Most historians have seen 1435 as a prominent date of the fifteenth century, either because of the immediate significance of the event, or because of its political consequences. However, a great number of fifteenth century chronicles seem... more
Most historians have seen 1435 as a prominent date of the fifteenth century, either because of the immediate significance of the event, or because of its political consequences. However, a great number of fifteenth century chronicles seem to say otherwise. Some chroniclers, such as the author of the Journal d’un Bourgeois de Paris, our best contemporary source for the views of the inhabitants of the capital, barely mention the Congress. Other writers who discuss the event such as Enguerrand de Monstrelet, only did so in order to relate in detail its pomp and scale. Very few chroniclers perceived it as a decisive moment in the war, and even less as politically significant. This paper will therefore explore this evident dichotomy of opinion. The silence of the chroniclers has been eluded for too long and must be taken into account in order for us to understand the full political significance of the Congress of Arras.
