War of the Roses.....look out for the billhooks

War of the Roses Cavalry 

Completing a small commission for some Perry 28mm WOTR cavalry for the War of the Roses skirmish game Never Mind The Billhooks. 

First batch of four Perry Miniatures cavalry, which I think are fabulous sculpts.

cheers

Matt

Swiss Pike Canton of Saint Gall

 Swiss Pikemen 

Completed a unit of Swiss Mercenary pikemen from the canton of Saint Gall for my French Army at the Battle of Saint Aubin du Cormier. Saint Galls colours were red so a majority of the unit are painted in the colour with the white cross. The miniatures are from the WOTR Perry miniatures plastics range. Based for Impetus rules, a second base of pike to follow as the depth unit.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

 

Cheers

Mart

100 years war Chevaliers and Écuyers Jean de Ouvroin V

 Jean de Ouvroin, chevalier du Maine

Jean de Ouvroin, seigneur de Chateau de Grazray, seigneur de Poligné. Captain of a company of Guy XIII de Laval and executor of his will. A Maine captain killed at the battle of Baugé. Another addition to my French army for the battles in the Anjou, Maine, Brittany and Normandy. 

Full details on our website about our battlefield tour, click for the HYW Tours 

Another Perry plastic figure

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt

Étienne de Vignolles (The Knave of Hearts)

La Hire (the Knave of Hearts) 

Étienne de Vignolles, Chevalier, seigneur Lord of Montmorillon (Nouvelle-Aquitane) de Longueville (Normandy). Etienne the youngest member of his family born in 1390, he entered the service of liege Lord Bernard VII of Armagnac (constable of France) 1415-18 was a écuyer in the campaign against the comte de Foix.

1418 La hire and Poton de Xaintrailles, Vicomte de Bruillois both mercenary company captains, successfully raise the Burgundian siege of Coucy (Aisne) (Pontons brother Pierre de Xaintrailles was the chateau Captain). 

In 1419 he defended the chateau of Crépy-en-Laonnais (Aisne) against the Burgundians, Philippe le Bon successfully takes the Crépy in 1420. 

In 1420 At the battle of Mons-en-Vimeu where he is captured and after his ransom, La Hire and his company then moves south to join René de Anjou in his fight against the English in Maine. 

In 1421, he returns to the north to reinforce Ponton de Xaintrailles based in Guise, he leads a successful ambush at Notre Dame de Liesse killing Hector de Saveuse, the Governor de Beauvais and Compiègne (nicknamed the price of thieves and assassins); that same year La Hire was injured by a horse, when it fell on him and shattered his hip and leg and was left lame. 

In 1422, he traveled through Champagne and Picardy, capturing a new base for his company at Vitry-en-Perthois, from here he generally raids and harases the Burgundian countryside, La Hire and his men burnt 18 villages in the region. He defeated Antoine Count of Vaudémont, capturing him in 1423 in a raid and raised a large ransom for him, he then attended the handover of Compiègne to the Burgundians for the peace treaty. 

In 1423, he attacks Châlons-sur-Marne, leaving Vitry-le-François and sacked Luxembourg. 

In 1424 he moves to Maine in the Service of the bastard or Orleans and was at the Battle of Verneuil.  With the French army almost completely destroyed after the battle, new Captains are required and from this La Hire rises to prominence, several mercenary companies join his company most notably Antoine de Chabannes and Jean de Bueil, he is appointed captain of chateau Vitry-sur-seine (now Vitry-en-Perthois, Val-de-Marne). He is besieged at Guise en Thiérache, Jean de Luxembourg successfully sieges the chateaux in the region capturing la Hire, he is ransomed again. and departs with Ponton de Xaintrailles and their companies back to Maine. He enters the service of the Bastard de Orleans and is successful in the recapture of Le Mans (capital of Maine; Le Mans controls the trade routes North from the Loire to Normandy and from the west from Brittany, and produces high amounts of metal and linen, it falls to the English general Thomas de Montagu, Comte de Salisbury later in the year).

1425 departing Chateau Saint Suzanne (Maine) with a large company hear that the city of Le mans is lightly defended. La Hire, Jean de Beaumanoir (Lavardin),  Baudouin de Champagne (known as Baudouin ( I st )Baron de Tucé), and Pierre de Pasquier, Seigneur de Malidor: mount a successful surprise escalade and capture the outer city but fail to capture the chateau, they hold the city for 24 hours but it could not be held and they retire from the city.

