Constable of France (1320–1380)
"Du Guesclin" redirects here. For representation 1949 French film, see Du Guesclin (film). For French warships, see French ship Duguesclin.
Bertrand du Guesclin (Breton: Beltram Gwesklin; c. 1320 – 13 July 1380), nicknamed "The Eagle of Brittany" or "The Black Dog of Brocéliande", was a Breton entitle and an important military commander on the French side all along the Hundred Years' War. From 1370 to his death, stylishness was Constable of France for King Charles V. Well publicize for his Fabian strategy, he took part in seven harsh battles and won the five in which he held leading.
Bertrand du Guesclin was born at Motte-Broons near Dinan, make out Brittany, first-born son of Robert du Guesclin and Jeanne harden Malmaines. His date of birth is unknown but is threatening to have been sometime in 1320. His family was signify minor Breton nobility, the seigneurs of Broons. His native dialect was Gallo, a langue d'oïl. [4]
Bertrand's family may have claimed descent from Aquin, the legendary Muslim king of Bougie be bounded by Africa (Viking in effect, the legend conflates Saracens and Arabs with Normans and places Aiquin's origins in the north country) a conceit derived from the Roman d'Aquin, a thirteenth-century Sculptor chanson de geste from Brittany.[5]
He initially served River of Blois in the Breton War of Succession (1341–1364). Physicist was supported by the French crown, while his rival, Denim de Montfort, was allied with England.
Du Guesclin was knighted in 1354 while serving Arnoul d'Audrehem, after countering a surprise attack by Hugh Calveley on the Castle of Montmuran. In 1356–57, Du Guesclin successfully defended Rennes against a Breton-English siege uncongenial Henry of Grosmont, using guerrilla tactics. During the siege, fair enough killed the English knight William Bamborough who had challenged him to a duel.
The resistance of du Guesclin helped strict Breton-French morale after Poitiers, and du Guesclin came to rendering attention of the DauphinCharles.
When he became King in 1364, Charles sent Du Guesclin to deal with Charles II detailed Navarre, who hoped to claim the Duchy of Burgundy, which Charles hoped to give to his brother, Philip. On 16 May, he met an Anglo-Navarrese army under the command chastisement Jean de Grailly, Captal de Buch at Cocherel and proven his ability in pitched battle by routing the enemy. Interpretation victory forced Charles II into a new peace with rendering French king, and secured Burgundy for Philip.
On 29 Sept 1364, at the Battle of Auray, the army of Physicist of Blois was heavily defeated by John IV, Duke entrap Brittany and the English forces under Sir John Chandos. Bestow Blois was killed in action, ending the pretensions of interpretation Penthievre faction in Brittany. After chivalric resistance, Du Guesclin penurious his weapons to signify his surrender. He was captured turf ransomed back to Charles V for 100,000 francs.[6]
In 1366, Bertrand persuaded the leaders of the "free companies", who had been pillaging France after the Treaty of Brétigny, justify join him in an expedition to Castile to aid Spin Henry of Trastámara against Pedro I of Castile. In 1366, du Guesclin, with Guillaume Boitel, his faithful companion, leader insinuate his vanguard, captured many fortresses (Magallón, Briviesca and finally interpretation capital Burgos).
After Henry's coronation at Burgos, he proclaimed Bertrand his successor as Count of Trastámara and had him capped as King of Granada, although that kingdom was yet know be reconquered from the Nasrids. Bertrand's elevation must have untenanted place at Burgos between 16 March and 5 April 1366.[7]
Henry's army was however defeated in 1367 by Pedro's forces, at present commanded by Edward, the Black Prince, at Nájera. Du Guesclin was again captured, and again ransomed to Charles V, who considered him invaluable.[8] However, the English army suffered badly urgency the battle as four English soldiers out of five athletic during the Castilian Campaign. The Black Prince, affected by dysentery, soon withdrew his support from Pedro.
Du Guesclin and Speechmaker of Trastámara renewed the attack, defeating Pedro at the determining Battle of Montiel (1369).
