Original subtitles

The world we live in was shaped by war.

For hundreds of years, power -hungry families fought for the right to rule,

and Europe transformed.

For the glory of England!

I, Philip de Valois, am the only king of France.

These rivalries shifted borders.

Curse me, the French king!

...destroyed cities and brought populations to their knees.

A war of thrones, a tale of murder, sex, and betrayal.

Greatness, madam, that is what France needs.

Those not crowned in glory were brutally slaughtered or condemned to rot in the

shadows.

the heretic and must perish in the flames.

Guards! Guards!

In the merciless game of war and ambition, anything goes.

In the second half of the 15th century, a perfidious king was crowned in France.

But its throne was threatened.

Battles were being prepared.

From England to Austria, throughout Europe, marriages were arranged.

But one enemy would prove more formidable than the others.

The Kingdom of France would have a hard time retaining its power.

On August 15, 1461, beneath the great vaulted roof of Reims Cathedral, where

all the kings of France had been crowned since the ninth century, the dauphin

Louis de Valois was crowned Louis XI.

At 38 years old, it was hard for him to conceal his pride, for he had always

been impatient to reign.

Twenty years earlier, Louis had tried to overthrow his father, Charles VII,

determined to take his place on the throne of France.

You are no longer worthy of the kingdom of France.

And you dare to show yourself with this harlot?

In those days, he was ashamed of his father, Charles VII.

He thought him more inclined towards the pleasures of the court than for war

against the enemies of the kingdom.

Charles appeared everywhere with his favorite, the beautiful Agnès Sorel.

Cease this foolishness immediately.

Do not take the risk of losing the throne before you've even been crowned.

But Charles VII would not be intimidated.

The arrogant Dauphin was finally forced to ask the king's pardon.

This challenge that history has labeled the Praguerie is remembered as a failed

coup d 'etat.

Louis XI was spared, but as a reprisal.

One of the revolt's leaders was put to death.

He was tied up in a sack and thrown alive into the river.

From

this

error of his youth, Louis XI would always remain fearful of plots against

More than 20 years after this revolt, on the day of his coronation, many of the

great lords attending feared this new king.

Because everyone there had always taken the father's side against the son.

May the messenger of God and of men make you the mediator of the clergy and the

people.

When the coronation was over, many of the nobility threw themselves at his

trying to get into his good graces.

But Louis XI made no promises.

Barely had he been crowned, then he made some decisions that were to surprise

them.

The new king decided to remove the nobles from power and surround himself

common people.

This was betrayal for his ministers, all born into the nobility and who had

faithfully served his father.

Come, my friend.

Take your place.

At the first council, they reacted violently against the newcomer.

I shall decide who sits among us.

Louis XI decided to remove his enemies from power.

In their places, he put friends in the key posts of the kingdom. The barber

fit at the council.

His barber became an ambassador, his tailor a herald of arms, and his doctor

chancellor.

For Louis had learned to trust the common people, where he grew up, at the

Château de Loche in Turin.

His father, King Charles VII, had wanted his son to spend his childhood here,

far away from the court at Bourges, in order to protect him from the English,

who still occupied a large part of France.

The Dauphin's upbringing was entrusted to nurses and tutors.

He was a pious child who was given a well -rounded education.

Knee.

Arm. But his solitude and the rather austere atmosphere at court turned him

a secretive prince, sometimes cruel and already distrustful. Turn around.

Faster. Turn again.

Arm again.

Arm again.

Arm.

would turn the chateau of his childhood into a prison where prisoners were

locked in iron cages.

Because once crowned, he would mistrust everyone.

Particularly the King of England, Edward IV of York, who could very easily have

restarted the Hundred Years' War.

This courageous warrior had taken the English throne by force and had not

up the hope of wearing the crown of France.

But Louis XI was equally suspicious of the nobility of France, whose fiefs

up the kingdom, such as Brittany, the men Anjou, the Orléans, and Burgundy.

Rather than wage war against them, the universal spider, as he was already

known, was to play the marriage game.

