Palmer, J. J. N., 'The Anglo-French Peace Negotiations, 1390-1396', Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 16 (1966), 81-94

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Quick Summary

Richard II attempted to secure lasting peace with France by separating the duchy of Aquitaine from the English crown

  • Provisional treaty in 1393 outlines English proposals for an independent duchy of Aquitaine
  • Proposals involved Aquitaine being held by John of Gaunt directly from the French crown
  • Negotiations broke down because of fierce resistance from the inhabitants of Aquitaine
Key Conclusion

Palmer identifies a hitherto overlooked source – a provisional treaty signed in 1393 – and uses this to revise existing interpretations of the Anglo-French peace negotiations 1390-96. Palmer concludes that Richard II was prepared to make important concessions on the issue of sovereignty over the duchy of Aquitaine (English territory in France) because he intended to alienate (grant) the duchy to John of Gaunt and his heirs: ‘The fundamental basis of the Anglo-French peace was to have been the creation of an independent ducal house of Aquitaine holding the duchy from the French Crown.’ (p. 85). The negotiations broke down because Richard II failed to convince the Gascons (his subjects in Aquitaine) who fiercely resisted separation from the English crown.

Content Overview

It is generally acknowledge that both Richard II and Charles VI of France wished for peace. However, historians previously believed that the peace negotiations had broken down over the question of sovereignty over Aquitaine as well as disagreement over the territorial concessions necessary for peace. In fact, Palmer demonstrates that the duke of Lancaster and the duke of Burgundy – representatives of England and France – had come to agreement on these points (p. 84). The stumbling block turned out to be the Gascons. As Palmer observes: ‘It was thus Bordeaux, rather than London or Paris, which stood in the way of a final peace.’ (p. 94).

Further Findings

By the terms of the provisional treaty established on 16 June 1393, the territorial composition of the duchy of Aquitaine would have been only slightly diminished from what it had been in 1360. Palmer observes that, given the enormous decline in English fortunes between 1360 and 1393, the French concessions represent a ‘notable triumph for Richard’ (p. 83). Furthermore, the article observes that ‘In many respects Richard II’s attempt to end the Hundred Years War was the most statesmanlike effort to mend the breach between England and France since the days of St Louis.’ Had Richard II been successful, the subsequent histories of England and France in the fifteenth-century would have been very different (p. 94).

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