Podcast Summary: This Is History: A Dynasty to Die For

Episode 5: The Glass King – The Enemy of My Enemy

Host: Danièle Cybulskie (Sony Music Entertainment)
Release Date: August 26, 2025

Overview

In this gripping fifth episode, Danièle Cybulskie delves into the chaotic aftermath of King Charles VI’s madness, focusing on the fierce power struggles and unlikely alliances that bring France to the brink of collapse. The episode centers on Queen Isabeau of Bavaria’s desperate maneuvering—her alliance with John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, against her old adversary Bernard of Armagnac, and the cataclysmic consequences that ensue. Through vivid storytelling, Cybulskie lays bare the ambition, bloodshed, and betrayals that not only fracture the royal family but also jeopardize France’s very existence amidst the backdrop of the Hundred Years’ War.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Queen Isabeau’s Captivity and Desperation

• [02:04] The episode opens with Queen Isabeau in prayer, held captive at Tours, grieving her LOST children and husband, Charles VI, who is lost to madness.
  • She fears for her two youngest children held in Paris by Bernard, Count of Armagnac.
  • Isabeau’s internal conflict: “She prays that she has done the right thing. Because to save her kingdom, the Queen has made a deal with the devil.”
• Isabeau is dramatically freed by men led by John the Fearless—her erstwhile enemy—forming an “unholy alliance” that will have seismic consequences.

2. Factional Strife: Burgundy vs. Armagnac

• [05:09] The death of Dauphin Jean destabilizes the power balance; his younger brother, Charles, becomes the new Dauphin, under Isabeau’s influence but with a deep dislike of John the Fearless.
• Armagnac’s Machiavellian tactics:
  • Bernard poisons King Charles’s mind with tales of Isabeau’s supposed immorality, leading to her house arrest and humiliation.
  • Bernard becomes de facto ruler in Paris, ruling with brutality, purging opponents, and bleeding the city’s resources (“Bernard wraps his tentacles firmly around the King and the Dauphin and heads back to Paris… he drains the treasury, orders more taxes and robs Notre Dame to stay afloat.” [07:31])
• John the Fearless leverages Isabeau’s imprisonment as political propaganda; neither side can overcome the other, leaving France vulnerable to English advances.

3. Isabeau’s Calculated Gamble & The Burgundian Takeover

• [10:22] Realizing there’s no hope with the Armagnacs, Isabeau invites John the Fearless to rescue her, forming a new political faction:
  • She sets up her own court, grants tax reliefs, and briefly becomes “a solid bet” in the chaos of French politics.
  • “But when you make a deal with the devil, there’s always a price to pay… The dude never kept a promise in his life.” – [Danièle Cybulskie, 11:26]
• [11:45] On January 10, 1418, Isabeau hands over royal power to John the Fearless, cementing his dominance.

4. The Fall of Bernard of Armagnac & The Paris Massacre

• [15:35] The Burgundians infiltrate Paris, unleashing mob violence; Bernard hides in a stonecutter’s workshop but is discovered and executed savagely by Parisians.
  • “Count Bernard of Armagnac is dragged into a city square and brutally beaten to death by the men and women he'd so gleefully denigrated and exploited. In a savage act of petty revenge, the Parisians carved the outline of the Count's beloved sash into his dead flesh.” ([16:44])
  • His body is left to rot, a symbol of public vengeance.
• The violence escalates: “Juvenel estimates the number of murdered citizens at somewhere between 1600 and 2000. The sheer scale of violence stuns Europe.” ([17:15])
• Dauphin Charles, now aligned against Paris and John the Fearless, is traumatized by the violence and his own forced escape from Paris at night.

