RousseauX
Donor
The last phase of the hundreds year war was really a civil war between two branches of the French royal house, House of Burgundy and the Dukes of Orleans. The English were essentially invited in and formed an alliance with the Burgundians and at one point the Anglo-Burgundian force took over most of northern France, with a Burgundian government in Paris. The deathblow to the English in the war came when burgundy broke their alliance and became the neutral party and the French crown finished the english off.
What if Burgundy kept permanent control of northern France and France ends up divided? By the 1400s the Dukes of Burgundy are already thinking of themselves more as an independent entity rather than an appendage of the French royal house.
A good PoD is avoiding the death of John of Bedford who was the brother of Henry V and who was an extraordinarily talented soldier and statesman. He kept the alliance going and English successful on the battlefield and the alliance fell apart after he died. Let's say he gets 30 more years to live (so until he's in his mid 70s) and Burgundy/English solidifies their hold on northern France. While the French crown holds the south.
Let's say something like otl war of roses still happen in England and the English has to reduce their commitment on the continent and English holdings in SW France falls as per otl, but Burgundy holds onto northern France including Paris (under their control now that the English pulled out) and the English holds onto Normandy.
Burgundy now holds a connected core of territory in modern day France, Belgium and Netherlands. Which are some of the wealthiest and most productive parts of Europe. While the French crown controls central and southern France. Burgundy and France are effectively two different countries at this point.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Burgundy#/media/File:Karte_Haus_Burgund_4_EN.png
What comes next? France's rise to great power status has effectively being severely derailed, while Burgundy has a much better chance of surviving since it is no longer sandwiched by France to the west and the Hapsburg to the east. They are going to be benefactors of the rise of capitalism in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Does Burgundy become a great colonial power? Does it become "mega-Netherlands" and establish some sort of northern European hegemony? Or does it fall to the same problem as it did otl?
What if Burgundy kept permanent control of northern France and France ends up divided? By the 1400s the Dukes of Burgundy are already thinking of themselves more as an independent entity rather than an appendage of the French royal house.
A good PoD is avoiding the death of John of Bedford who was the brother of Henry V and who was an extraordinarily talented soldier and statesman. He kept the alliance going and English successful on the battlefield and the alliance fell apart after he died. Let's say he gets 30 more years to live (so until he's in his mid 70s) and Burgundy/English solidifies their hold on northern France. While the French crown holds the south.
Let's say something like otl war of roses still happen in England and the English has to reduce their commitment on the continent and English holdings in SW France falls as per otl, but Burgundy holds onto northern France including Paris (under their control now that the English pulled out) and the English holds onto Normandy.
Burgundy now holds a connected core of territory in modern day France, Belgium and Netherlands. Which are some of the wealthiest and most productive parts of Europe. While the French crown controls central and southern France. Burgundy and France are effectively two different countries at this point.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Burgundy#/media/File:Karte_Haus_Burgund_4_EN.png
What comes next? France's rise to great power status has effectively being severely derailed, while Burgundy has a much better chance of surviving since it is no longer sandwiched by France to the west and the Hapsburg to the east. They are going to be benefactors of the rise of capitalism in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Does Burgundy become a great colonial power? Does it become "mega-Netherlands" and establish some sort of northern European hegemony? Or does it fall to the same problem as it did otl?