To control the towns of Orléans and Blois, Louis XI married his second

Jeanne de France, to young Louis d 'Orléans, who was only 14 years old.

The 12 -year -old princess was not ugly, but she had been deformed and lame.

When Marie de Cleves, the young groom's mother, saw her, she almost fainted.

But the marriage took place.

But this marriage game was soon to turn against the King of France.

Many thought that Louis XI was leading France to its downfall, beginning with

his younger brother, Charles de France.

In February 1465, during a royal haunt, he slipped away.

He had a secret meeting in Paris.

Like him, the Dukes of Brittany, Bourbon, Lorraine, and others had been

from power by Louis XI.

To avenge themselves, they formed a movement.

known as the League for the Public Wheel.

At the head of this revolt was the son of the Duke of Burgundy, soon to be

as Charles the Bold.

My dear friends, the kingdom is being driven into the ground.

Like Louis XI, Charles the Bold descended from a king of France, John II

Good. They were first cousins and had the same determination to fight.

With this pledge, let it be known that we, princes of the blood, barons... The

bold was intelligent, proud, and brutal, and like all lords of the League, was

ready to do anything to overthrow Louis XI.

We pledge to seat a just man on the throne of France.

His idea was to appoint the king's younger brother, Charles de Fonf, as

Let us swear, my friends.

We swear!

In the name of the League of the Wheel, the bold declared war on the King of

France.

On May the 10th, 1465, with more than 10 ,000 men, he headed towards Paris.

Immediately, Louis XI left Tours with an army of around 7 ,000 soldiers.

On the evening of July the 15th, the two sides met.

The following day at dawn, Louis gave the order to attack.

The battle was very disorganized. It was total

chaos.

The Burgundians penetrated the French rank.

The Royal Army pretended to retreat and then disperse.

By the middle of the morning, the battle had started up again in small

skirmishing groups.

Louis XI was himself attacked by a warrior nicknamed the great bastard of

Burgundy, half -brother of the bull.

Louis XI was wounded and fell to the ground.

Believing himself victorious, Charles the Bold went to take possession.

of the Chateau of Monnery.

Suddenly, he was attacked by the king's men.

His equerry was killed outright.

The bold was wounded in the throat, but managed to escape.

On the battlefield, the king's soldiers rushed to Louis XI, who lay on the

ground.

God has spared me.

The king was safe, but both the French and Burgundian armies were exhausted and

withdrew.

More than 2 ,000 men on each side had lost their lives.

No one really knew who had won the Battle of Montlhéry. Both sides claimed

victory.

Louis XI returned to Paris.

But his enemies did not give up.

With other lords of the League, the bold besieged the capital, hoping to weaken

the king.

But the monarch waited patiently for the coalition troops to become exhausted

and starved before he agreed to negotiate.

After about three weeks of siege, Louis XI, almost unescorted, met the bold at

Conflon. The king did not underestimate his enemy.

My cousin.

My cousin.

I know you are a gentleman of the House of France.

A skilled strategist. He started by flattering the bold.

I have not forgotten that we were once allies.

In return, I will reward you by granting you that which you have asked.

Louis XI granted fiefs to his enemies.

To his brother went Normandy, to the bold the towns of the Somme and the

of Boulogne in Picardy.

The king knew that the Treaty of Conflans would stir up discord among the

coalition.

And he was right.

Barely a month later, some dukes grew envious of the territories that others

received. The League of the Public Wheel shattered, and Louis quickly retook

Normandy and wanted to win back the towns in the sum that had been given to

bold.

But rather than to go to war again, the enemies decided to negotiate.

On October 9th, 1468, the King of France, responding to Charles the Bold's

invitation, arrived at the Chateau of Perron in Picardy.

Agreed. All this park will remain with the Forest of Coulee.

For five days, The King of France and the Duke of Burgundy argued bitterly.

So, let us agree to keep this part upstream.

Eventually, they managed to agree to the terms of the Treaty of Perron.

By way of agreement, they both swore on the cross.

Neither of us will go to war with the other, nor cover the other's lands or

subjects.

The borders are clearly to point.

