General Notes

Charles VII, b.  Feb.  22, 1403, d.  July 22, 1461, was king of France from
1422 to 1461.  He was the fifth son of Isabella of Bavaria and, presumably, of
her husband, Charles VI of France. He became dauphin and heir to the throne in
1417, following the deaths of his brothers.  In 1419, Charles was involved in
the murder of John the Fearless, duke of Burgundy.  Henry V of England, who
was rapidly conquering northwestern France, concluded a treaty in 1420 with
the deranged Charles VI and the new duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good,
disinheriting the dauphin.  Therefore, when Charles VI died in 1422, only the
southern part of France recognized Charles VII as king.

His cause seemed hopeless until 1429, when a French force inspired by the
presence of St.  Joan of Arc stopped the English at Orleans.  Accompanied by
Joan, Charles went to Reims for his coronation as king (July 1429).

Despite the intrigues of competing royal favorites, Charles proved skillful at
court politics.  He became much stronger after making peace with Burgundy
(1435) and recapturing Paris (1436).  In the next decade he reestablished
regular taxation and instituted (1445) a permanent army.  The English were
expelled from most of France by 1453.