Siege of Perpignan (1542)
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Perpignan took place in 1542, at Perpignan
(Spanish
: Perpiñán), between a larger French army commanded by Henry, Dauphin of France
and the Spanish garrison at Perpignan. The Spaniards resisted until the arrival of the Spanish army under Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba
, causing the withdrawal of the French army. The siege was one of the costliest defeats of Francis I in the French offensive of 1542.
, allied with the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, the Ottoman Empire
, Denmark
and Sweden
, made a show of the power at his disposal, by arriving with five armies. Francis declared war on 12 July, 1542, and the French immediately launched a offensive with the five French armies against Charles. One of them, commanded by his son Charles, Duke of Orléans went to Luxembourg
. Another, led by Francis's eldest son, Henry, Dauphin of France
, marched to Roussillon
towards the frontiers of Spain
. The third, commanded by Marshal Maarten van Rossum
marched over Brabant
, the fourth under the Duke of Vendôme
to the Netherlands
, and the fifth went to the Piedmont
commanded by the Marshall of France Claude d'Annebault
.
The result of this new offensive was another failure for Francis I
. In Flanders
, the army of Maarten van Rossum
, supported by a German army under the Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, came up against a strong Spanish-Imperial defense of Leuven
and Antwerp. The Duke of Orleans attacked Luxembourg, and in the meantime, in Piedmont, the French army only managed to grab some towns due to the cunning of Claude d'Annebault.
In southern France, in Roussillon
, the army commanded by Henry, Dauphin of France
, consisting of 40,000 men, supported by the army of Marshall Claude d'Annebault
, laid siege to Perpignan
, after losing valuable time which was used by the Emperor Charles to strengthen the towns of Salses
, Fuenterrabía
and Perpignan.
Perpignan
had been reinforced by the Emperor, which was held by several nobles of Castile
and their troops, and also several hundred Spanish veteran soldiers.
Henry
, who thought it would be an easy conquest, encountered fierce resistance. In a clever move of the Spanish, the defenders led by the Captains Cervellón and Machichaco, attacked by surprise to the French besiegers and destroyed most of the heavy artillery with which it had already begun to damage the walls, causing a severe blow to the French army.
After many hardships for the French, and without any hope that the Ottoman Empire
would help them, the town was eventually relieved by the army of the Duke of Alba
, forcing to the French commander, the Dauphin of France
, to lift the siege, prompting the withdrawal of the French. The siege incurred a very heavy loss in dead, sick and wounded among the French ranks, becoming a resounding French failure.
, Francis I was far from reaping the benefits of an effort that ended up being rather costly, and he couldn't reply with the reputation he had acquired throughout Europe
. The two monarchs Charles I of Spain and Francis I of France
, used up the remainder of the year to prepare new campaigns. On the French part, Frances I did everything possible to obtain military support from the Ottoman Empire
, persuading Suleiman the Magnificent
to return to Hungary
and attack Charles of Austria
's possessions, while the Ottoman Admiral, Hayreddin Barbarossa, attacked the Spanish and Italian coasts.
In Europe
, the French, under Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme
, captured Lillers
in April, and Marshall Claude d'Annebault had taken Landrecies
. Wilhelm of Cleves, invaded Brabant, and the fight began in Artois
and Hainaut. King Francis
inexplicably halted with his army near Rheims; in the meantime, Charles attacked Wilhelm
, invading the Duchy of Julich
and capturing Düren
. The Duke of Orléans captured Luxembourg
on 10 September, but the French conquest was useless, and Luxembourg was recaptured by the Imperial troops under the Prince of Orange
. The Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg surrendered on 7 September, signing the Treaty of Venlo with the Emperor.
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
(Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Perpiñán), between a larger French army commanded by Henry, Dauphin of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
and the Spanish garrison at Perpignan. The Spaniards resisted until the arrival of the Spanish army under Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
, causing the withdrawal of the French army. The siege was one of the costliest defeats of Francis I in the French offensive of 1542.
French offensive of 1542
In June, 1541, Francis I of FranceFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, allied with the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, made a show of the power at his disposal, by arriving with five armies. Francis declared war on 12 July, 1542, and the French immediately launched a offensive with the five French armies against Charles. One of them, commanded by his son Charles, Duke of Orléans went to Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. Another, led by Francis's eldest son, Henry, Dauphin of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, marched to Roussillon
Roussillon
Roussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
towards the frontiers of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The third, commanded by Marshal Maarten van Rossum
Maarten van Rossum
Maarten van Rossum was a Dutch Guelderian military tactician and later field marshal at the service of Charles, Duke of Guelders....
marched over Brabant
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...
, the fourth under the Duke of Vendôme
Antoine of Navarre
Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme was head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562, and jure uxoris King of Navarre from 1555 to 1562.-Family:...
to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and the fifth went to the Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
commanded by the Marshall of France Claude d'Annebault
Claude d'Annebault
Claude d'Annebault was a French military officer; Marshall of France ; Admiral of France ; and Governor of Piedmont in 1541. He led the French invasion of the Isle of Wight in 1545...