The ink on the Treaty of Peronne was hardly dry before Charles the Bold

he had already been betrayed.

He soon received a message informing him that the town of Liège, one of his

fiefs, was in full revolt.

While he was making a pact with Louis XI, The king had sent agents to Flanders

in the bold territory to stir up a rebellion.

Greta, arrest that man!

The bold immediately wanted to make Louis XI pay for his betrayal.

He closed all the gates of Peron and doubled the guard.

Louis XI was a prisoner and had to follow the Duke of Burgundy and his

to Liège.

On October 27, 1468, the Bold's army besieged the city of Liège.

Louis XI, held prisoner, had to watch the destruction of the city which had

risen up for him.

Over four days, 4 ,000 Liégeois were put to the sword.

When the massacre was over, Louis XI went home, where more bad news awaited

Despite their defeat at the Battle of Castillon 15 years earlier, the English

had never stopped aspiring to the French throne.

And to get it, they had a new ally.

On July the 3rd, in Bruges, Margaret of York, the twenty -year -old sister of

King Edward IV of England, was waiting for her husband on their nuptial night.

You're my most beautiful jewel, madam.

That very morning, during a lavish celebration through the Flemish town,

said yes to Charles the Bold.

But the young bride knew that her brutal husband did not really love her.

She was merely the object of a pact between England and Burgundy to

their common enemy, Louis XI.

It was also through the help of a woman that the King of France retaliated,

through his cousin, the former Queen of England, Marguerite of Anjou.

And so he revived what came to be called the War of the Roses.

In those days in England, two branches of the royal family claimed the throne.

On one side, the House of Lancaster, whose symbol was a red rose. On the

the House of York, with a white rose.

Since 1422, Henry VI of Lancaster was King of England, but suffering from

schizophrenia, he had to yield the regency to his wife, Queen Marguerite of

Anjou, Louis XI's cousin.

Edward of York took advantage of the king's weakness and seized power by

In 1461, he proclaimed himself Edward IV of England and had the Lancastrian king

locked up in the sinister Tower of London.

This chaotic situation across the channel enabled Louis XI to weaken

Bold and his brother -in -law, Edward of York.

Sire. Madam. He offered his cousin Marguerite of Anjou an army to take back

throne of England from Edward of York.

Come, madam.

In exchange...

He demanded a 30 -year truce between the two countries that had been at war for

over 100 years.

The former Queen of England accepted.

She signed a treaty promising the English crown to Lancaster.

Two weeks later, Louis XI's men freed Margaret's husband from his London

Henry of Lancaster thus took back the crown of England from Edward of York,

was driven into exile.

Even though weakened after ten years of captivity, Henry of Lancaster promised

to support the King of France against the Bulls.

This time, Louis XI had won.

Backed by his new political and military strength, Louis XI decided to attack

the bold.

In 1471, the Royal Army of France deployed its forces in Picardy, while

unit entered Burgundy through the Dauphiné.

Louis XI wrote, I hope this is the end of the Burgundians.

But his optimism was to be sorely tested.

The news Louis XI received from England was very bad indeed.

Six months after being overthrown, Edward IV had recaptured the English

The White Rose of York was once again flying over Westminster.

Margaret of Anjou was captured and Henry VI of Lancaster.

was taken back to his role in the Tower of London.

There, he was stabbed on Edward of York's orders.

It's said that his ghost would forever haunt his cell.

France had just lost an ally, and then the kingdom was once again infected by

the Black Plague.

The epidemic was to strike the royal family at its very heart.

François, one of Louis XI's young sons, fell victim.

the King of France was once again very much alone to defend his throne,

especially since his enemies had recovered their strength.

At the beginning of July 1475, the King of England landed in Calais with an army

of 1 ,500 spearmen, 1 ,000 infantry, and a powerful artillery.

Edward of York and his men were to have joined up with the bold to revive the

Hundred Years' War and take the throne of France.

Louis XI knew the power and determination

of the English.

To stop their advance, he sent his soldiers to burn the harvests and

villages in the north of the kingdom.

There was no way he would allow his enemies to get fresh supplies before

the Burgundians.