In 1427 La Hire and Count Jean de Dunois (bastard of Orleans) successfully capture chateau La-Ferte-Bernard (Maine), then raise the english siege of Montargis (Centre val de Loire), chasing William de la Pole, duke of Suffolk and Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick north towards Paris. A wrought iron cross was also erected southwest of the city. On it was written: “In memory of Gaillardin, citizen of Montargis, who, in the fight against the English, under the walls of this city, seized the banner of Warwick, September 5, 1427 "

In 1428, leading raids into North-western Normandy from Mayenne, (Maine), he besieges Le Mans again unsuccessfully.

1429, He is in Orléans as one of the captains of the city and at the battle of the herrings ("La Journée des Harengs"); he was then in the entourage of Jeanne d'Arc, and participated in all the deeds leading to the crowning of Charles. He was at the battle of Jargeau (10 juin 1429 - 12 June 1429), battle of Meung-sur-Loire (14 June 1429), battle of Beaugency (15 June 1429 - 16 June 1429) and Patay (18 June 1429), July 2, 1429 siege of Auxerre, July 4, 1429-July 10, 1429 : Siege of Troyes (In the Aube department, in Champagne-Ardenne), July 14, 1429 : Capture of Châlons-en-Champagne, July 16, 1429 : Capture of Reims, remaining with Jeanne d'Arc and partaking as the soldiers representative at the coronation ofCharles VII at Reims. Appointed bailiff of Vermandois, with a pay of 292 livres; he successfully retakes Château-Gaillard (Vexin) in 1429 (losing it again to the English in 1430), 

1430 August at the siege of Chateau Aumale (Seine-Maritine) and raid of Louviers (l'Eure), where he was then taken by  the Earl of Suffolk: 

"this week was taken the worst and the most tyrant and the least pitiful of all the captains who were of all the Armagnacs , La Hire was taken and was placed in the chastel of Dourdan. " 

He escaped from Dourdan in March 1432, and gathered a band of mercenaries to roam Normandy and Vexin based around Beauvais. 

1433, La Hire occupied Beauvais in the name of Charles VII. 

In 1434, he attacked Guy IV de Nesle, Seigneur de Mello & d'Offémont, besieging the chateau and ransomed it. 

In 1435, His victory at the battle Gerberoy, where John FitzAlan earl of Arundel was captured but died from his wounds.  La Hire and Xaintrailles resumed there brigandage of the countryside. During the Arras negotiations, La Hire and Xaintrailles continued to sack many of the Burgundian towns as far north as Amiens. 

In 1436 At the siege of Creil his brother Amadoc de Vignoles was killed.

1437 at the siege of Montereau, from Chateau Beauvais captained raids into English Normandy 

1438 received the seigneury of Montmorillon (January 7, 1438) (Aquitane). That same year, he was found in Alsace, where he and his mercenaries committed the worst abuses. 

In 1440, he tried in vain to take Harfleur, then fought in Picardy. 

In 1442, he accompanied the king to Guyenne (Tartas),  a few kilometers from his birthplace. 

Wounded at Montauban, where he died on the eleventh of January 1443.

 His epitaph: Cy gist noble homme Estienne de Vignolles dit La Hire, dans son pays d'origine

His tomb, installed at his request in the Saint-Laurent chapel in Montmorillon and decorated with a recumbent figure representing him, disappeared during the Revolution . A commemorative stone is still there in the chapel.

La Hire lives on........

One interesting feature of the French dominance of playing cards in this time is the attention given to court cards. In the late 1500s French manufacturers began giving the court cards names from famous literary epics such as the Bible and other classics. It is from this era that the custom developed of associating specific court cards with famous names, the more well-known and commonly accepted ones for the Kings being King David (Spades), Alexander the Great (Clubs), Charlemagne (Hearts), and Julius Caesar (Diamonds), representing the four empires of Jews, Greeks, Franks, and Romans. Notable characters ascribed to the Queens include the Greek goddess Pallas Athena (Spades), Judith (Hearts), Jacob's wife Rachel (Diamonds), and Argine (Clubs). The Knaves were commonly designated as La Hire (Hearts), Charlemagne’s knight Ogier (Spades), Hector the hero of Troy (Diamonds), and King Arthur's knight Lancelot (Clubs).

cheers

Matt

Prince François de Rohan and Breton MAA Guerre folle -Mad War

 Breton Noble Men at Arms Saint Aubin du Cormier

A number of leading Breton nobles mustered to the call of the Breton Ordonances call to arms, like all border regions some families were split, especially those who had lands and Family in the border Marchers of Anjou, Maine and Normandy. 

Prince Francois de Rohan the 19 year old son of Jean II Vicomte de Rohan and Marie de Brittany(daughter of Duke Francois I of Brittany) . His Father Jean II Vicomte de Rohan had elected depart his allegiance to Francois I Duke of Brittany to side with the French King handing his border chateaux over to the French armies, coming from the Blois line, he also an ancient claim to the Dukedom of Brittany.  

