v.] THE HUNDRED YEARS' J FAR. 6i That kingdom was now suffering under the rule of its king, Peter tite Cruel, who had murdered his illegitimate brothers, and had committed many other barbarities, including the murder of his wife Blanche of Bourbon. One of his half-brothers, Henry, Count of Trastaniare, fled to France, beseeching aid against him ; and it struck Charles that to send the Free Lances to dethrone Peter would be a happy means of delivering France. So Du Guesclin took the command ; on the way he levied a large contribution from the Pope at Avignon, safely reached Castile, where the people rose against their tyrant, drove him away, and crowried Henry. Peter fled to Bourdeaux to ask aid of the Prince of Aquitaine. As France and England always took the opposite sides, Edward espoused the cause of Peter, and prepared to restore him. On this all the Free Lances who had just set Henry on the throne went over to the other side, in order to fight under their favourite leader "the Black Prince." In 1367 Henry and Du Guesclin were defeated at Navarete in Castile, and Du Guesclin was made prisoner. Peter was set on the throne again, but he failed in his engagements to the English ; and the Spanish climate and fiery wines did Charles's work more effec- tually than lance or sword — not only on the Free Lances, but on the Prince of Wales, whose health was so ruined that the rest of his life was only one long disease. He took Du Guesclin back to Bourdeaux, but accepted a ransom from him of 100,000 francs. The first use the Breton made of his freedom was to join Henry of Trasta- mare and the Castilians in a fresh rising, which resulted in Peter being killed in a hand-to-hand struggle with his brother before the castle of Moiitiel. 12. Renewal of the War, 1370. — Impoverished by his fruitless campaign, the Black Prince levied a hearth tax, greatly against the advice of that really great man, Chan- dos. Against this tax the Gascons appealed to the King of France. By the Peace of Bretigny Aquitaine had become wholly independent of France, so that the French king had no right to receive the appeal. But Charles saw his advantage, took up their cause, and inter- fered, insulting Edward III. by sending him a challenge by the bands of a scullion. On this breach of the treaty the English Parliament advised their master again to take
- ip the title of King of France. War was declared,
.but pitched battles were strictly forbidden. Hunger,
