André de Chauvigny
Encyclopedia
Andre de Chauvigny (1150–1202) was a Poitevin
knight in the service of Richard I of England
. He was the second son of Pierre-Hélie of Chauvigny and Haois of Châtellerault. Haois was the great-aunt of King Richard making Andrew and Richard relatives.
. At some point prior to 1180, Andrew held land of the chateaux de Monthoiron in Poitou and perhaps even possessed a fortified manor there. Andrew was popular in the tournament
circuit of the day. He was enlisted into the household of his cousin, Richard I of England
while he was still just count of Poitou, presumably sometime after 1182.
When Richard was allied to Philip II of France
in 1189, they had attacked the old King, Henry II of England
at the town of his birth, Le Mans
. Richard assaulted Le Mans and set fire to the city. Henry, with his captain William Marshal, was able to flee. William Marshal took up the rear of Henry's force. Andrew was in the lead of Richard's pursuit force. Andrew and William clashed, and on that day, William was able to unhorse Andrew. The "History of William Marshal" reported that Andrew suffered a severe break in his arm.
Later that year, after Henry had died, and Richard reconcilied the Angevin
barons to him, he offered Andrew as a reward for his service, Denise, Countess of Devon (1173–1221), widow of the third Earl
, who was the heiress of Raoul VII de Deols (d. 1176). Denise de Deols brought to Andrew the border barony of Chateroux, which included castles at Châteauroux, Déols, Le Chatelet, La Châtre, and Saint-Chartrier. This immediately made Andrew one of the most powerful lords of Poitevin Berry
, an important frontier zone of the Angevin Empire
that protected the roads leading to the capital cities of Tours
, Poitiers
and Angers
. At some point, Richard also granted Andrew fiefs at Bituresii in the county of Anjou.
(1190–1192). He was with the King at the muster of Vezelay
and departed with the army to Marseille
on July 4, 1190. He was present with the King at Sicily
and proved to be a competent military commander at the Siege of Acre and the Battle of Arsuf
. According to the chronicler Geoffrey de Vinsauf, during one of the many skirmishes the crusaders fought against Saladin
's forces, Andrew was wounded through the arm by a Muslim lance. Andrew was granted command by Richard over many other key crusader lords, and at one point, even Robert IV of Leicester and Hugh of Saint-Pol seem subordinate to him. He also seemed to have authority over the knights of the familia regis, knights like Peter de Preaux
, William des Roches
and Gerard de Fournival. After the cessation of hostilities, Andrew would command the first battalion of pilgrims that entered Jerusalem, followed by Ralph Taisson and Hubert Walter
, commanders of the second and third battalions respectively.
Upon Andrew's return from the crusade, he found that King Philip of France had taken much of the land in Poitevin Berry, including the important castle of Issoudun
. Andrew remained loyal to Richard and assisted in the retaking of Loches
and Châtillon-sur-Indre
, 1194. Later, Andrew would be Richard's forces during the attack on Adhemar, count of Angoulême.
King Richard attempted to end the war in 1196 with the Treaty of Gaillon. The treaty was essentially a grant to almost all of Philip's demands for the Vexin
and Berry. Technically, the treaty called for Andrew to become a liege-vassal of the King of France for his fiefs in Berry. As the treaty proved to be a failure, and the war continued, Andrew remained firmly in the Angevin camp.
With the death of King Richard at the siege of the tower of Chalus-Chabrol in 1199, Andrew had another important decision to make. Does he side with Richard's younger brother, John of England
, who had a history of animosity with the French King, or with Richard's nephew, Arthur of Brittany. Andrew chose to ally with Duke Arthur. Arthur had been invested by King Philip as the rightful lord of the Angevin inheritance. In October 1199, Andrew paid homage to Arthur for his fiefs in Anjou and Poitou and paid homage to King Philip for his castles and lands in Berry.
Andrew fought with the forces of Duke Arthur
against King John of England and William des Roches
, now seneschal of Anjou and sire de Sable, at the Battle of Mirebeau
in 1202. He was captured along with Arthur and most of the Poitevin and Breton nobility. He was sent to Rouen
. Many of John's prisoners were starved to death; he may have been one of them, as the Complete Peerage concludes. In any case, he died that year, and John gave his widow's English lands back to the Earls of Devon.
He was succeeded as baron of Deols-Chateroux by his twelve-year-old son William.
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
knight in the service of Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. He was the second son of Pierre-Hélie of Chauvigny and Haois of Châtellerault. Haois was the great-aunt of King Richard making Andrew and Richard relatives.
Richard the Lion-Hearted
Pierre-Hélie served the bishops of Poitiers as hereditary provost of ChauvignyChauvigny
Chauvigny is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.Chauvigny is located east of Poitiers by rail. The town is situated overlooking the Vienne River and a small brook. Chauvigny is twinned with Billericay in Essex, England.-Sights:Chauvigny features two...
. At some point prior to 1180, Andrew held land of the chateaux de Monthoiron in Poitou and perhaps even possessed a fortified manor there. Andrew was popular in the tournament
Tournament (medieval)
A tournament, or tourney is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance . It is one of various types of hastiludes....
circuit of the day. He was enlisted into the household of his cousin, Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
while he was still just count of Poitou, presumably sometime after 1182.
When Richard was allied to Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
in 1189, they had attacked the old King, Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
at the town of his birth, Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
. Richard assaulted Le Mans and set fire to the city. Henry, with his captain William Marshal, was able to flee. William Marshal took up the rear of Henry's force. Andrew was in the lead of Richard's pursuit force. Andrew and William clashed, and on that day, William was able to unhorse Andrew. The "History of William Marshal" reported that Andrew suffered a severe break in his arm.