At the coming of the war young Francois de Rohan like most young Breton Nobles was in the household of the Duke Francois, and in 1487 rallied to the Breton Duke, when Nantes was under siege lead the Arrie Ban of Cornouaillais and Leonard in its relief breaking the siege. 

In 1488 at the battle of Saint Aubin du Cormier he lead one of the Breton MAA companies on the right Flank, he was killed it was thought by French artillery. 

from the left 

• Pierre de Francheville (Scottish) wounded at Saint Aubin du Cormier and lance captain, taken prisoner was ransomed. After the war was appointed Seneschal of Rhuys, appointed the tax commissioner of the salt mines at Truscat and Seigneur de Sarzeau.
• François de Rohan killed at Saint Aubin du Cormier. 
• Baron Pierre du Pont de l'Abbé, seigneur de  Pont l'Abbé, de Rostrenen, and Ponthou, killed at Saint Aubin du Cormier, Lance Captain.

                              Raoul d'Estimbrieuc, écuyer seigneur de Estimbrieuc

cheers

Matt

English Longbowmen Guerre Folle -The Mad War II

 English Longbowmen

Completed one of my English Mercenary longbowmen bases to add to the Breton army. 28mm Miniatures are from the Perry Miniatures Range.

Edward Woodville, known as Lord Scales, fought in the war of the roses supporting Edward IV, after Edwards death he fled when the Duke of Gloucester seized power and declared himself Richard IIIrd, his brother Anthony was executed being an ally and uncle of the two princes who later die in the tower. 

Edward Woodville flees to Brittany and along with the future King Henry VIII, he later returns to England and fights at Bosworth, leading the valiant vanguard. After Henry VIII became king he inherited his brothers estates which was confirmed in 1485 including the captaincy of the Isle of Wight and his castles at Portchester and Carisbrooke. 

Edward uncle of the Queen Elizabeth, approached Henry VIIth to raise an army to support the Bretons who had a long alliance with England, However Henry had been also supported by the French and the Bretons for his return to England, so he was undecided upon what action to take. 

On April 23rd 1488 two ambassadors of Francis II of Brittany arrived in England to plead with Henry VII, also partaking in the investiture of Sir Edward into the order of the garter due to his prowess at the battle of Bosworth. Henry VII is unconvinced by the Ambassadors  and he explicitly orders on the pain of death that no one from England was to get involved in the war in Brittany.

Edward departs for the Isle of wight with the two Breton Ambassadors and offers his services as a mercenary Captain as he had done previously for the Bretons in 1472 and the Spanish in 1475. The exact size of the company is unknown, some contemporary Breton accounts say 300 others as large as 800. I am leaning toward a mid range numbers due to the claim in the Breton financial accounts of 660 men. It is thought 400 archers, 40 knights and squires depart the Isle of Wight. Armed with pikes bows and arrows and dressed in white tunics with a red cross.

On May 20th 1488 Edward departed the Isle of wight with his company and arrived in Saint Malo a few days later(although accounts have him landing at Honfleur also, but that could be more english mercenaries ?). Edward and his company fight a small skirmish at Dinan against the comte de D'Aunay, losing 20 odd men (French accounts inflate this to 240). A further 200 odd english mercenaries arrive from Portsmouth on a Breton salt ship and a French ship captured in Portsmouth harbour along with an Ambassador of the Scots and his son, all of the 200 english men were veterans and had previously fought with Edward in Spain in 1487.

Edward arrives in Rennes on the 5 of June, they are welcomed by a reception committee, in their honour two red Bordeaux wine barrels are opened in rue Haute, and two barrels of white in place Bout du Cohue (next to medieval grand hall). A group of musicians and play and a young boy is doing tumbling tricks. A banquet is held for the officers in the ducal palace, a menu still exists and it consisted of one and a half vealers, two and a half sheep, three kids (goats), two hares, twenty eight rabbits, eight goslings, thirty six chickens, twenty-eight pigeons, one barrel of Bordeaux wine, one barrel of white wine, and seven estamaux (cauldrons) of hypocras (mulled spicy wine). The company and was the only available force in arms to protect the Breton Capital as a ceasefire was in effect and the remainder of the Breton Army was in Nantes and the Rennes muster had returned to their homes for the summer harvest. 

On May 27th Henry VII letter of apology  arrives in Paris informing Charles VIII of the rouge Edward Woodville, and that he had also seized other ships and men who were to join him.  (One knight and more men at arms were seized in Portsmouth)

The French were in a strong position and capture of the key Breton marcher fortresses of Ancenis, Chateaubriant, La Guerche and Redon in May of 1487 and Vitré, Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier and Dol-de-Bretagne in September left Brittany split into north and South and the French on and in the interior lines of the Breton Duchy.

