Henry V outlives Charles VI

I'm not sure if this has been posted before, but I think its quite interesting. After the English victory at Agincourt, Henry V was named as the heir to the current (and quite mad) king of France, Charles VI. His son was excluded from the succession. It seemed that Henry V was poised to achieve what all his predecessors had aimed for before him; to become the King of France. All he had to do now was outlive the current King. Furthermore, he had an heir born to him from the Charles' daughter, cementing his claim.

However, it was not to be. Henry caught dysentery during his besieging of Meaux. Ironically, Charles VI outlived him by two months. That left only Henry's infant son, Henry VI to rule as King of England and France, while various regents administrated the countries. Henry V's early death (he was only 35) could arguably be one of the biggest reasons why England lost all she had conquered in France.

What would the consequences be if Henry had not contracted dysentery, and lived on; eventually being crowned king of England and France after Charles' death?
 
Basically, he subdues the French, and England becomes the backwater of the French Kingdom due to the massive imbalance in Manpower etc.
 
Yes, I always hear these theories about England becoming a backwater etc. but can't we be a little original and explore some other ideas? Manpower may not cause a country to become a backwater. I'm also pretty sure the french would not remain part of England forever, it just doesn't seem very viable in my opinion.
 
France may be in BIG trouble once Charles The Bold of Burgundy starts cutting loose.

A long lived Hen V (assuming he remained competent) would probably recover the empire of Hen II. Quite apart from his claim to the French throne itself. Throw in Charles mopping up the east and south and France is reduced to the Isle de France.

FWIW I don't think an Plantagenet Anglo-French empire would have centred on France. The advantages of having the capital and seat of government in a nice safe stable place "fenced off by great Neptunes mighty hand" would have been ahrd to resist. Paris was vulnerable . Perhaps Normandy, but the Normans never chose to do so, so it seems unlikely.

Would Hen V have been able to establish a continued claim to the throne of an intact France ? I doubt it.

Rather France might have become a rump, trapped between Anjou and Burgundy.
 
Top