The furious king of England was stuck in Calais.

He was waiting for his brother -in -law Charles the Bold and his army.

Together, they were to go to Reims, where Edward IV would be crowned king of

France.

But the Bold never arrived.

Instead of joining Edward, he decided to embark on a military campaign in

Germany, where he hoped to assume the crown of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire.

The King of England, betrayed by Charles the Bold, knew he didn't have enough

troops to face the Royal Army of France alone.

So he demand talks with Louis XI.

The meeting took place at the Chateau de Piquigny, north of the city of Amiens.

For this crucial encounter on the river Somme, A wooden grill was placed between

the King of France and the King of England to ward off any possible attack.

I bid you welcome.

Thank you, my cousin.

After a few polite words on August the 29th, 1475, the two sovereigns exchanged

a kiss of peace.

A peace for which Louis XI was expecting to pay a high price.

Come, my friend, have a drink.

Go on, drink, drink up, toast the treaty.

We fought well.

The two monarchs and their armies then feasted together for three days.

Louis XI agreed to pay Edward of York 75 ,000 gold crowns. He also promised an

annuity of 50 ,000 gold crowns if Edward stopped attacking France and gave up

his claims to the French crown.

and England would retain the town of Calais as a way in to French territory.

Without a drop of bloodshed, Louis XI and Edward

IV thus formally ended the Hundred Years' War.

This is betrayal.

Charles the Bold was furious.

He had just lost his best ally, but not his wild ambition.

He wanted to overthrow Louis XI at all costs.

So he too played at the marriage game.

Give this to Emperor Frederick III.

Yes, my lord.

So he then turned to the Germanic Holy Roman Empire, whose crown he had desired

several months earlier. The Bold hated the Habsburg, but less so than he did

King of France.

So in 1475, he agreed reluctantly to marry his only daughter Marie to

Maximilian of Austria, son of Emperor Frederick III.

Burgundy would thus become a vassal kingdom to the Empire, and Charles the

would be crowned King of Burgundy.

Thank you. This was the first step in his quest for greatness.

A year later, the betrothal of Mary of Burgundy and Maximilian of Austria was

made official.

While waiting for the marriage as a pledge, Maximilian wrote a letter to his

fiancée and sent her a ring.

This jewel is today considered as the first engagement ring in the history of

France.

The marriage between Maximilian of Austria and Mary of Burgundy was full of

promise and served many strategic interests.

Young Maximilian's empire was facing economic difficulties, and Mary was the

best bet in Europe. She was rich and had no army to defend her territories.

Maximilian was a clever soldier, able to supply the strength that Mary so sorely

lacked.

Their union was a perfect match.

Mary of Burgundy, will you take for husband Maximilian of Austria to love

faithfully for as long as you live, in happiness or in hardship?

So the twenty -year -old Mary married the eighteen -year -old Maximilian, who

was still only Archduke of Austria.

I declare you united in the sacred bonds of matrimony.

Whereas Mary had already become the Duchess of Burgundy following a cruel

Seven months before her marriage, A page of the House of Burgundy made a grisly

discovery near Nancy.

A body mysteriously stripped lay on the edge of a lake.

The page immediately recognized the scar on the corpse's neck.

It was Charles the Bold.

who had been wounded in the throat at the Battle of Montlhéry 12 years

Had the duke succumbed to the wounds he had received while trying to take Nancy,

or had he been murdered?

Even today, the mystery has never been solved.

For Louis XI, the bold death was good news.

But he now must face the strength of the new couple, Mary and Maximilian of

Austria.

They were both deeply in love.

Mary and Maximilian produced two children for the empire.

This successful marriage personified what the Habsburg house knew how to do

as well as the king of France, consolidate its power through wealthy

The lands of the Duchy of Burgundy, combined with those of the Germanic Holy

Roman Empire, were even richer and more powerful and a threat to the kingdom of

France. So Louis XI decided to conquer them by force.

Without delay, he invaded Burgundy and the county of Artois.

He also placed an army at the gates of Flanders.

Maximilian's reaction was not long in coming.

