This Is History: A Dynasty to Die For

Season 8, Episode 11 – “Winner Takes All”

Host: Dan Jones
Date: November 25, 2025

Episode Overview

In this penultimate episode of Season 8, Dan Jones recounts the most decisive and dramatic turning point in Henry V’s quest for the French crown. The episode centers on the 1419 assassination of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy—a violent act that irreversibly fractured France’s internal alliances and opened the path for Henry V to seize unprecedented power. Jones explores the web of luck, betrayal, political skill, and military force that propelled England’s warrior-king toward what seemed like total victory, while laying the groundwork for future crises.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Assassination on the Bridge at Montereau (03:05)

• Setting the Scene:
  Dan paints a vivid picture of the fateful meeting between John the Fearless and the young Dauphin Charles on September 10, 1419 at Montereau, a castle on an island at the confluence of the Seine and Yon:

  “In France, outstretched arms have been hard to come by lately.” (03:24)

• Tense Diplomacy:
  Both men arrive with minimal attendants—a gesture of trust that is quickly betrayed when, after an exchange of courtesies, the Dauphin’s men attack:

  “The older guy pulls an axe from under his cloak, raises it above his head and screams the word traitor.” (04:08) “John the Fearless turns to run, but he has no chance. The man brings the axe down with tremendous force into John's back… The first guy hits him with the axe again, this time in the head. Then someone else comes forward and plunges a dagger into John's belly.” (04:12)

• Symbolic Aftermath:
  The murder permanently destroys any hope of Burgundian-Armagnac reconciliation and becomes both a symbol of revenge and, fatefully, an open door for Henry V:

  “When Henry V hears what happened to John the Fearless, he can hardly believe his luck. He says, I shall now surpass all my ambitions.” (05:08)

  • Notably, a century later, John the Fearless’s skull becomes a historical relic—hailed by a monk as “the opening through which the English entered the Kingdom of France.” (06:05)

2. Luck and the Politics of Opportunity (06:07)

• The Nature of Lucky Breaks:
  Dan frames the assassination as Henry’s ultimate piece of luck:

  "Maybe you found 20 quid in the street... Or maybe you found out that what you thought was Granny's rather ugly painting... was in fact a long lost work of Leonardo da Vinci." (06:12)

  • But for Henry, the “golden path” to the French throne is illuminated by the chaos after John the Fearless’s death.
  • Previous lucky breaks for Henry include surviving a life-threatening arrow wound at the Battle of Shrewsbury and his miraculous victory at Agincourt.

3. Stalled Diplomacy and the Siege of Rouen (07:52)

• Siege Strategy and Stalemate:
  Following the horrific siege and conquest of Rouen, Henry’s campaign is at a crossroads. John the Fearless stalls negotiations, knowing Henry is running out of men, money, and patience.

  “John Fearless hums and whores and makes positive sounding noises, but strings out negotiations for weeks, then months... John the Fearless keeps Henry kicking his heels, knowing that delay tactics are going to drain the English war effort until it falls apart under the weight of its own demands.” (09:33)

• Diplomatic Bravado:
  In a tense exchange, Henry tries to threaten John:

  “We wish you to know that we will have the daughter of your king, that's Catherine de Valois, and all that we have demanded, or we will drive your king out of the kingdom and you as well.” (11:24)

  • John, unimpressed:

  “Before you drive my lord and I out of the realm, you will have grown very tired. And of that I have no doubt.” (11:34) “There's a distinct shriveling on Henry's side…because frankly, he knows that John the Fearless is absolutely right.” (11:42)

• The Sudden Shift:
  With John murdered, all French political strategy collapses:

  “The French crown has lost its canniest negotiator…The only person who seems to have the better of Henry. And panic is running through the veins of pretty much everyone in the kingdom.” (13:43)

4. The Treaty of Troyes: Seizing the Prize (17:09)

• Henry’s Unstoppable Surge:
  Henry, now allied with Philip the Good, John’s vengeful son, can dictate any terms:

  “He tells them he's just upped his demands to include everything he asked for previously. And yes, he'll have the French crown too...Henry just laughs in their faces and says things are different now.” (14:12)

• Henry’s Camp at Jisor Castle: The Warrior-King’s Persona:
  The French envoys encounter Henry at ease and in control, with music, tapestries, and military efficiency:

  “They note that he treats everyone equally and has no time for blowhards…He has an almost Zen philosophy of warfare: 'If you want to secure the favors of fortune, always maintain the same courage.'” (18:39) “Henry’s like the Terminator, but with better jewellery.” (19:24)

• Alliance with Philip the Good:
  Philip, now motivated by vengeance, backs Henry’s claim completely.

