Breton War of Succession
Encyclopedia
The Breton War of Succession was a conflict between the Houses of Blois and Montfort for control of the Duchy of Brittany. It was fought between 1341 and 1364. It formed an integral part of the early Hundred Years War due to the involvement of the French and English governments in the conflict; the French supported Blois whilst the English backed Montfort. Although Montfort was ultimately successful following the Battle of Auray
in 1364, it was the French who were to gain the most from his victory.
was ruled by the House of Dreux. The dukes had both a historical and ancestral connection to England and were also Earls of Richmond
in Yorkshire. Duke Arthur II of Dreux
married twice, first to Mary of Limoges (1260–1291), then to Yolande of Dreux, countess of Montfort (1263–1322) and widow of king Alexander III of Scotland
. From his first marriage, he had three sons, including his heir John III
and Guy, count of Penthièvre (d. 1331). From Yolande, Arthur had another son, John, who became count of Montfort. (See Dukes of Brittany family tree
.)
John III strongly disliked the children of his father's second marriage. He spent the first years of his reign attempting to have this marriage annulled and his half-siblings bastardized. When this failed, he tried to ensure that John of Montfort
would never inherit the duchy. Since John III was childless, his heir of choice became Joanna of Dreux, la Boiteuse, daughter of his younger brother Guy. In 1337 she married Charles of Blois
, the second son of a powerful French noble house and son of the sister of King Philip VI of France
. But in 1340, John III reconciled himself with his half-brother, and made a will that appointed John of Montfort the heir of Brittany. On 30 April 1341, John III died. His last words on the succession, uttered on his deathbed, were, "For God's sake leave me alone and do not trouble my spirit with such things."
and then seized the ducal treasury at Limoges
. By the middle of August, John of Montfort was in possession of most of the duchy, including the three principal cities, Nantes, Rennes
and Vannes
.
Up to this point, the succession crisis had been a purely internal affair. But to complicate things further, the Hundred Years' War
between England and France had broken out four years earlier, in 1337. In 1341, there was truce between the two countries, but there was little doubt that hostilities would be renewed when the truce ended in June 1342. Thus, when rumours reached Philip VI of France
that John of Montfort had received English agents, the French Crown naturally took a more direct interest in the situation. Charles of Blois became the official French candidate. Whatever had been his original intentions, John of Montfort was now forced to support Edward III of England
as King of France.
Edward III was bound by the truce not to take any offensive action in France. Nothing in it, however, hindered France from subduing rebellious vassals. In November, after a short siege and defeat at the battle of Champtoceaux
, John of Montfort was forced to surrender at Nantes
by the citizens. He was offered safe conduct to negotiate a settlement with Charles of Blois, but when this led nowhere he was thrown in prison.
It now fell upon John's wife, Joanna of Flanders
to lead the Montfortist cause. Deeming her possessions in the east undefendable, she set up headquarters at Hennebont
in western Brittany but was driven into Brest and besieged, the siege being broken by the arrival of an English army under the Earl of Northampton
at the naval battle of Brest
. In Paris it was feared that Edward III would land at Calais
once the truce ran out. The major part of the French army was therefore withdrawn, and Charles of Blois was left to pursue his claim on his own. Charles soon proved himself to be an able soldier: Rennes and Vannes were taken and many of the Montfortist captains defected.
In late November, Edward III arrived with his army at Brest
. He almost at once marched against Vannes. The siege dragged on and a French army was assembled to meet him, but 19 January 1343, before any major engagements could be fought, the two kings agreed upon a new truce. Vannes was taken into papal custody. With John of Montfort in prison, his son an infant, and his wife recently gone mad, the places under Montfortist control in practise to be administrated from London, with a large permanent English garrison at Brest.
The truce was to last until 29 September 1346 with the hopes that in the meantime the disputes between the two kingdoms could be permanently settled, but in Brittany it made little difference. The truce bound the two kings and their followers, but Charles of Blois claimed to be fighting his own separate war, and was therefore not bound by any truce. The brutal small scale fighting continued at the same pace.
In Paris, John of Montfort was released from prison 1 September 1343 in return for a huge bond and a promise to stay on his estates in the east. The English coastal garrisons held firm, but the Montfortist party continued to crumble. They had some successes, such as the expulsion of the papal custodians from Vannes, but with no unifying leadership, mostly they were reduced to pleading for men and money from London.
To hamper communication between Brest and Vannes, Charles of Blois laid siege to Quimper in early March 1344. The city fell by assault 1 May and, as usual at that time, this meant the slaughter of civilians in huge numbers, between 1400 and 2000. The English prisoners were held for ransom, but the Breton and Norman captives were dispatched to Paris where they were executed for treason. During the summer and autumn, the Montfortist party fell apart. Even those who had been John of Montfort's staunchest allies now considered it futile to continue the struggle. It therefore mattered little that in March 1345 John finally managed to escape to England. With no adherents of note of his own, he was now little more than a figurehead for English ambitions in Brittany.
