HYW week! Combat of the Thirty

 100 Years War Week -Combat of the Thirty 

Last week we hosted David Knight, a huge fan of everything medieval and one of the authors of Test of Resolve medieval ruleset. 

David was on his forth visit to French Wargames holidays and wanted to tour some more of our local 100 years war battlefields,  which I was only to happy to oblige being a huge HYW fan myself. 

When the ground has been walked and the primary and secondary references are consulted the scenarios are written, the scenario will reflect the ground, references and some playability will be included. 

The first day tour visit was a visit the real Rohan, the dukedom that is also the site of the Combat of the thirty, one of the more famous occurrences during the war of Breton succession. 

First a visit to  Ploërmel for a coffee and walk of the city walls and medieval buildings in this flourishing city. Then a short drive to walk the battlefield site, a walk around the location visiting the 19th century column then a visit to the chapel of Saint Maud where three French-Bretons are buried, then the agreed meeting location at the fountain of Saint Maud, and finally the cross where the eight of the English Bretons are buried. Then an off the Josselin to have lunch, visit the chateau, then return to visit the battlefield of Mauron. 

Some photos and description of our battlefield tour of the combat of the Thirty. 

The Pyramid, the modern 19th century marker of combat of the thirty column 

Vanessa and Dāvīds turn

The marker of the combat, destroyed during the revolution and replaced in 1848

The plaque which is quite good, we cleaned it, I regularly carry cleaner in the car for these. 

Chapel of Saint Maud, the three Breton -French were buried here on the edge of the battlefield. The chapel was enlarged in the 17th century. It is only open on a few occasions now every year, the horse sale and patrimony weekend. 

David and I on the edge of the battlefield, the stream in the trees is the boundary behind us. 

The Shrine of Saint Maud, the defined location in historical documents of the actual meeting place. This location had been a Gallic, then Roman then a christian site, the statue is thought to be 16th century. A horse fair has been held here since the Gallic period and is still in today to sell horses on what was the old border between the dukedoms. 

The Olivier V de Clisson and his wife Marguerite de Rohan 

The costs of Arms, Dukes of Rohan, Chabot, dukes of Laval and de Clisson

Chateau Josselin  

Chateau Josselin, one of the castles of the Dukes of Rohan 

Chateau Josselin from the river