Battle of Gisors
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Gisors was a skirmish fought in Courcelles-lès-Gisors
, Oise
, Picardie
, part of the on-going fighting between Richard I of England
and Philip Augustus of France
that lasted from 1194 to Richard's death in April 1199. The earlier conflict restarted after the truce between the two kings— just long enough to see the harvest in, according to the chronicler Roger of Hoveden
— expired. Both kings invaded and pillaged each other's territory, causing great suffering to the local population by having their captives' eyes put out.
Richard advanced through French territory by capturing several castles, most notably, the castle of Courcelles (of which the imposing unique oval donjon remains) and the stronghold at Burris. The French king tried to recapture Courcelles as he marched from Mante with 300 knights and a gathering of footsoldiers and citizens. The two forces met, after the Frankish army — which was superior in numbers — changed directions and advanced towards Gisors. The English defeated the French and captured many prominent knights, as well as riderless horses. The French fled the field by crossing the bridge at the town of Gisors, which broke down under their weight, "and the king of France, as we have heard say, had to drink of the river" Richard reported to the Bishop of Durham; with the French king struggling for his life, his troops managed to pull him out of the water. The impregnable fortress of Gisors remained in French hands, nevertheless.
The battle was followed by another temporary truce, made at Vernon.
Allegedly, before Gisors, Richard coined as countersign the parole of the day to tell friend from foe, "Dieu et mon droit
", a denial of his fealty to the King of France, that he owed his kingdom— and Normandy, Aquitaine and Anjou— to God and his right alone.
Courcelles-lès-Gisors
Courcelles-lès-Gisors is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
, Oise
Oise
Oise is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise.-History:Oise is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, Picardie
Picardie
Picardy is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northern part of France.-History:The historical province of Picardy stretched from north of Noyon to Calais, via the whole of the Somme department and the north of the Aisne department...
, part of the on-going fighting between 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...
and Philip Augustus of France
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...
that lasted from 1194 to Richard's death in April 1199. The earlier conflict restarted after the truce between the two kings— just long enough to see the harvest in, according to the chronicler Roger of Hoveden
Roger of Hoveden
Roger of Hoveden, or Howden , was a 12th-century English chronicler.From Hoveden's name and the internal evidence of his work, he is believed to have been a native of Howden in East Yorkshire. Nothing is known of him before the year 1174. He was then in attendance upon Henry II, by whom he was sent...
— expired. Both kings invaded and pillaged each other's territory, causing great suffering to the local population by having their captives' eyes put out.
Richard advanced through French territory by capturing several castles, most notably, the castle of Courcelles (of which the imposing unique oval donjon remains) and the stronghold at Burris. The French king tried to recapture Courcelles as he marched from Mante with 300 knights and a gathering of footsoldiers and citizens. The two forces met, after the Frankish army — which was superior in numbers — changed directions and advanced towards Gisors. The English defeated the French and captured many prominent knights, as well as riderless horses. The French fled the field by crossing the bridge at the town of Gisors, which broke down under their weight, "and the king of France, as we have heard say, had to drink of the river" Richard reported to the Bishop of Durham; with the French king struggling for his life, his troops managed to pull him out of the water. The impregnable fortress of Gisors remained in French hands, nevertheless.
The battle was followed by another temporary truce, made at Vernon.
Allegedly, before Gisors, Richard coined as countersign the parole of the day to tell friend from foe, "Dieu et mon droit
Dieu et mon droit
Dieu et mon droit is the motto of the British Monarch in England. It appears on a scroll beneath the shield of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom...
", a denial of his fealty to the King of France, that he owed his kingdom— and Normandy, Aquitaine and Anjou— to God and his right alone.
External links
- Henry T. Riley, The Annals of Roger of Hoveden (London, 1853). Roger quotes at length a report from Richard to the Bishop of Durham
- Image of the battle at the British Library
- Xenophon Group: "War of Bouvines" : Context of this battle in the run-up to the conclusive battle at Bouvines (1214)