The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 05 [of 13] — Story, Setting & Ideas

Treaty as Performance

The Treaty of Troyes, as presented here, is less a negotiated settlement than a staged ritual of submission. King Charles VI, described as acting “on the word of a king,” swears on the holy evangelists to observe every article, while the document specifies that confirmatory letters must come from the queen, the duke of Burgundy, and “others of the blood royal.” The chronicle reproduces the treaty verbatim, including the clause that Henry V shall provide for Charles’s security “conformably to our royal estate and dignity.” This emphasis on formality and mutual ratification—seals, signets, countersignatures—suggests that Monstrelet saw the treaty as a legal instrument whose legitimacy depended on visible, public adherence to protocol.

The Shifting Allegiance of Paris

Chapter III records that “the city of Paris is taken by the duke of Burgundy” and that “the Parisians turn to his party.” The phrasing implies a swift, almost bloodless transfer of loyalty, but the chapter titles hint at darker consequences: the commonalty later “cruelly put to death their prisoners.” The excerpts do not describe these killings, but the juxtaposition of political realignment with popular violence is characteristic of Monstrelet’s method. He notes events in sequence without always explaining causation, leaving the reader to infer how civic allegiance could shift under pressure. The catalog subject “France – History – House of Valois” understates the volatility of urban populations during this period.

Siege and Ceremony

After the treaty, the narrative moves to the sieges of Sens and Montereau. The chronicle describes the two kings, accompanied by their queens and the duke of Burgundy, departing Troyes “with the whole army.” The phrase “feasts and ceremonies of the marriage” (Henry V to Catherine of Valois) immediately precedes military action, blending courtly ritual with warfare. Monstrelet does not dwell on tactics or casualties; instead, he presents the campaign as a logical extension of the treaty’s terms. The catalog subject “military-war” is thus accurate but narrow—the chronicle treats war as one element in a broader political and ceremonial landscape.

Readers approaching this volume should expect a chronicle that prioritizes official documents and public acts over personal drama or military detail. Monstrelet’s voice is that of a compiler who lets treaties, oaths, and chapter headings carry much of the narrative weight. The translator’s 1810 edition adds footnotes (e.g., confirming the queen’s dower in a later parliament), which occasionally bridge the medieval and modern worlds. For those interested in the legal and ceremonial underpinnings of the Hundred Years’ War, this volume offers raw material rather than interpretation.

I keep thinking about the Treaty of Troyes—all that legalistic ceremony, the weight of oaths. It reminded me of how The Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond: A Picture of Monastic Life in the Days of Abbot Samson — Themes and Context lingers with its quiet, daily accounting. The Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond: A Picture of Monastic Life in the Days of Abbot Samson — Themes and Context feels like that too, the smallness beneath the grand old names.