Edward III decided to repudiate the truce in summer 1345, a year before it was due to run out. As part of his larger strategy, a force was dispatched to Brittany under the joint leadership of the Earl of Northampton
and John of Montfort. Within a week of their landing in June, the English had their first victory when Sir Thomas Dagworth
, one of Northampton's lieutenants, raided central Brittany and defeated Charles of Blois at Cadoret near Josselin
.
The follow-up was less impressive. Further operations were delayed until July when Montfort attempted the recapture of Quimper. However, news had reached the French government that Edward's main campaign had been cancelled and they were able to send reinforcements from Normandy. With his strengthened army, Charles of Blois broke the siege. Routed, Montfort fled back to Hennebont where he fell ill and died 16 September. The heir to the Montfortist cause was his 5-year-old son, John
.
During the winter, Northampton fought a long and hard winter campaign with apparent objective of seizing a harbour on the north side of the peninsula. Edward III had probably planned to land here with his main force during summer 1346. However, the English achieved very little for their efforts. Northern Brittany was Joanna of Dreux’ home region and resistance here was stiff. The only bright spot for the English was victory at the Battle of La Roche-Derrien
, where the small town was captured and garrison installed under Richard Totesham.
In the end, Edward decided upon Normandy as the landing spot for his 1346 campaign. Northampton was recalled and Thomas Dagworth was appointed as deputy lieutenant. It was during a tour through the English strongholds that on 9 June Dagworth and his escort were trapped by Charles of Blois and his army near Saint-Pol-de-Léon
. They dug in on a hill top and fought off all attacks until nightfall when Charles was forced to retreat leaving many of his wounded behind.
Battle of Auray
The Battle of Auray took place on 29 September 1364 at the French town of Auray. This battle was the decisive confrontation of the Breton War of Succession, a part of the Hundred Years' War....
in 1364, it was the French who were to gain the most from his victory.
Background
In the middle of the 14th century, BrittanyBrittany
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...
was ruled by the House of Dreux. The dukes had both a historical and ancestral connection to England and were also Earls of Richmond
Earl of Richmond
The now-extinct title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of England. The earldom of Richmond was held by various Bretons, Normans, the royal families of Plantagenet, Capet, Savoy, Tudor and Stuart.-History:...
in Yorkshire. Duke Arthur II of Dreux
Arthur II, Duke of Brittany
Arthur II , of the House of Dreux, was Duke of Brittany from 1305 to his death. He was the first son of John II and Beatrice, daughter of Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence....
married twice, first to Mary of Limoges (1260–1291), then to Yolande of Dreux, countess of Montfort (1263–1322) and widow of king Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
. From his first marriage, he had three sons, including his heir John III
John III, Duke of Brittany
John III the Good was duke of Brittany, from 1312 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Mary of Limoges, his first wife...
and Guy, count of Penthièvre (d. 1331). From Yolande, Arthur had another son, John, who became count of Montfort. (See Dukes of Brittany family tree
Dukes of Brittany family tree
This is a family tree of the Dukes of Brittany from the 9th century, to the annexation of Brittany by France in 1532.See also: Brittany - List of family trees...
.)
John III strongly disliked the children of his father's second marriage. He spent the first years of his reign attempting to have this marriage annulled and his half-siblings bastardized. When this failed, he tried to ensure that John of Montfort
John IV, Duke of Brittany
John IV of Montfort , was duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Yolande de Dreux, countess of Montfort, his second wife.In 1322 he succeeded his mother as count of Montfort, and in 1329, he married Joanna of Flanders at Chartres...
would never inherit the duchy. Since John III was childless, his heir of choice became Joanna of Dreux, la Boiteuse, daughter of his younger brother Guy. In 1337 she married Charles of Blois
Charles, Duke of Brittany
Charles of Blois , claimed the title Duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death.Charles is the son of Guy I of Blois-Châtillon, count of Blois, by Margaret of Valois, a sister of king Philip VI of France. He was a devout man, who took piety to the extreme of mortifying his own flesh...
, the second son of a powerful French noble house and son of the sister of King Philip VI of France
Philip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
. But in 1340, John III reconciled himself with his half-brother, and made a will that appointed John of Montfort the heir of Brittany. On 30 April 1341, John III died. His last words on the succession, uttered on his deathbed, were, "For God's sake leave me alone and do not trouble my spirit with such things."
The War
Most of the nobility supported Charles of Blois, so if John of Montfort was to have any chance, he was dependent upon swift action before organized resistance could be made. John quickly took possession of the ducal capital NantesNantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
and then seized the ducal treasury at Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
. By the middle of August, John of Montfort was in possession of most of the duchy, including the three principal cities, Nantes, Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
and Vannes
Vannes
Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
.
