Battle of Mauron
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mauron was fought in 1352 between an Anglo-Breton force and France. The Anglo-Bretons were victorious.
The battle took place in the context of the Hundred Years War. With the Franco-Breton claimant, Charles de Blois, a prisoner, and the Anglo-Breton claimant (Jean de Montfort) a minor, the English were attempting to rule Brittany in the name of their protege.
, invaded Brittany
, and after recapturing Rennes and territories to the south was advancing northwest, towards the town of Brest. Under orders from the French King Jean II of France to retake the castle of Ploërmel
from the Anglo-Breton garrison who occupied it, de Nesle made his way towards Ploërmel. Faced with this threat, the English captain Sir Walter Bentley and the Breton captain Tanguy du Chastel assembled troops to ride out and meet the Franco-Breton forces on 14 August 1352. The two armies met at a place called Brambily (currently the town of Saint-Léry) near Mauron castle.
, the former keeper of Brittany who had been killed in a French ambush.)
and the infamous Breton captain Jehan de Beaumanoir.
The Franco-Breton forces attacked late in the afternoon and the English longbowmen inflicted mass carnage on the French horses, their dismounted riders being dispatched by the men-at-arms as they struggled to get to their feet under the weight of their armour. Although pushed back on their right, the Anglo-Bretons, under the command of Sir Robert Knollys
, later a notorious commander of routiers, stood with their back to a belt of trees and put up such a fight that the French were routed.
The French leader, Guy II de Nesle
, was amongst the slain, and at least six hundred French knights and nobles were taken prisoner, vastly enriching the victors. The battle gave the English further control of Brittany, and was another example of the power of the English longbow in the warfare of the period.
and the hero of the Battle of the Thirty Alain de Tinténiac, were slain.
The battle took place in the context of the Hundred Years War. With the Franco-Breton claimant, Charles de Blois, a prisoner, and the Anglo-Breton claimant (Jean de Montfort) a minor, the English were attempting to rule Brittany in the name of their protege.
Prelude
In 1352 a French army, commanded by Marshal Guy II de NesleGuy II de Nesle
Guy II de Nesle , Lord of Mello, was a Marshal of France who was killed in the Battle of Mauron.Jean was the son of Jean I de Nesle , Lord of Offemont and a grandson of Guy I of Clermont, who was killed in the Battle of the Golden Spurs .Nesle was made a Marshal of France in 1348 by King Philip VI...
, invaded Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, and after recapturing Rennes and territories to the south was advancing northwest, towards the town of Brest. Under orders from the French King Jean II of France to retake the castle of Ploërmel
Ploërmel
Ploërmel is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-Character of the town:It is a growing and developing community with a thriving economy and a lively atmosphere. The town is modern rather than romantically mediaeval, but it is clean and attractive and offers a...
from the Anglo-Breton garrison who occupied it, de Nesle made his way towards Ploërmel. Faced with this threat, the English captain Sir Walter Bentley and the Breton captain Tanguy du Chastel assembled troops to ride out and meet the Franco-Breton forces on 14 August 1352. The two armies met at a place called Brambily (currently the town of Saint-Léry) near Mauron castle.
Anglo-Breton army
2,000 men commanded by the Englishman Sir Walter Bentley and the Breton captain Tanguy du Chastel. (Sir Walter had succeeded Sir Thomas DagworthThomas Dagworth
Sir Thomas Dagworth was an English knight and soldier, who led English armies in Brittany during the Hundred Years' War....
, the former keeper of Brittany who had been killed in a French ambush.)
Franco-Breton army
The other army comprised 5,000 men under the command of the French marshal Guy II de NesleGuy II de Nesle
Guy II de Nesle , Lord of Mello, was a Marshal of France who was killed in the Battle of Mauron.Jean was the son of Jean I de Nesle , Lord of Offemont and a grandson of Guy I of Clermont, who was killed in the Battle of the Golden Spurs .Nesle was made a Marshal of France in 1348 by King Philip VI...
and the infamous Breton captain Jehan de Beaumanoir.
The battle
With only a minute force, Sir Walter took up one of those strong defensive positions favoured by the English of the time, with men-at-arms, on foot, in a line with archers in the customary "wedge" (one interpretation of Froissart's enigmatic word 'herce' which more probably means in a 'zig-zag' rather than wedge-shaped deployment) formation on the wings.The Franco-Breton forces attacked late in the afternoon and the English longbowmen inflicted mass carnage on the French horses, their dismounted riders being dispatched by the men-at-arms as they struggled to get to their feet under the weight of their armour. Although pushed back on their right, the Anglo-Bretons, under the command of Sir Robert Knollys
Robert Knolles
Sir Robert Knolles was an important English soldier of the Hundred Years' War, who, operating with the tacit support of the Crown, succeeded in taking the only two major French cities, other than Calais and Poitiers, to fall to Edward III...
, later a notorious commander of routiers, stood with their back to a belt of trees and put up such a fight that the French were routed.
The French leader, Guy II de Nesle
Guy II de Nesle
Guy II de Nesle , Lord of Mello, was a Marshal of France who was killed in the Battle of Mauron.Jean was the son of Jean I de Nesle , Lord of Offemont and a grandson of Guy I of Clermont, who was killed in the Battle of the Golden Spurs .Nesle was made a Marshal of France in 1348 by King Philip VI...
, was amongst the slain, and at least six hundred French knights and nobles were taken prisoner, vastly enriching the victors. The battle gave the English further control of Brittany, and was another example of the power of the English longbow in the warfare of the period.
Aftermath
The battle was very violent and severe losses occurred on both sides: 800 of the Franco-Breton side and 600 on the Anglo-Breton. It was especially serious for the Breton aristocracy supporting the party of Charles de Blois. According to sources between 50 and 140 elite Franco-Breton knights, among them Marshal Guy II de NesleGuy II de Nesle
Guy II de Nesle , Lord of Mello, was a Marshal of France who was killed in the Battle of Mauron.Jean was the son of Jean I de Nesle , Lord of Offemont and a grandson of Guy I of Clermont, who was killed in the Battle of the Golden Spurs .Nesle was made a Marshal of France in 1348 by King Philip VI...
and the hero of the Battle of the Thirty Alain de Tinténiac, were slain.