The fall of Constantinople happened in may 1453. Western Princes had other preoccupations, and the Byzantine Empire was not what it used to be. The city and it's guardians were not able to fight back and the Emperor died. And a future King would not miss this opportunity.
The Dauphin Louis of France, exiled on his realm of Dauphiné, was in a complicating situation. His behavior towards his father resulted in a very tense situation, and he already revolted once. He his also banned from the Royal Domain for this. But he also developped much Dauphiné, by welcoming back Jews and inviting craftsmen from everywhere. He learned about the fall of Constantinople and took a very important decision, he would try by all means to get some Byzantine refugees.
He was interested in byzantine refugees for several reasons. People who could afford the travel were rich, the presence of notables from an Empire, even fallen, would be a source of prestige and relationships, and, most of all, he was trying to lay his hands on the Greek Fire. For this, he had to convince the imperial court to join, and the result was impressive : 1 500 Greeks, mostly rich and influent ones, with some members of the imperial family itself, as well as the Patriarch of Constantinople and many scientists and artists.
To achieve this goal, he created on a small village the "Free City of Fontaine". He chose this village for several reasons : it was it's own parish, which meaned that it would fit more easily in the current administration; it was very close to Grenoble, where Louis de Valois was residing, so he could show up and be present; and it lacked a bridge to get to Grenoble, so those influent people would be very busy building the bridge for the first year at least, and he could establish his authority on them properly.
The act of legal fondation of this Great City started with the famous and often quoted "Que l'on peut croire en chaque foi, qu'il en soit des Hebreux comme des Orientaux." meaning One can believe in any faith, that being for Hebrews as for the Easterns, designating the Orthodox. The other thing that was established was that the first daughter of Louis would be engaged with a member of the Imperial Family, that would reign over the City under surveilance from the Dauphin.
The creation of such a place of full legality towards Jews was in complete contradiction with the status of 1394 published under Charles VI. When some member of the Court asked the King about this, this one could not let his only heir be discredited, and answered "On dit que mon fils ne respecte pas la volonté de mon père, je répondrais que mon père n'a pas de volonté." (One says that my son is desobeying my father's will, I would answer that he has none.)
This official fall into disgrace of Charles VI was only the following of what everyone was thinking, but it's extension to Isabeau de Bavière was more criticized at it's beginning, only to become fully accepted after some propaganda from both the King and the Dauphin. Those two reconciliated (at least officially) in 1455, and agreed (we know this through letters) to enforce a policy of glorification of the Court of Bourges, to show how legitimate Charles VII and it's heirs were all the time.
This glorification policy leaded to the revision of the Trial of Joan of Arc, that was recognized as unfair and false. She was even recognised as a martyr, mostly, it is true, because of the promise of Charles VII to dismantle the Tower of Philippe le Bel and to give some of the taxes to the Pope until the end of his reign.
PS : So, how bad and unaccurate is this ? Do you have any suggestions ?
The Dauphin Louis of France, exiled on his realm of Dauphiné, was in a complicating situation. His behavior towards his father resulted in a very tense situation, and he already revolted once. He his also banned from the Royal Domain for this. But he also developped much Dauphiné, by welcoming back Jews and inviting craftsmen from everywhere. He learned about the fall of Constantinople and took a very important decision, he would try by all means to get some Byzantine refugees.
He was interested in byzantine refugees for several reasons. People who could afford the travel were rich, the presence of notables from an Empire, even fallen, would be a source of prestige and relationships, and, most of all, he was trying to lay his hands on the Greek Fire. For this, he had to convince the imperial court to join, and the result was impressive : 1 500 Greeks, mostly rich and influent ones, with some members of the imperial family itself, as well as the Patriarch of Constantinople and many scientists and artists.
To achieve this goal, he created on a small village the "Free City of Fontaine". He chose this village for several reasons : it was it's own parish, which meaned that it would fit more easily in the current administration; it was very close to Grenoble, where Louis de Valois was residing, so he could show up and be present; and it lacked a bridge to get to Grenoble, so those influent people would be very busy building the bridge for the first year at least, and he could establish his authority on them properly.
The act of legal fondation of this Great City started with the famous and often quoted "Que l'on peut croire en chaque foi, qu'il en soit des Hebreux comme des Orientaux." meaning One can believe in any faith, that being for Hebrews as for the Easterns, designating the Orthodox. The other thing that was established was that the first daughter of Louis would be engaged with a member of the Imperial Family, that would reign over the City under surveilance from the Dauphin.
The creation of such a place of full legality towards Jews was in complete contradiction with the status of 1394 published under Charles VI. When some member of the Court asked the King about this, this one could not let his only heir be discredited, and answered "On dit que mon fils ne respecte pas la volonté de mon père, je répondrais que mon père n'a pas de volonté." (One says that my son is desobeying my father's will, I would answer that he has none.)
This official fall into disgrace of Charles VI was only the following of what everyone was thinking, but it's extension to Isabeau de Bavière was more criticized at it's beginning, only to become fully accepted after some propaganda from both the King and the Dauphin. Those two reconciliated (at least officially) in 1455, and agreed (we know this through letters) to enforce a policy of glorification of the Court of Bourges, to show how legitimate Charles VII and it's heirs were all the time.
This glorification policy leaded to the revision of the Trial of Joan of Arc, that was recognized as unfair and false. She was even recognised as a martyr, mostly, it is true, because of the promise of Charles VII to dismantle the Tower of Philippe le Bel and to give some of the taxes to the Pope until the end of his reign.
PS : So, how bad and unaccurate is this ? Do you have any suggestions ?
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despite not meaning it.