Up to this point, the succession crisis had been a purely internal affair. But to complicate things further, the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
between England and France had broken out four years earlier, in 1337. In 1341, there was truce between the two countries, but there was little doubt that hostilities would be renewed when the truce ended in June 1342. Thus, when rumours reached Philip VI of France
Philip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
that John of Montfort had received English agents, the French Crown naturally took a more direct interest in the situation. Charles of Blois became the official French candidate. Whatever had been his original intentions, John of Montfort was now forced to support Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
as King of France.
Edward III was bound by the truce not to take any offensive action in France. Nothing in it, however, hindered France from subduing rebellious vassals. In November, after a short siege and defeat at the battle of Champtoceaux
Battle of Champtoceaux
The battle of Champtoceaux, often called the battle of l'Humeau, was the opening action of the 23-year-long Breton War of Succession, a dynastic conflict in Brittany which became inevitably embroiled in the Hundred Years War between England and France...
, John of Montfort was forced to surrender at Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
by the citizens. He was offered safe conduct to negotiate a settlement with Charles of Blois, but when this led nowhere he was thrown in prison.
It now fell upon John's wife, Joanna of Flanders
Joanna of Flanders
Joanna of Flanders , also known as, Countess Jeanne, Jehanne de Montfort, and Jeanne la Flamme, was consort Duchess of Brittany by her marriage to John IV, Duke of Brittany...
to lead the Montfortist cause. Deeming her possessions in the east undefendable, she set up headquarters at Hennebont
Hennebont
Hennebont is a commune in the Morbihan department in the region of Brittany in north-western France.-Geography:Hennebont is situated about ten miles from the mouth of the River Blavet, which divides it into two parts: the Ville Close, the medieval walled town, and the 17th century Ville Neuve on...
in western Brittany but was driven into Brest and besieged, the siege being broken by the arrival of an English army under the Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG was an English nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:He was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. He had a twin brother, Edward...
at the naval battle of Brest
Battle of Brest (1342)
The battle of Brest, sometimes called the battle of the River Penfeld was an action in 1342 between an English squadron of converted merchant ships and that of a mercenary galley force from Genoa fighting for the Franco-Breton faction of Charles of Blois during the Breton War of Succession, a side...
. In Paris it was feared that Edward III would land at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
once the truce ran out. The major part of the French army was therefore withdrawn, and Charles of Blois was left to pursue his claim on his own. Charles soon proved himself to be an able soldier: Rennes and Vannes were taken and many of the Montfortist captains defected.
In late November, Edward III arrived with his army at Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
. He almost at once marched against Vannes. The siege dragged on and a French army was assembled to meet him, but 19 January 1343, before any major engagements could be fought, the two kings agreed upon a new truce. Vannes was taken into papal custody. With John of Montfort in prison, his son an infant, and his wife recently gone mad, the places under Montfortist control in practise to be administrated from London, with a large permanent English garrison at Brest.
The truce was to last until 29 September 1346 with the hopes that in the meantime the disputes between the two kingdoms could be permanently settled, but in Brittany it made little difference. The truce bound the two kings and their followers, but Charles of Blois claimed to be fighting his own separate war, and was therefore not bound by any truce. The brutal small scale fighting continued at the same pace.
In Paris, John of Montfort was released from prison 1 September 1343 in return for a huge bond and a promise to stay on his estates in the east. The English coastal garrisons held firm, but the Montfortist party continued to crumble. They had some successes, such as the expulsion of the papal custodians from Vannes, but with no unifying leadership, mostly they were reduced to pleading for men and money from London.
To hamper communication between Brest and Vannes, Charles of Blois laid siege to Quimper in early March 1344. The city fell by assault 1 May and, as usual at that time, this meant the slaughter of civilians in huge numbers, between 1400 and 2000. The English prisoners were held for ransom, but the Breton and Norman captives were dispatched to Paris where they were executed for treason. During the summer and autumn, the Montfortist party fell apart. Even those who had been John of Montfort's staunchest allies now considered it futile to continue the struggle. It therefore mattered little that in March 1345 John finally managed to escape to England. With no adherents of note of his own, he was now little more than a figurehead for English ambitions in Brittany.
Edward III decided to repudiate the truce in summer 1345, a year before it was due to run out. As part of his larger strategy, a force was dispatched to Brittany under the joint leadership of the Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG was an English nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:He was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. He had a twin brother, Edward...
and John of Montfort. Within a week of their landing in June, the English had their first victory when Sir Thomas Dagworth
Thomas Dagworth
Sir Thomas Dagworth was an English knight and soldier, who led English armies in Brittany during the Hundred Years' War....
, one of Northampton's lieutenants, raided central Brittany and defeated Charles of Blois at Cadoret near Josselin
Josselin
Josselin is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:St Meriadek is said to have founded a chapel there during the 4th century...
