Summary of “The Glass King | 6. A Jagged Peace”

Podcast: This is History: A Dynasty to Die For
Host: Danièle Cybulsky
Release: September 2, 2025

Main Theme

The season finale of “The Glass King” chronicles the fall of Charles VI of France—known as “Charles the Mad”—and the pivotal events that fractured France at the dawn of the 15th century. Through vivid storytelling and historical analysis, Danièle Cybulsky tracks the Treaty of Troyes, shifting alliances, and the personal tragedies that marked the end of Charles’s reign. The episode closes with the king’s death, his widow Isabeau’s retreat from power, and a glimmer of hope in the form of Joan of Arc.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Treaty of Troyes: France Surrenders to England (01:50–05:30)

• The episode opens with a vivid re-enactment of the signing of the Treaty of Troyes at the Cathedral of Troyes in 1420.
• Queen Isabeau and King Henry V preside over a ceremonial event that seals France’s surrender to England, while Charles VI, incapacitated by madness, is absent yet his seal legitimizes the act.
• Princess Catherine of Valois, poised yet defiant, becomes a marriage pawn to bind the new Anglo-French alliance.

“The moment is surreal. It has to be a dream. The glorious kingdom of France is being surrendered to the King of England.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (03:03)

2. Isabeau's Legacy and the Context of Betrayal (05:30–08:30)

• Isabeau’s posthumous reputation is dissected; often scapegoated for “throwing France to the wolves,” the podcast emphasizes the impossibility of her position during three decades of civil war.
• Both the English and French factions maneuvered for advantage, with Isabeau making impossible choices to safeguard her husband, Charles VI.
• The queen and Burgundy forge an alliance with England, contingent on Charles VI being unharmed and left with his title.

“Every move she can think to try is going to end in checkmate. So like any good player, Isabeau sticks to her main lifelong mission: protect the king at all costs.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (09:19)

3. Negotiations, Betrayals, and Family Breakdown (08:30–12:30)

• John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, attempts to leverage alliances with England for profit, but is assassinated on the bridge at Montereau by the Dauphin (Charles VII).
• The resulting blood feud between Armagnacs and Burgundians eliminates hopes of French unity.
• Henry V emerges as regent, with an agreement that Charles VI remains a figurehead while his direct heir, the Dauphin, is disinherited.

“The 51-year-old King Charles is clean and dressed, his crown gleaming on the thinning hair of his royal head. But Charles’s eyes are distant and confused. He notices the expectant faces...but he has no idea who the man in front of him is.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (13:02)

4. Henry V’s Difficulties as Regent of France (16:32–22:59)

• Henry V’s confidence in the Treaty quickly unravels; France refuses to submit peacefully and loyalty is fraught.
• Despite the political marriage to Catherine, Henry shuns the customary celebrations and forgoes French traditions, alienating his new subjects.
• The Dauphin (Charles VII) evades defeat, undermines truces, and keeps alive the hope of French resistance.
• The Anglo-Burgundian alliance is unstable; nobles hesitate to serve an English king, instead paying lip service to Charles VI, with fingers crossed for a better future.

“Ruling France would be fantastic if it wasn't full of so many godforsaken French people...The French have always believed in the power of royal display and the PR value of majesty.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (17:58)

5. Final Collapse: Deaths of Henry V and Charles VI (22:59–31:00)

• Henry VI is born to Catherine but is an infant during political chaos.
• Henry V dies suddenly in 1422, leaving France leaderless except for the disinherited Dauphin and a baby king.
• Charles VI, isolated and mentally broken, outlives his rival but dies soon after Henry.

“No one could have predicted that a king made out of glass might somehow outlast a king that seemed all but invincible...Well, except for the hemorrhoids.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (21:55)

6. Aftermath and the Hint of Renewal with Joan of Arc (31:00–34:18)

• The funeral of Charles VI marks the symbolic end of an era; Isabeau, now powerless, fades into obscurity, honoring her vow not to encourage her son’s claims.
• Despite appearing hopeless, hope for France flickers when Isabeau receives word of Joan of Arc’s visions and prophecies for the Dauphin.

“Her name is Joan of Arc.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (33:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The trauma of surrender (03:03):

  “The moment is surreal. It has to be a dream. The glorious kingdom of France is being surrendered to the King of England.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

• Hopeless checkmate (09:19):

  “Every move she can think to try is going to end in checkmate. So like any good player, Isabeau sticks to her main lifelong mission: protect the king at all costs.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

• Charles’s trauma and absence (13:02):

  “Charles’s eyes are distant and confused. He notices the expectant faces...but he has no idea who the man in front of him is.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

• Disillusionment with Henry V’s rule (17:58):

  “Ruling France would be fantastic if it wasn't full of so many godforsaken French people.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

• On outlasting the invincible (21:55):

  “No one could have predicted that a king made out of glass might somehow outlast a king that seemed all but invincible... Well, except for the hemorrhoids.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

• Charles’s lonely end (31:53):

  “This carved Charles looks peaceful and serene. At her nod, six strong pallbearers in royal livery lift the casket while the black silk canopy is unfurled over their heads. The gates are opened, and the solemn procession begins.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

• Joan of Arc’s first mention (33:42):

  “Her name is Joan of Arc.”
  — Danièle Cybulsky

Important Segment Timestamps

• Ceremony at the Cathedral of Troyes & Treaty Signing: 01:50–05:30
• Analysis of Isabeau’s Motives and Dilemmas: 05:30–09:30
• The Murder of John the Fearless & Political Chaos: 09:30–13:00
• Henry V as Regent, Problems Governing France: 16:32–22:59
• The Deaths of Henry V and Charles VI: 22:59–31:00
• Charles’s Funeral & Isabeau’s Withdrawal: 31:00–33:42
• Introduction of Joan of Arc: 33:42–34:18

Concluding Thoughts

The series finale deftly ties together decades of tragedy, compromise, and lost promise—culminating in the obliteration of once-great hopes for France. Charles VI’s legacy is portrayed as both tragic and nuanced: a monarch destroyed by illness but not maliciousness, his shattered mind mirrored in the fractured fate of his kingdom. In the bleak aftermath, a renewed sense of possibility emerges with the first whisperings of Joan of Arc, hinting at a miraculous new chapter for France.

“Well, there we go. The tale of Charles VI—a guy that really did suffer from a whole host of seriously unfortunate events. And, of course, he's not the only one who suffered as a result of his mental illness.”
— Danièle Cybulsky (33:54)

For further engagement, listeners are invited to discuss Charles VI’s legacy on the show’s Patreon.