WI: No Treaty of Picquigny

To sum up the events leading up to the Treaty, Edward IV, the Yorkist King of England, invaded France with 16,000 men in 1475 in support of his ally, Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. However Charles refused to support the English Army and also refused to let the English Army access through Burgundian-held towns, and in addition, had no support from Francis II of Brittany either. When Louis XI received word, he sent word that Louis could offer more to Edward than either party, which led to the Treaty, which saw France effectively bribe the English into not pursuing their claims to the French throne.

But what if Charles the Bold was more receptive and willing to go ahead with the English invasion? Would the French still be able to defeat this new English force? Would it have failed and led to an earlier dismantlement of the Composite Burgundian Realm? Would Francis II still be involved in this debacle?

Did Charles the Bold persuaded his brother-in-law, King Edward IV, to undertake the invasion against Louis? If so why did he pull out at the last second?

He did, though why he reneged, I do not know.

Treaty of Picquigny

While no expert on this, I have the impression that Edward was just doing this for show. At that point, he is already becoming rather fat and indolent and lacking the ambition to really do much damage to France. Besides, most of the experienced English soldiers had been killed off in the dynastic wars, leaving a big void in leadership.

Charles was too busy fighting elsewhere. from memory, he was engaged near Metz, and the whole French thing was more of a distraction than anything else. For Edward, this was the only game in town.

Some biographers reckon he'd still be bought off by Louis, while others suggest that it was more Charles' actions (not meeting them in Flanders, forbidding them access to Burgundian towns) that turned him off the whole thing. Even after that, Richard of Gloucester (later Richard III) led a small group who argued Edward should refuse the bribe/pension/tribute and still make war. With Charles' full support, and with Burgundian armies on the other side of the Somme, it may have turned out different. then again, it may not have.