Battle of Baesweiler
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Baesweiler (August 22, 1371) was a conflict between the dukes of Brabant
and Jülich
.
During this time, large groups of mercenaries roamed the lands of western Europe, bringing death wherever they came. After French
mercenaries robbed a number of Brabantine merchants on the territory of William II, Duke of Jülich
, William refused to pay reparation to Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg, husband of the Duchess of Brabant
, let alone punish the mercenaries, instead protecting them and even hiring some.
Wenceslas prepared his forces and tried to attack the Duke of Jülich. William however sought help from his brother in law, Edward, Duke of Guelders
.
On August 22, the armies met near the town of Baesweiler
north of Aachen
. As the battle progressed it seemed the Duke of Brabant was victorious, but then the troops of the Duke of Guelders appeared on the battlefield and the Brabantine troops were repulsed. The battle ended with the capture of the Duke of Brabant and William, Margrave of Namur
, and the death of the Duke of Guelders. Guy I of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny
was also killed.
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
and Jülich
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...
.
During this time, large groups of mercenaries roamed the lands of western Europe, bringing death wherever they came. After French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mercenaries robbed a number of Brabantine merchants on the territory of William II, Duke of Jülich
William II, Duke of Jülich
William II, Duke of Jülich was the second Duke of Jülich and the sixth William in the House of Jülich. He was the second son of William I of Jülich and Joanna of Hainaut....
, William refused to pay reparation to Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg, husband of the Duchess of Brabant
Duke of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven . The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant...
, let alone punish the mercenaries, instead protecting them and even hiring some.
Wenceslas prepared his forces and tried to attack the Duke of Jülich. William however sought help from his brother in law, Edward, Duke of Guelders
Edward, Duke of Guelders
Edward, Duke of Guelders , Duke of Guelders and Count of Zutphen was the youngest son of Rainald II of Guelders and his second wife, Eleanor of Woodstock, daughter of Edward II of England....
.
On August 22, the armies met near the town of Baesweiler
Baesweiler
Baesweiler is a municipality in the district of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Neighbouring municipalities:* Geilenkirchen* Linnich* Aldenhoven* Alsdorf* Herzogenrath* Übach-Palenberg- Division of the municipality :...
north of Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
. As the battle progressed it seemed the Duke of Brabant was victorious, but then the troops of the Duke of Guelders appeared on the battlefield and the Brabantine troops were repulsed. The battle ended with the capture of the Duke of Brabant and William, Margrave of Namur
William I, Marquis of Namur
William I, Marquis of Namur, the Rich, was Count of Namur from 1337 until his death.He was the fifth son of John I and Mary of Artois....
, and the death of the Duke of Guelders. Guy I of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny
Guy I of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny
Guy I of Luxembourg-Ligny was Count of Saint-Pol and Count of Ligny, Lord of Roussy and Beauvoir .He was the son of John I and Alix of Dampierre, dame de Richebourg....
was also killed.