Mont St. Michel

After his victories, Charles VII began to consider how he could best pay his tribute to the Mount for its share in them.

On the death of Jolivet, who had retired to Rouen to be with his triends the English, the monks had chosen for their Abbot Jean Gonault, their Prior, but, in spite of the valuable service he had performed during the late war, the king preferred to ask the Pope to nominate Cardinal Jean d'Estouteville, brother of the defender of the Mount. With the humility for which he was celebrated, Gonault resigned his bishopric and became a simple monk once more. For the first time in their history, the king of France withheld from the Benedictines their right of electing their own Superior, but, in doing so, he had the intention of giving them a prince of the Church, who, besides, was a man of distinction.