Economic Recovery and Social Change

The later years of Charles VII's reign witnessed significant economic recovery from war's devastations. Population growth resumed as peasants returned to abandoned lands. Agricultural production increased, aided by the return of peace and favorable climatic conditions. Urban centers revived as trade routes reopened and commercial confidence returned. This economic expansion provided resources for continued governmental development.

Royal policy actively promoted recovery. Tax exemptions encouraged resettlement of devastated regions. Royal ordinances standardized weights and measures, facilitating commerce. Road maintenance and brigandage suppression made travel safer. Monetary stability, achieved through careful management rather than debasement, encouraged investment. These policies demonstrated royal government's growing sophistication in economic management.

Social changes accompanied economic recovery. The nobility, decimated by war and challenged by professional armies, adapted by seeking royal service rather than independent power. The bourgeoisie gained influence through financial services to the crown and participation in administration. Peasants, while still burdened by seigneurial obligations, benefited from labor shortages that improved their bargaining position. These shifts created a more complex society requiring royal arbitration.

The expansion of education, particularly legal education, created new professional classes dependent on royal patronage. Universities multiplied, with new foundations at Poitiers, Caen, and Bordeaux joining Paris in training administrators. The spread of printing in the 1450s promised further cultural changes. These developments created constituencies supporting strong monarchy as guarantor of order and opportunity.