5. The Final Betrayal: The Assassination at Montereau

• [23:12] John the Fearless seeks peace with Dauphin Charles at Montereau, on a bridge between two rivers—a place symbolic, yet deadly.
• The tension-laden meeting culminates in betrayal:
  • “John kneels before the Dauphin… looking into Charles’ eyes, starts to relax; maybe things will be okay after all.” ([24:39])
  • The signal is given; John is attacked with axes: “John reflexively lifts his arm to block the blow, but the blade slices through the muscle and bone of his wrist as the axe slashes down and buries itself in his jaw.”
  • He's finished off in a brutal display.
  • “The 16-year-old heir to the kingdom of France watches his enemy die without a shred of pity.” ([26:19])

6. Aftermath: France Splintered, English Threat Looms

• The killing of John the Fearless doesn’t resolve the civil war—instead, Philip the Good becomes the new Duke of Burgundy, and the Dauphin’s own reputation is stained as an oath-breaking murderer.
• Isabeau is left isolated between her bloodthirsty son and a resurgent England.
• “The new Duke of Burgundy is even farther removed from the line of succession than his dad was… The only viable male heir is Dauphin Charles of Ponthieu, a backstabbing criminal…” ([28:32])
• Isabeau seeks to buy time and consider her next desperate move—hinted to involve her daughter Catherine and further desperate alliances.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Isabeau’s resolve:
  • “France has been her home and her responsibility since she was 15 years old, and Isabeau will not see it destroyed.” – [Danièle Cybulskie, 02:40]
• On the fragility of alliances:
  • “When you make a deal with the devil, there’s always a price to pay. And there was a very good reason Isabeau had never trusted John the Fearless. The dude never kept a promise in his life.” – [11:26]
• On Bernard’s fall:
  • “Maybe he should have paid [the stonemason] more.” (as Bernard is handed over to the mob) – [15:51]
• On the Paris Massacre:
  • “Of those killed, the majority were thrown into the fields where they could be eaten by dogs and birds.” – [17:10]
• On the fatal meeting at Montereau:
  • “The oaths they’d all sworn to keep the meeting peaceful are cold comfort in the locked box of the bridge.” – [24:15]
  • “John kneels before the Dauphin, who raises him up and graciously thanks him for coming. Looking into Charles’ eyes, John starts to relax. Maybe things will be okay after all…” – [24:39]
  • “John is stabbed again and again. And in a dark echo of the long ago assassination of Louis of Orleans, John the Fearless is disemboweled just to make extra sure he’s dead.” – [26:00]
• On the Dauphin’s nature:
  • “Trusting him with the kingdom would be ludicrous.” – [28:47]
• Host’s reflection on Isabeau’s impossible choices:
  • “It’s the Kobayashi Maru of the Middle Ages. A true no-win scenario. And Isabeau is going to have to think fast.” – [30:43]

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:04] – Vivid opening scene with Queen Isabeau in captivity and her decision to reach out to John the Fearless.
• [06:15] – The politics of Dauphin succession, Armagnac schemes, and Isabeau’s arrest.
• [10:22] – Isabeau’s outreach to John the Fearless and formation of a new court.
• [15:35] – Parisian mob violence and the fall of Bernard of Armagnac.
• [17:15] – The Paris Massacre and its impact on France’s civil war.
• [23:12] – Scene setting for the deadly peace meeting at Montereau.
• [24:39–26:30] – Betrayal and murder of John the Fearless.
• [28:32–31:00] – The splintering of France; Isabeau stuck between factions and the looming English threat.

Final Thoughts and Set-Up for Next Episode

Danièle Cybulskie concludes by reflecting on Isabeau's limited options and the “no-win scenario” she faces. Isabeau must maneuver between a bloodthirsty son, a hostile new Duke of Burgundy, and the ever-present English invaders—setting up the dramatic stakes for the season finale.

Listener Challenge:
“If you had your back up against the wall like Isabeau, would you have made that deal with the devil?” ([31:00])

Summary

This episode masterfully recounts a period when France tottered on the precipice of ruin. Through betrayal, civil violence, and desperate deals, Cybulskie paints a vivid picture of ambition and the “terrifying fragility of power,” making this episode both an engrossing history lesson and a poignant meditation on the tragedies of dynastic conflict.