.
The follow-up was less impressive. Further operations were delayed until July when Montfort attempted the recapture of Quimper. However, news had reached the French government that Edward's main campaign had been cancelled and they were able to send reinforcements from Normandy. With his strengthened army, Charles of Blois broke the siege. Routed, Montfort fled back to Hennebont where he fell ill and died 16 September. The heir to the Montfortist cause was his 5-year-old son, John
John V, Duke of Brittany
John V the Conqueror KG was Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.-Numbering:...
.
During the winter, Northampton fought a long and hard winter campaign with apparent objective of seizing a harbour on the north side of the peninsula. Edward III had probably planned to land here with his main force during summer 1346. However, the English achieved very little for their efforts. Northern Brittany was Joanna of Dreux’ home region and resistance here was stiff. The only bright spot for the English was victory at the Battle of La Roche-Derrien
Battle of La Roche-Derrien
The Battle of La Roche-Derrien was one of the battles of the Hundred Years' War, fought in 1347 during the night between English and French forces...
, where the small town was captured and garrison installed under Richard Totesham.
In the end, Edward decided upon Normandy as the landing spot for his 1346 campaign. Northampton was recalled and Thomas Dagworth was appointed as deputy lieutenant. It was during a tour through the English strongholds that on 9 June Dagworth and his escort were trapped by Charles of Blois and his army near Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretange in northwestern France, located on the coast.It is famous for its 13th-century cathedral on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian in the 6th century. It has kept a unique architecture, such as Notre-Dame du...
. They dug in on a hill top and fought off all attacks until nightfall when Charles was forced to retreat leaving many of his wounded behind.
Chronology
- 30 April 1341 – John III dies without heirs. Joanna and Charles of Blois became dukes of Brittany. John of Montfort refuses to accept and calls for the help of king Edward III of EnglandEdward III of EnglandEdward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
.
- 1343 – John of Montfort is taken prisoner, but is released shortly afterwards. Charles tries to take advantage and attacks Hennebont, but the city is defended with success by Joanna of FlandersJoanna of FlandersJoanna of Flanders , also known as, Countess Jeanne, Jehanne de Montfort, and Jeanne la Flamme, was consort Duchess of Brittany by her marriage to John IV, Duke of Brittany...
, wife of Montfort. An English army relieves the siege and forces the Blois to a truce, broken shortly afterwards.
- 1344 - Charles takes Quimper with the help of a French army, courtesy of king Philip VI of FrancePhilip VI of FrancePhilip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
, and slaughters 2000 civilians
- 1345 – John of Montfort fails to recover Quimper and dies. His ambitions over Brittany are inherited by is son John VJohn V, Duke of BrittanyJohn V the Conqueror KG was Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.-Numbering:...
. His mother, Joanna of Flanders, becomes the political and military commander of the Montfort faction.
- Between 1346 and 1364, several minor battles are won and lost by both parts, several truces are signed and broken
- 27 March 1351 - Combat of the ThirtyCombat of the ThirtyThe Combat of the Thirty [known as Combat des Trente in French] was an episode in the struggle for the succession to the Duchy of Brittany...
- 27 March 1351 - Combat of the Thirty
- 29 September 1364 – Battle of AurayBattle of AurayThe Battle of Auray took place on 29 September 1364 at the French town of Auray. This battle was the decisive confrontation of the Breton War of Succession, a part of the Hundred Years' War....
. Bertrand du GuesclinBertrand du GuesclinBertrand du Guesclin , known as the Eagle of Brittany or the Black Dog of Brocéliande, was a Breton knight and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was Constable of France from 1370 to his death...
and Charles of Blois are heavily defeated by John V and the English warlord Sir John ChandosJohn ChandosSir John Chandos, Viscount of Saint-Sauveur in the Cotentin, Constable of Aquitaine, Seneschal of Poitou, KG was a medieval English knight who hailed from Radbourne Hall, Derbyshire. Chandos was a close friend of Edward, the Black Prince and a founding member and 19th Knight of the Order of the...
. Charles is killed in action, ending the Blois pretensions in Brittany.
- 1365 – John V is recognized as Duke of Brittany and Joanna of Dreux gives up any claim to the duchy in the Treaty of GuérandeTreaty of Guérande (1365)The first treaty of Guérande, signed April 12, 1365 ended the Breton War of Succession and defined the law of succession of the duchy....
. Surprisingly, the new duke declares himself as a vassal, not to the English king who helped him, but to king Charles V of FranceCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
.
See also
- Duke of BrittanyDuke of BrittanyThe Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
– Dukes of Brittany family treeDukes of Brittany family treeThis is a family tree of the Dukes of Brittany from the 9th century, to the annexation of Brittany by France in 1532.See also: Brittany - List of family trees... - Hundred Years' WarHundred Years' WarThe Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...