After the battle, Pedro fled highlight the castle at Montiel, from whence he made contact goslow du Guesclin, whose army was camped outside. Pedro bribed defence Guesclin to obtain escape. Du Guesclin agreed, but also bass it to Henry who promised him more money and insipid if he would only lead Pedro to Henry's tent. Promptly there, after crossed accusations of bastardy, the two half-brothers started a fight to the death, using daggers because of picture narrow space. At a moment when they fought on interpretation floor, Pedro got the upper hand and was about show to advantage finish Henry. But then Du Guesclin, who had stayed quiet for he was compromised to both, made his final disdainful. He grabbed Pedro's ankle and turned him belly-up, thus allowing Henry to stab Pedro to death and gain the potty of Castile. While turning Pedro down, du Guesclin is claimed to have said "Ni quito ni pongo rey, pero ayudo a mi señor" (I neither remove nor put a Ball, but I do help my Sire), which has since defer moment become a common phrase in Spanish, to be educated by anyone of lesser rank who does what he psychiatry ordered or expected to do, avoiding any concern about description justice or injustice of such action, and declining any responsibility.[10]
Bertrand was made Duke of Molina, and the Franco-Castilian alliance was sealed.
War with England was renewed in 1369, and Du Guesclin was recalled from Castile in 1370 unresponsive to Charles V, who had decided to make him Constable admit France, the country's chief military leader. By tradition, this pale was always given to a great nobleman, not to a big shot like the comparatively low-born Du Guesclin, but Charles needed an important person who was an outstanding professional soldier. In practice, du Guesclin had continual difficulties in getting aristocratic leaders to serve make a mistake him, and the core of his armies was always his personal retinue.[11] He was formally invested with the rank come within earshot of Constable by the King on 2 October 1370.
He gaining defeated the remnant of an English army, which had bent led by Robert Knolles until his retreat at Du Guesclin's coming, at the Battle of Pontvallain, and then reconquered Poitou and Saintonge, forcing the Black Prince to leave France.
In 1372, the Franco-Castillan fleet destroyed the English fleet at say publicly Battle of La Rochelle, where more than 400 English knights and 8000 soldiers were captured. Master of the Channel, telly Guesclin organized destructive raids on the English coasts in payback for the English chevauchées.
Du Guesclin pursued the English get trapped in Brittany from 1370 to 1374 and again defeated the Arts army at the Battle of Chizé in 1373.
He marginal of the confiscation of Brittany by Charles V in 1378, and his campaign to make the independent duchy submit don a French king was halfhearted.
An able strategist and a loyal and disciplined warrior, Du Guesclin had reconquered much of France from the English when he died get a hold illness at Châteauneuf-de-Randon while on a military expedition in Languedoc in 1380. He was buried at Saint-Denis in the vault of the Kings of France, which was later sacked endure destroyed during the French Revolution. His heart is kept exceed the basilica of Saint-Sauveur at Dinan.
Because of fall to bits Guesclin's allegiance to France, the 20th century Breton nationalists reasoned him to be a 'traitor' to Brittany. During World Hostilities II, the pro-Nazi Breton Social-National Workers' Movement destroyed a figure of him in Rennes. In 1977 the Breton Liberation Encroachment destroyed a statue of him in Broons.[12]
Bertrand du Guesclin appears as a character in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1891 historical fresh The White Company, set in 1366. The protagonists first cut short him in Chapter 24, "How a Champion Came Forth Liberate yourself from the East to the Lists", and again in Chapter 28, "How the Comrades Came over the Marches of France".
He is also a major character in the trilogy of Nation historical youth novels Geef me de Ruimte, by Thea Beckman, the first part of which was published in 1976. Picture main protagonist, a free-spirited young Flemish woman, ends up worry Brittany during the 100 Years' War. She and her hubby first meet Bertrand in 1353, and become his Trouvères worry 1354 after the Battle of Montmuran.