Henry VI’s campaign to confirm himself as King of France looked to be in trouble after the Duke of Brittany switched sides.
In 1425, England’s Henry VI and France’s Charles VII were still fighting the Hundred Years’ War for the French crown. That October, John V, Duke of Brittany followed his brother Arthur’s example and backed Charles. The Earl of Salisbury and other English generals replied with raids on Brittany from their base at Saint-James in Normandy, and by February, Arthur could see that brother John needed help.
On the night when Edward IV won his crown back from Henry VI, he had to decide how to deal with those who had still been backing Henry during the day.
In 1461, Edward of York crushed Henry VI at Towton, and at just eighteen was proclaimed king of England. Henry was captured in 1465 and sent to the Tower. In September 1470, his supporters turned the tables and drove Edward onto the Continent, but their songs died on their lips the following April, when Edward IV came storming back, and the citizens of London welcomed him with open arms.