Charles I, King of Normandy

Charles I born 1378, died 1447, was King of Normandy. Charles became heir to the Norman throne in 1391, when his father, Richard, Duke of Normandy died at the Battle of Tyre. Charles became King in 1399 after the death of his grandfather, William II, King of Normandy.

Early life
Charles was born 28 July 1378 at Falaise, son of Richard, Duke of Normandy and Emily of Burgundy. He grew up at Falaise Palace. When he was 13 years old, his father and uncle died at the Battle of Tyre, leaving him heir to the Norman thrown. Upon the death of his father, he became Duke of Normandy and moved to the Kings court in Valenguard.

In 1399 his grandfather, William II, King of Normandy died and Charles was crowned King of Normandy and Jerusalem on 6 June 1399 at the age of 21.

Early Reign
Charles was crowned King of Normandy and Jerusalem at the age of 21, on 6 June 1399, after the death of his grandfather, William II, King of Normandy. Six months later, he married Yolande of Aragon, the daughter of John I of Aragon. This was part of the agreement between his grandfather, William II, King of Normandy and King John I of Aragon, who wanted to confirm the alliance between Normandy and Aragon. He maintained close relations with England and is said to have become close friends with Henry IV of England and later Henry V of England.

Hundred Years War
In January 1415, French forces took the Norman city of Harfleur, resuming the Hundred Years War. Charles met with Henry V of England in London and the two Kings agreed to take Harfleur back and invade France. Charles wanted to re-take Boulogne and strengthen his borders by taking Artois, Picardy and Loire.

In August 1415 Henry V sailed from England with a force of about 10,500, joining with Charles I who had an army of around 15,000. They laid siege to Harfleur. The city resisted for longer than expected, but finally surrendered on 22 September. Because of the unexpected delay, most of the campaign season was gone. Rather than march on Paris directly, they elected to make a raiding expedition across France toward English-occupied Calais. In a campaign reminiscent of Crécy, they found himself outmanoeuvred and low on supplies and had to fight a much larger French army at the Battle of Agincourt, north of the Somme. Despite the problems and having a smaller force, the victory was near-total; the French defeat was catastrophic, costing many of the Armagnac leaders. About 40% of the French nobility was killed. Henry was apparently concerned that the large number of prisoners taken were a security risk (there were more French prisoners than the entire English and Norman army) and he ordered their deaths. The Anglo-Norman allies retook much of Picardy and Artois, including Boulogne in 1417. A formal alliance was made with the Duchy of Burgundy, who had taken Paris after the assassination of Duke John the Fearless in 1419. In 1420, Henry and Charles met with king Charles VI of France and signed the Treaty of Troyes, by which Henry finally married Charles' daughter Catherine of Valois and Henry's heirs would inherit the throne of France. The Dauphin, Charles VII, was declared illegitimate. Henry formally entered Paris later that year and the agreement was ratified by the Estates-General.

On 22 March 1421 the Anglo-Norman's progress, in the French campaign, experienced an unexpected reverse. Henry had left his brother and presumptive heir Thomas, Duke of Clarence in charge while he returned to England. Clarence engaged a Franco-Scottish force of 5000 men, led by John Stewart, Earl of Buchan at the Battle of Baugé. Clarence against the advice of his lieutenants, before his army had been fully assembled, attacked with a force of no more than 1500 men-at-arms. He then, during the course of the battle, led a charge of a few hundred men into the main body of the Franco-Scottish army who quickly enveloped the English. In the ensuing melée, the Scot, John Carmichael of Douglasdale broke his lance unhorsing the Duke of Clarence. Once on the ground, the duke was slain by Alexander Buchanan. The body of the Duke of Clarence was recovered from the field by Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, who conducted the English retreat.

The Norman campaign under Charles was proving a great success, with the Normans winning a number of battles including the Battle of Nantes, the Battle of Saint Naziare and the Battle of Saumur, taking much of the Loire region under Norman control.

An Anglo-Norman army under Charles won an emphatic victory at the Battle of Verneuil, (17 August 1424). At the Battle of Baugé, Clarence had rushed into battle without the support of his archers. At Verneuil the English archers fought to devastating effect against the Franco-Scottish army. The effect of the battle was to virtually destroy the Dauphin's field army and to eliminate the Scots as a significant military force for the rest of the war. Charles' son and heir to thw throne, Nicholas, Duke of Normandy died at the Battle of Verneuil, when he was struck in the face by an arrow.

In 1440 a Norman army, under the command of Richard, Duke of Brittany, the second son of King Charles I, was defeated at the Battle of Blois. Richard was attempting to reinforce his cousins army who were preparing for battle in Amboise, when his force came across the main French army. The small Norman army were destroyed by the French and Richard's body was discovered on the battlefield and taken back to Valenguard.

In 1445, the ageing King Charles of Normandy signed the Treaty of Orleans with Charles VII of France, ending hostilities between France and Normandy.

Later reign
After the end of the Hundred Years War, Charles lived out his remaining two years in peace, at his palace in Valenguard. Charles died on 14 October 1447 and his body was buried at Rouen Abbey.

Issue

 * Nicholas, born 1403, died 1424. Married Cecilia of Brandenburg in 1422.
 * Richard, born 1407, died 1440. Married Margaret of Savoy in 1425.
 * Joanna, Countess of East Frisia, 1411, died 1474. Married Ulrich I, Count of East Frisia
 * Maria, Duchess of Brabant born 1415, 1467. Married Philip I, Duke of Brabant
 * Arthur I, King of Normandy, born 1419