Later that year, after Henry had died, and Richard reconcilied the Angevin
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
barons to him, he offered Andrew as a reward for his service, Denise, Countess of Devon (1173–1221), widow of the third Earl
Baldwin de Redvers, 3rd Earl of Devon
Baldwin de Redvers, 3rd Earl of Devon was Earl of Devon from 1162 until his death. His birth is not attested; but he had a younger brother, and he was invested with the Earldom between the Pipe Rolls of 1185 and 1186, so he should not have been much over twenty-one.He married the heiress of Raoul,...
, who was the heiress of Raoul VII de Deols (d. 1176). Denise de Deols brought to Andrew the border barony of Chateroux, which included castles at Châteauroux, Déols, Le Chatelet, La Châtre, and Saint-Chartrier. This immediately made Andrew one of the most powerful lords of Poitevin Berry
Berry (province)
Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790....
, an important frontier zone of the Angevin Empire
Angevin Empire
The term Angevin Empire is a modern term describing the collection of states once ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty.The Plantagenets ruled over an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland during the 12th and early 13th centuries, located north of Moorish Iberia. This "empire" extended...
that protected the roads leading to the capital cities of Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
and Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
. At some point, Richard also granted Andrew fiefs at Bituresii in the county of Anjou.
Third Crusade and thereafter
Andrew was one of King Richard's central military figures of the Third CrusadeThird Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
(1190–1192). He was with the King at the muster of Vezelay
Vézelay
Vézelay is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France. It is a defendable hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and the Basilica of St Magdelene are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites....
and departed with the army to Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
on July 4, 1190. He was present with the King at Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and proved to be a competent military commander at the Siege of Acre and the Battle of Arsuf
Battle of Arsuf
The Battle of Arsuf was a battle of the Third Crusade in which Richard I of England defeated Saladin at Arsuf. Following a series of harassing attacks by Saladin's forces, battle was joined on the morning of 7 September 1191...
. According to the chronicler Geoffrey de Vinsauf, during one of the many skirmishes the crusaders fought against Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
's forces, Andrew was wounded through the arm by a Muslim lance. Andrew was granted command by Richard over many other key crusader lords, and at one point, even Robert IV of Leicester and Hugh of Saint-Pol seem subordinate to him. He also seemed to have authority over the knights of the familia regis, knights like Peter de Preaux
Peter de Preaux
Peter de Preaux was a Norman knight in the service of the Angevin kings of England. Osbert, Peter's father, was a minor Norman baron in the Roumois . He held the tower and ville of Preaux as well as land at Darnétal. Osbert also owned a scattering of manors in England...
, William des Roches
William des Roches
William des Roches , seneschal of Anjou, was a knight in the service of the Angevin Kings of England, and King Philip II of France after 1202. Guillaume was born somewhere in Anjou, most likely at Longué-Jumelles....
and Gerard de Fournival. After the cessation of hostilities, Andrew would command the first battalion of pilgrims that entered Jerusalem, followed by Ralph Taisson and Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
, commanders of the second and third battalions respectively.
Upon Andrew's return from the crusade, he found that King Philip of France had taken much of the land in Poitevin Berry, including the important castle of Issoudun
Issoudun
Issoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
. Andrew remained loyal to Richard and assisted in the retaking of Loches
Loches
Loches is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France.It is situated southeast of Tours by railway, on the left bank of the Indre River.-History:...
and Châtillon-sur-Indre
Châtillon-sur-Indre
Châtillon-sur-Indre is a commune in the Indre department in central France.-References:*...
, 1194. Later, Andrew would be Richard's forces during the attack on Adhemar, count of Angoulême.
King Richard attempted to end the war in 1196 with the Treaty of Gaillon. The treaty was essentially a grant to almost all of Philip's demands for the Vexin
Vexin
The Vexin is a historical county of northwestern France. It covers a verdant plateau on the right bank of the Seine comprising an area east-to-west between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle , and north-to-south between Auneuil and the Seine near Vernon...
and Berry. Technically, the treaty called for Andrew to become a liege-vassal of the King of France for his fiefs in Berry. As the treaty proved to be a failure, and the war continued, Andrew remained firmly in the Angevin camp.
With the death of King Richard at the siege of the tower of Chalus-Chabrol in 1199, Andrew had another important decision to make. Does he side with Richard's younger brother, John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, who had a history of animosity with the French King, or with Richard's nephew, Arthur of Brittany. Andrew chose to ally with Duke Arthur. Arthur had been invested by King Philip as the rightful lord of the Angevin inheritance. In October 1199, Andrew paid homage to Arthur for his fiefs in Anjou and Poitou and paid homage to King Philip for his castles and lands in Berry.
Andrew fought with the forces of Duke Arthur
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
Arthur I was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1202. He was the posthumous son of Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany and Constance, Duchess of Brittany...
against King John of England and William des Roches
William des Roches
William des Roches , seneschal of Anjou, was a knight in the service of the Angevin Kings of England, and King Philip II of France after 1202. Guillaume was born somewhere in Anjou, most likely at Longué-Jumelles....
, now seneschal of Anjou and sire de Sable, at the Battle of Mirebeau
Battle of Mirebeau
The Battle of Mirebeau was a three-sided battle between the House of Lusignan-Breton alliance, the Kingdom of England, and the Kingdom of France...
in 1202. He was captured along with Arthur and most of the Poitevin and Breton nobility. He was sent to Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
. Many of John's prisoners were starved to death; he may have been one of them, as the Complete Peerage concludes. In any case, he died that year, and John gave his widow's English lands back to the Earls of Devon.
He was succeeded as baron of Deols-Chateroux by his twelve-year-old son William.