Louis XI was an unusual king in a number of ways. He had very strained relations with his father, Charles VII, and for a number of year took refuge in the court of his uncle, Philip (the Good) of Burgundy.  During this time he planned for his reign and how he would use the kingship to build an efficient national state. On assuming the crown, at age 36, he set about a modernization of the state administrative structure and the centralization of authority in the crown. He appointed royal agents to collect taxes, oversee disputes and impose royal decrees through out France. He exercised a clause in a treaty his father had made with Burgundy and bought Picardy back from the Duke, to the duke's displeasure.  This approach, not surprisingly, angered the major feudal lords, led by the houses of Burgundy and Brittany. In 1465 these feudal lords and their allies co-opted Louis's brother, Charles, and brought a series of complaints against the king. They also led their armies into the field to impose their will on the king, with the intention of shifting Louis from a ruling to a reigning king.

Louis marshaled his forces and garrisoned the loyal towns, including Paris. His army met that of Burgundy, led by Philip's son Charles, count of Charolais (known as Charles the Bold), at Montlbery. Louis was outnumbered, and about to be pressed from the rear by the arrival of Francis II of Brittany, but late in the day on July 16 the armies of France and Burgundy met. Louis first appeared successful but was unable to press his advantage. This was because he was abandoned by his supposed ally the count of Anjou and because he wasn't reinforced from Paris, as he had requested. Later in the fighting the Burgundians rallied and held off the royal forces. At the end of the day both armies were exhausted and separated. At this time, Brittany arrived on the field.

During the night Louis withdrew and marched to Paris. Charles the Bold of Burgundy was able to claim victory, since he held the field at the end. This stared a period of military and diplomatic jockeying around Paris. Finally, Louis returned to the city again on August 28, leading a force of 12,000 troops. Paris was prepared for a siege. This was a siege unlike several others in the city's history, in that there was no concerted effort to capture the city. The Burgundians and their allies lived off the countryside while they engaged in continued negotiations, and occasional skirmished, with royal forces. The image of the siege of Paris (Bourgogne 139).

By the end of September the challengers were facing deteriorating  weather, harsh living conditions and the prospect of winter coming upon them. Louis was facing treats of treason among his allies. Paris itself fared relatively well during this time, being adequately supplied. The siege ended at the start of October when Louis agreed to returned Picardy to Burgundy, promised a royal bride for Charles, and dangled the hope of succeeding Louis on the throne of France. He granted his brother Charles the apanage of Normandy, a great loss for the crown, and made provisions for some of the other lords. On the bright side, from Louis point of view, he won relief for himself without making many of the concessions the feudal lords wanted aimed at protecting their traditional rights and shifting Louis from a ruling to reigning monarch.

Louis was successful in re-acquiring Normandy within several years, and ultimately prevailed over Charles of Burgundy some time there after.

Source: Kendall, P.M., Louis XI, George Allen and Unwin, London, 1971, pp 155-186.