Bertrand du Guesclin
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Statue of du Guesclin in Dinan |
Bertrand du Guesclin (c.
1320 â€"
1380) was
Constable of France from
1370 to 1380. He is often considered as one of the greatest French soldiers of his time and one of the important figures of the
Hundred Years' War (
1337-
1453).
Du Guesclin was born in
Motte-Broons, near
Dinan, in
Bretagne. He initially served
Charles of Blois in the
Breton War of Succession (
1341-
1364). Charles was supported by the French crown, while his rival was allied with
England. In
1356-
1357, Du Guesclin held
Rennes against English attack.
Entering the service of King
Charles V of France on Charles's accession (
1364), he won the victory of
Cocherel over the forces of King
Charles II of Navarre. The victory forced Charles II into a new peace with the French king.
On
September 29,
1364, at the
battle of Auray, du Guesclin and Charles of Blois were heavily defeated by
John V, Duke of Brittany and the English forces under
warlord Sir
John Chandos. Charles was killed in action, ending the
Blois pretensions in Brittany. Du Guesclin was captured.
Ransomed by Charles V for 100,000 francs, who placed him at the head of the "free companies," the marauding soldiers who pillaged France after the
Treaty of Brétigny between France and England, Du Guesclin was sent to
Spain to aid
Henry of Trastamara (later Henry II of Castile) against
Peter the Cruel.
Du Guesclin, though successful in the campaign of
1366, was defeated and captured in
1367 by Peter and
Edward the Black Prince at
Nájera. In
1369, however, he and Henry won the
battle of Montiel, gaining for Henry the throne of
Castile.
Warfare with England was renewed in
1369, and Du Guesclin reconquered
Poitou and
Saintonge and pursued the English into Brittany from
1370 to
1374. He disapproved of the confiscation of Brittany by Charles V in
1378, and his campaign to make
the duchy submit to the king was halfhearted.
An able tactician and a loyal and disciplined warrior, Du Guesclin had reconquered much of France from the English when he died of
dysentery while on a military expedition in
Languedoc. He was buried at
Saint-Denis in the
tomb of the kings of France. His heart is kept at the basilica of Saint-Sauveur at Dinan.
[1]# - from the
Nuttall Encyclopedia article on Du Guesclin.
LiteratureBy Thea Beckman: Give me the space, The Scorched Earth, The Wheel of Fortune (series in chronological order). (Dutch)Thea Beckmans' 3 delige serie: Geef me de ruimte, Het verschroeide Aarde en Het Rad van Fortuin)
