France
The Dauphin Becomes King
Few kings have begun their reign under worse circumstances. According to the Treaty of Paris, he was technically not even king. Exiled to southern France, without a crown or an army or a capital, Charles was nevertheless supported by die-hard patriots who refused to recognize the Treaty and the betrayal of Burgundy. But Charles showed himself here in characteristic fashion, doing little to change his situation. Only when Joan of Arc showed up, leading him to an astonishing series of victories culminating in his coronation at Rheims, did Charles seem to bestir himself.
Once he was a crowned king, Charles gained support from various nations, which brought little money or troops, but at least brought recognition of the legitimacy of his claims. Most critically, they obtained the desertion of Burgundy from the English cause in 1435. This led directly to the capture of Paris in 1436. The Pragmatic Sanction in 1438 gave the king direct control of the French clergy, allowing him to unite nobility and Church against the common enemy.