were killed.{{Sfn|Smith|De Vries|2005|p=145}} In the late evening, Louis XI retreated eastwards to Paris.{{Sfn|Vaughan|Small|2010|p=385}}

While each side claimed victory in the battle, neither side achieved all their objectives.{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}} Charles could not capture Louis on the battlefield, and Louis could not prevent Charles from joining his allies.{{Sfn|Vaughan|Small|2010|p=385}} In spite of his ability to form his battle troops in a cohesive battle order, Charles had yet to become an able tactician.{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010b}} The rebel armies joined in the town of [[Étampes]] and began marching towards Paris on 31 July.{{Sfn|Smith|De Vries|2005|p=145}} The rebels laid siege to Paris, during which Charles directed his gunfire at the city's walls.<ref>{{harvnb|Ditcham|2010|p=}}; {{harvnb|Smith|De Vries|2005|p=146|year=}}.</ref> The rebels successfully entered the city when a nobleman named Charles de Melun opened the [[Porte Saint-Antoine|Saint-Antoine gate]] for them.{{Sfn|Cuttler|1981|p=36}} Louis XI was then forced to negotiate.{{Sfn|Baboukis|2010a}} The parties signed the [[Treaty of Conflans]], which ceded the rule of [[Duchy of Normandy|Normandy]] to Charles, Duke of Berry, and returned the Somme lands to Burgundy.<ref>{{harvnb|Saenger|1977|p=8}}; {{harvnb|Van Loo|2021|p=383|year=}}.</ref>