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By BananaKing for HistoryGoneBananas
If you think your baby has accomplished a lot by saying “mama” or smashing peas onto the wall, let me introduce you to Henry VI, the royal overachiever of 1422. On August 31, 1422, little Henry went from drooling in his cradle to inheriting not one, but two thrones: King of England and (technically) King of France. Quite the résumé for someone still in diapers. But before we get to the nitty gritty, let’s hear from today’s sponsor:
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The Backstory: Dad Promised Him France 🍷⚔️
Henry’s dad, the famous Henry V, had been busy conquering France and winning at Agincourt. In 1420, the big Treaty of Troyes was signed, which basically said:
The French King Charles VI (nicknamed “the Mad”) would let Henry V inherit France,
Henry V married Charles’s daughter Catherine for bonus political legitimacy,
And voilà: the crowns of England and France were supposed to become a matching set.
The plan was neat, tidy… until death showed up with nasty timing.
Henry V dies suddenly in August 1422 (age only 35, dysentery = medieval party crasher).
Charles VI dies just two months later in October 1422.
Which means instead of a strong warrior king uniting kingdoms… a baby with no teeth became monarch of two nations.
The Baby King of Two Kingdoms 👶👑
And so, Henry VI became the youngest person ever to inherit the English throne at just 8 months old. France was included in the deal too, though the French had their own ideas (shoutout to Charles VII, who basically said, “We’re not taking orders from an English baby, merci”).
Henry even had a symbolic coronation in Paris at age 9, though by then most of France wasn’t keen on his rule anymore. Ultimately, under Henry’s gentle-but-not-very-warrior vibe, England lost almost all its French holdings.
What History Geeks Can Learn 📚
Timing is everything in history. If Henry V had lived just two more months, he would’ve worn both crowns. Instead, an infant got the job.
Leadership styles matter. Henry VI was a pious, bookish man—not the warlord type. Great for libraries (hello, Eton College and King’s College), not so great for holding onto France.
Dynastic politics can get messy. Treaties on paper don’t mean much if half your nobles roll their eyes and mutter “non!” in French.
Historians learn how fragile empires really are; casual history fans get to laugh at the idea of a baby king ruling countries he couldn’t even spell.
Final Thoughts 🍌
On this day, back in 1422, England found itself ruled by a royal jellybean in a crown. He went on to live a reign filled with drama, loss, Wars of the Roses chaos, but also legacies we still see today. Henry VI is a shining reminder that sometimes the person least prepared for leadership gets the job—and history never forgets.
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Author: BananaKing – serving history with a side of silliness.