.
The result of this new offensive was another failure for Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
. In Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, the army of Maarten van Rossum
Maarten van Rossum
Maarten van Rossum was a Dutch Guelderian military tactician and later field marshal at the service of Charles, Duke of Guelders....
, supported by a German army under the Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, came up against a strong Spanish-Imperial defense of Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
and Antwerp. The Duke of Orleans attacked Luxembourg, and in the meantime, in Piedmont, the French army only managed to grab some towns due to the cunning of Claude d'Annebault.
In southern France, in Roussillon
Roussillon
Roussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
, the army commanded by Henry, Dauphin of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, consisting of 40,000 men, supported by the army of Marshall Claude d'Annebault
Claude d'Annebault
Claude d'Annebault was a French military officer; Marshall of France ; Admiral of France ; and Governor of Piedmont in 1541. He led the French invasion of the Isle of Wight in 1545...
, laid siege to Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, after losing valuable time which was used by the Emperor Charles to strengthen the towns of Salses
Fort de Salses
The Fort de Salses is a Spain fortress in the commune of Salses-le-Château, situated in the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
, Fuenterrabía
Hondarribia
Hondarribia is a town situated on the west shore of Bidasoa river's mouth, in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain. The border town is sited on a little promontory facing Hendaye over the Txingudi bay. The town holds an ancient old quarter with walls and a castle...
and Perpignan.
Siege of Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
had been reinforced by the Emperor, which was held by several nobles of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
and their troops, and also several hundred Spanish veteran soldiers.
Henry
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, who thought it would be an easy conquest, encountered fierce resistance. In a clever move of the Spanish, the defenders led by the Captains Cervellón and Machichaco, attacked by surprise to the French besiegers and destroyed most of the heavy artillery with which it had already begun to damage the walls, causing a severe blow to the French army.
After many hardships for the French, and without any hope that the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
would help them, the town was eventually relieved by the army of the Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
, forcing to the French commander, the Dauphin of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, to lift the siege, prompting the withdrawal of the French. The siege incurred a very heavy loss in dead, sick and wounded among the French ranks, becoming a resounding French failure.
Consequences
When the Emperor's power seemed broken after the African disasterAlgiers expedition (1541)
The Algiers expedition of 1541 occurred when Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor attempted to lead a fleet against the Ottoman Empire stronghold of Algiers in modern Algeria...
, Francis I was far from reaping the benefits of an effort that ended up being rather costly, and he couldn't reply with the reputation he had acquired throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The two monarchs Charles I of Spain and Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, used up the remainder of the year to prepare new campaigns. On the French part, Frances I did everything possible to obtain military support from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, persuading Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
to return to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and attack Charles of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
's possessions, while the Ottoman Admiral, Hayreddin Barbarossa, attacked the Spanish and Italian coasts.
In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the French, under Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme
Antoine of Navarre
Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme was head of the House of Bourbon from 1537 to 1562, and jure uxoris King of Navarre from 1555 to 1562.-Family:...
, captured Lillers
Lillers
Lillers is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A small farming and light industrial town situated some 15 km northwest of Béthune and 40 km west of Lille, at the junction of the D185, D182 and the D69 roads...
in April, and Marshall Claude d'Annebault had taken Landrecies
Landrecies
Landrecies is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is the site of a skirmish between the British I Corps under Douglas Haig and the German Fifth Army on 25 August 1914.-Heraldry:-People:...
. Wilhelm of Cleves, invaded Brabant, and the fight began in Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
and Hainaut. King Francis
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
inexplicably halted with his army near Rheims; in the meantime, Charles attacked Wilhelm
Wilhelm
Wilhelm may refer to:* Wilhelm I, German Emperor , King of Prussia and German Emperor* Wilhelm II, German Emperor , grandson of the former, King of Prussia and German Emperor* Wilhelm , a character in Xenosaga...
, invading the Duchy of Julich
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...
and capturing Düren
Düren
Düren is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, capital of Düren district. It is located between Aachen and Cologne on the river Rur.-Roman era:Celts inhabited Düren's area before the Romans. They called their small settlement Durum . After the Celts other Germanic tribes settled this area...
. The Duke of Orléans captured Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
on 10 September, but the French conquest was useless, and Luxembourg was recaptured by the Imperial troops under the Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
. The Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg surrendered on 7 September, signing the Treaty of Venlo with the Emperor.
See also
- Battle of Muros Bay
- Italian WarsItalian WarsThe Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
- Franco-Ottoman allianceFranco-Ottoman allianceThe Franco-Ottoman alliance, also Franco-Turkish alliance, was an alliance established in 1536 between the king of France Francis I and the Turkish ruler of the Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent. The alliance has been called "the first non-ideological diplomatic alliance of its kind between a...
- Suleiman the MagnificentSuleiman the MagnificentSuleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
- United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg