On the Way to Nicopolis: Preparing the Franco-Burgundian Crusade (1396)

Anna Aleksandrovna Mayzlish PhD in History, senior research fellow, Institute of World History, Russian Academy of Sciences (Leninskiy prospekt 32a, Moskva, Russia, 119334)
maizlish@yandex.ru

Mayzlish A. A. On the Way to Nicopolis: Preparing the Franco-Burgundian Crusade (1396), Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2022, vol. 10, pp. 252–277.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-10-252-277

Language: Russian

The article deals with the preparations to Franco-Burgundian Crusade against Ottomans (1396) in the possessions of duke of Burgundy Philip the Bold. The decision to organise this crusade was taken in 1394 after the demand for West European military assistance came from the king of Hungary Sigismund of Luxembourg. The nobility of Burgundian lands in general shared the crusader ambitions of their ruler and aspired to take part in future campaign. However, before the beginning of crusade Philip the Bold had to find the necessary money. The analysis of financial documents and correspondence of the duke’s family gives an opportunity to look into the voting of the extraordinary taxes in the county of Flanders, the richest part of Burgundian lands. The difficult negotiations with Flemish clergy and towns (the latter were in abrasive relations with the duke) were led by the wife of Philip the Bold Marguerite de Male and their heir John of Nevers (future duke of Burgundy John the Fearless) who was made a figurehead of Franco-Burgundian crusader forces. Though the Flemish agreed to vote only a bit more than a half of money, that Philip the Bold demanded of them, the sums that they levied for the crusade were higher than the total amount voted by of all other Burgundian possessions together. Despite this domination of Flanders in field of financial support the feasts and ceremonies, which accompanied the departure of crusaders from France, were taken in Paris and Dijon, the capital of duchy of Burgundy.

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Key words: Burgundy, France, Flanders, crusades, Philip the Bold, John the Fearless, Marguerite de Male, towns, clergy, finance, extraordinary taxes (aides), 14th century

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/mayzlisch-2022-en/

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