Battle of Jarnac
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Jarnac on 13 March 1569 was an encounter during the French Wars of Religion
between the Catholic
forces of Marshal Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes
, and the Huguenots, near the nadir of their fortunes, financed by Reinhold von Krockow (who was wounded in the battle) and led by Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
, who was killed anonymously in a melée after his surrender and his body paraded on an ass in Jarnac, to Catholic jeers. The forces met outside Jarnac
between the right bank of the Charente River
and the high road between Angoulême
and Cognac
. Marshal Gaspard de Tavannes, superior in cavalry, crossed the Charente by the bridge at Châteauneuf and was successful in defeating the Huguenots due to his execution of surprise attacks, coming unexpectedly from the south. The Huguenots made a last stand at Triac and were ultimately defeated, with both their leaders captured in the fray and murdered in the aftermath. Under the leadership of Gaspard de Coligny
, however, a significant portion of the Huguenot army managed to escape.
Minor participants on the Huguenot side were the English volunteer Walter Raleigh
and Louis of Nassau
.
, resulting in a Protestant victory. The Battle of Moncontour
in October of the same year would provide the Catholics with a more definitive victory.
A tapestry of the battle and the assassination of Louis I of Bourbon is in the collection of the Musée National de la Renaissance in Ecouen
.
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
between the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
forces of Marshal Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes
Gaspard de Saulx
Gaspard de Saulx, sieur de Tavannes was a French military leader during the Italian Wars and the French Wars of Religion.-Biography:He was born in Dijon....
, and the Huguenots, near the nadir of their fortunes, financed by Reinhold von Krockow (who was wounded in the battle) and led by Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
, who was killed anonymously in a melée after his surrender and his body paraded on an ass in Jarnac, to Catholic jeers. The forces met outside Jarnac
Jarnac
Jarnac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.It is the site of the Battle of Jarnac in 1569.-Geography:Jarnac is situated on the right bank of the river Charente between the towns of Angoulême and Cognac...
between the right bank of the Charente River
Charente River
The Charente is a 381 km long river in southwestern France.Its source is in the Haute-Vienne département at Chéronnac, a small village near Rochechouart. It flows through the departments of Haute-Vienne, Charente, Vienne and Charente-Maritime...
and the high road between Angoulême
Angoulême
-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
and Cognac
Cognac
Cognac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Cognac is situated on the river Charente between the towns of Angoulême and Saintes. The majority of the town has been built on the river's left bank, with the smaller right...
. Marshal Gaspard de Tavannes, superior in cavalry, crossed the Charente by the bridge at Châteauneuf and was successful in defeating the Huguenots due to his execution of surprise attacks, coming unexpectedly from the south. The Huguenots made a last stand at Triac and were ultimately defeated, with both their leaders captured in the fray and murdered in the aftermath. Under the leadership of Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...
, however, a significant portion of the Huguenot army managed to escape.
Minor participants on the Huguenot side were the English volunteer Walter Raleigh
Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England....
and Louis of Nassau
Louis of Nassau
Louis of Nassau was the third son of William, Count of Nassau and Juliana of Stolberg, and the younger brother of Prince William of Orange Nassau....
.
Aftermath
On 25 June, the two armies met again at the Battle of La Roche-l'AbeilleBattle of La Roche-l'Abeille
The Battle of La Roche-l'Abeille occurred on 25 June 1569 between the Catholic forces of King Charles IX of France commanded by the Duke d’Anjou and the Huguenots commanded by the Admiral de Coligny during the "Third War" of the French Wars of Religion.-Background:The Third War of Religion saw an...
, resulting in a Protestant victory. The Battle of Moncontour
Battle of Moncontour
The Battle of Moncontour occurred on 3 October 1569 between the Catholic forces of King Charles IX of France and the Huguenots during the "Third War" of the French Wars of Religion.-The battle:...
in October of the same year would provide the Catholics with a more definitive victory.
A tapestry of the battle and the assassination of Louis I of Bourbon is in the collection of the Musée National de la Renaissance in Ecouen
Écouen
Écouen is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Écouen houses the Château d'Écouen, home of the Montmorency family...
.