• The Treaty’s Catastrophic Terms (Troyes, May 1420):

  • Henry gets a huge cash payment, control of Normandy, marriage to Catherine de Valois, and, most explosively, becomes heir and regent of France—cutting the Dauphin out entirely.

  “There's a bombshell clause which states that once the treaty is ratified and Henry's marriage complete, he will become heir and regent of the crown of France...When Charles VI dies...he'll formally take over as king.” (21:59)

5. The Wedding and Ominous Aftermath (25:27)

• A Somber Royal Marriage:
  Henry marries Catherine de Valois in a stripped-back ceremony:

  “The marriage service...is as stripped back and sombre as the Duke of Burgundy's clobber. The shindig a couple of weeks ago…was far grander. This is a soldier’s wedding more than a king's.” (26:14)

  • Philip the Good, decked in black, symbolizes the grim family rivalries now fused to Henry’s ambitions.
• Henry’s New Foes and Heavy Responsibilities:
  While the treaty and marriage look like triumphs, Henry now faces a threatened Dauphin entrenched in central France, and daunting expectations back in England for funding his ever-expanding wars.

  “He's got more on his plate than a fat friar at an all you can eat banquet.” (29:22)

• No Time for Celebration:
  Henry cancels the usual post-wedding tournaments and immediately prepares for fresh military campaigns:

  “There’ll be no tournaments…Instead, they're going to the town of Sens…going to lay a massive siege there… For there is no finer deed than to serve justice on evildoers so that poor people may live.” (30:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Henry’s Luck:

  “But there's a strong argument to say that when the Dauphin Charles has John the Fearless assassinated, he gives Henry V a freebie very few men have ever known before. The moment that ax strikes John the Fearless's shoulder blades, it's fair to say a golden path lights up from Henry's feet all the way to the French throne.” (07:31)

• On Medieval Diplomacy:

  “Henry tries to whip his diplomatic dick out and put it on the table…” (10:53)
  (A memorably irreverent turn of phrase, very much in Dan Jones’s signature style.)

• On Henry’s Leadership:

  “He has an almost Zen philosophy of warfare: 'If things aren't going well…always maintain the same courage.’” (18:39)

• Henry as the Terminator:

  “Henry’s like the Terminator, but with better jewellery. It’s amazing to see, but it’s also hard to figure out how anyone can stand up to him.” (19:24)

• On the French Response to Henry’s New Demands:

  “When they protest and say this wasn’t what he was asking for a month ago…Henry just laughs in their faces and says things are different now.” (14:06)

• On the Heavy Aftermath:

  “He is now, by definition, the leading player on one side of a French civil war…Funding French civil wars is a whole other kettle of poisson.” (28:53)

• On Henry’s Seriousness:

  “He really doesn’t seem like he’s having much of a laugh. He seems to have quite a lot on his mind.” (26:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Assassination at Montereau: 03:05–06:06
• The Nature of Henry’s Luck: 06:07–07:51
• Diplomatic Stalemate and John’s Last Stand: 07:52–13:45
• The English-Burgundian Alliance & Treaty Negotiations: 17:09–24:50
• Henry’s Marriage & Its Consequences: 25:27–32:12

Tone & Style

Dan Jones’s narration is vivid, irreverent, and accessible—combining gory medieval detail with tongue-in-cheek humor and contemporary references:

• Casual asides (“got more on his plate than a fat friar at an all you can eat banquet”)
• Wry historical parallels (comparing Henry to the “Terminator, but with better jewellery”)
• Transparent about the complexities and the limitations of the victory—pointing out the fatal flaw beneath Henry’s triumph.

Final Thought

The episode sets the stage for a season finale that will tackle the unraveling consequences of Henry’s hard-won ascendancy. Henry V seems unstoppable—militarily brilliant, luck repeatedly on his side, and politically ruthless. Yet the fracturing of France and the overreach of ambition foreshadow a coming reversal of fortune.

Dan Jones’s parting tease:

“But what none of them know is just how quickly the wheel of fortune is going to turn. Find out how when we return next time for the season finale of This Is History.” (31:50)

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