March to Reims

March to Reims
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Coronation of Charles VII in Reims (miniature from the Vigiles du roi Charles VII de Martial d'Auvergne, Paris, BnF, département of Manuscrits).
Date June 24–16 July 1429 Location Gien to Reims, France Result Coronation of Charles VII in Reims
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	Kingdom of England Duchy of Burgundy
Commanders and leaders
Charles VII of France Joan of Arc Jean II d'Alençon Jean de Dunois La Hire Poton de Xaintrailles Ambroise de Loré Jean de Brosse Gilles de Rais Louis de Culant Georges de la Trémoille Charles I of Albret Jean II de Valois Charles I, Duke of Bourbon Louis, Count of Vendôme Guy XIV de Montfort-Laval André de Lohéac Charles II d'Albret Jean V de Bueil Gilbert Motier de La Fayette Pierre Bessonneau	Henry VI of England John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford Philippe the Good Thomas de Scales John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset John Fastolf
Strength
12,000 to 77,000

After the lifting of the siege of Orleans and the Battle of Patay , the Anglo-Burgundian noose was loosened. Joan of Arc convinced the Dauphin Charles to go to be crowned at Reims. The march though the heart of territory controlled by the Burgundians was successful and gives the throne to Charles VII, who had been ousted therefrom by the Treaty of Troyes.

Main article: Treaty of Troyes and Joan of Arc .

Since the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, the dauphin had been disinherited in favour of Henry V of England following the assassination of John the Fearless. The former married the daughter of King Charles VI of France, and his son Henry VI was to be his successor on the thrones of France and England. But Henry V died in 1422 and his son was not yet one year old; the regency was entrusted to John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford. The intervention of Joan of Arc with the Dauphin Charles would be seen as miraculous, even more so after the lifting of the Siege of Orleans and the Battle of Patay.

For the first time in the history of France, the king let the crown pass to his eldest son. Charles VI of France disinherited his son, leaving the kingdom of France to Henry VI of England, who was the son his daughter Catherine. After Charles VI died, his son challenged his disinheritance and claimed the throne. Despite the French victory in the Battle of Patay on June 18, which caused the decline of the English in Paris, the dauphin Charles VII refused to continue to Reims, which was in the hands of the Burgundians, remaining in Sully-sur-Loire and withdrew his army to Orleans to be crowned there as was Louis VI; Nevertheless, a coronation in Reims would have a much greater impact because it would be seen as a new miracle, attesting to his divine legitimacy. After initially meeting the Dauphin on May 23, 1429 at the Royal City of Loches, Joan of Arc next met him again on June 21 at four o'clock in the Fleury Abbey to persuade him to go to Reims. The next day, the dauphin's council met in Chateauneuf-sur-Loire and ordered the army to gather at Gien.

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