For two years, from 1478 to 1480, French and Austrians fought.

Louis XI tried to conquer the Netherlands, but Maximilian of Austria

his wife's land.

Until a tragedy made him lose Burgundy.

In 1482, during a falcon hunt in the forest of Wigendal, on her lands in

Flanders, Mary died after falling from her horse.

Mary. No.

Say something to me.

Mary, speak to me.

No.

After only five years of marriage, Maximilian had just lost the woman he

loved so dearly.

Maximilian was overwhelmed by grief.

Mary's death also weakened him politically.

The lands of Burgundy no longer belonged to him.

Mary had passed them on to their young children.

To get his hands on them, the King of France immediately proposed marrying his

oldest son, the Dauphin Charles, to the daughter of Maximilian and Mary of

Burgundy, little Margaret of Austria, Aerith.

to the Duchy.

For Louis XI, it was a certainty.

The Duchy of Burgundy was at last to be part of the Kingdom of France.

But Maximilian would not hear of this marriage.

So, to counter, Louis XI needed support.

He turned to England and begged Edward of York to send him men.

Enter. But the King of England refused.

He had not forgotten the Treaty of Piquigny, and he was loath to give up

yearly pension Louis had paid him for the last seven years in exchange for

peace.

Damned Englishman.

He's going to make me lose Burgundy.

The King of France's carefully woven web was closing in around Maximilian.

But at 55, Louis XI was more and more weighed down by the year.

He was regularly subject to brutal bouts of fever, complained of painful attacks

of gout, and suffered from a skin disease related to shingles.

In early March, while dining with his eldest daughter and the Beaujeu, he

collapsed, probably victim of a stroke.

Father!

That evening, the king was unable to speak or understand anything that was

to him.

Three years later, at Amboise, after his strength had slowly returned, he

visited his twelve -year -old son, the Dauphin Charles, future Charles VIII.

My son, you will reign after me, so listen carefully.

The king knew he was seeing his son for the last time, so he put him on his

guard.

God has granted us

The kingdom's highest charges.

We must be worthy of the honor.

But I warn you, be wary of the princes and lords of the blood.

Most have conspired against me, and their betrayals have led to war.

This truth is fragile and easily broken.

Remember well what I have told you today, my son.

The conversation at Amboise is today considered as the political testament of

Louis XI.

But before leaving the throne to his son, and despite his fatigue, Louis XI

wanted at all costs to absolutely recover Burgundy. And to do that, he had

marry the Dauphin Charles to Margaret of Austria.

Negotiations began by correspondence with the Archduke Maximilian.

An agreement was finally reached on December 23, 1482.

France and the Germanic Holy Roman Empire would finally share the legacy of

Charles the Bold's daughter.

The Treaty of Arras allowed Louis XI to recover Burgundy, while Maximilian kept

the Netherlands.

The agreement was sealed by the engagement of the Dauphin Charles with

Margaret of Austria.

Once and for all, Louis XI had won the game.

Five months later, the little archduchess, Margaret of Austria,

Chateau of Amboise.

This is where she was to be engaged to the Dauphin of France.

In the meantime, she was to be brought up by Charles's elder sister, Anne de

Beaujeu.

Louis XI was never to meet the granddaughter of the bold.

In August 1483, the king was living his last hours, but his son Charles was only

13, too young to reign.

While awaiting Charles's reign, I want Anne to assume the duties of

regent.

She is the least mad woman in the world, given that there are none that are

wise.

You are her husband, Pierre.

You must help her.

Yes, sir.

Anne de Beaujeu firmly held the reins of the realm for eight years, until

Charles VIII came of age.

Louis XI died on August 30, 1483, at the age of 60.

His reign had lasted for 22 years, during which, besides politics, he had

remodeled the architecture of many chateaux.

such as that of Langer.

For a long time throughout history, Louis XI was an unloved king.

And yet, he had restored the public finances, the borders, and the prestige

the realm after 100 years of war and chaos.

Louis XI had fulfilled his dream, making France the greatest power in Europe.

And soon, one of his successors would complete his work.