On June 12th Francois calls the muster, but many men do not return to arms as the harvest is not complete, finally a army musters in early July and marches north to Rennes.

On the 6th of July the ceasefire ended and the French immediately advanced from Mayenne and sieged the largest castle in France on the border marches, arriving at the key northern Breton fortress of Fougeres on the 12th of July. 

The Breton Army departed Nantes on the 9th moving North and arrived in Rennes on the 25th of July. A council is called in Rennes on the 25th of July between the leaders of the Breton army and the mercenary contingents. On the 27th the Bretons then march to Andouillé-Neuville to gather the muster and join with the men coming from south western Brittany via Dinan, they are then inspected by Francois II and and Princess Anne. The army now numbering 7000 bretons 4500 mercenaries marches towards Saint Aubin du Cormier on the 28th of July. The Bretons felt they needed a phycological edge over the French and clothed two Breton mixed archer divisions with white tunics with the red cross badge of the English some 1700 men in total, giving the French impression that a large contingent of English were now with the army.

Fougeres, the greatest castle of Brittany had fallen after a six day siege on the 17th of July, the great French artillery train had breached the walls in three places and the garrison had surrendered with full honours so the city was saved from a pillage. 

The French army departed Fougeres on the route towards Rennes, the Breton capital, clashing with the Bretons on route in a field south of Ville Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier. 

I will complete an article about the forces and the battle next week.

cheers

Matt

Breton compaignie d'ordonannce archers Guerre Folle, the Mad War 1

The Breton Guerre Folle -Mad War

My next medieval project will be the Breton Guerre Folle, or the mad war, it will be part of our "walk the Battlefield in the morning, Wargame in the afternoon" wargame holidays here in France. 

the battlefield tour is here Breton War

The "Mad War" was the struggle of major feudal lords against centralised royal power. As part of these power struggles, in 1484-1485, Louis II of Orléans tried to seize the crown supported by Francis II of Brittany and a certain number of border lords of Anjou-Maine and Normandy, attempting to depose the regent, Anne de Beaujeu. On 2 November 1485, the Peace of Bourges suspended the hostilities for eight months.

The second phase commenced June 1486 to November 1488, is sometimes called the War of Bretagne (Brittany), this is the period I will concentrate on as all of the major clashes and sieges occur within 1 hour of L'Hotel de Hercé-French Wargame Holidays HQ. 

The first army I will build will be the Bretons, along with the Gascon, Béarnaise, Aragonese, English, Castilian and German Mercenaries, followed closely by the French, Swiss mercenaries along with Germans and Italians. The armies will focus on the field battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier in 1488. I predominantly will be using the Perry range of WOTR plus the mercenaries pack along with some other bits and pieces from other manufacturers

My first unit off the table is done is Breton archer Skirmishers based for Impetus, the figures are Perry Plastics. 

cheers

Matt

Jeanne D'Arc the maid of Orlèans

Off the desk on the weekend another 100 years war character. Jeanne D'Arc, later called the Maid of Orleans. A lot of books have been written about her and fir me romanced about, particulary by the Church. She must of had something though, blind Faith and expectation that she transfered to the men around her. Although my Army does not focus on her many of her companions I have on my list to paint so I thought she would be a natural addition to my French Army. The miniature is from the Perry 100YW range which also has a dismounted figure of her. This week onto the beginning if my mounted 100YW chevaliers and some more Gauls, plus a new army has hit the desk too, to be revealed very soon.

cheers natt

King Jean II

Jean II, Jean Le Bon, King of France 1350-1368. From the Valois family Royal line, primarily remembered for his capture at the Battle of Poiters. 28mm limited edition Warhammer miniature sculpted by the Perrys.

French HYW MAA V

French Men at Arms HYW

Additions to my French army for the battles in the Anjou, Maine, Brittany and Normandy. Maine Chevaliers lead by Guillaume Blosset(Le Borgne or the One eye) chevalier Banneret, seigneur de Saint Pierre et Carouges, in the company of Pierre d’Alençon. At Baugé, la Brossinière, siege of Orleans. 28mm miniatures from Perry Miniatures.

 Full details on our website about our battlefield tours for the HYW

Here

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt

French HYW MAA IIII

French Men at Arms HYW

French Armagnac MAA chevaliers, écuyers and gentile hommes. Led by Jacques de Mathefelon, chevalier provost du Maine, seigneur de Lancheneil. Fought at la Brossinière, Le Mans, Fresnay, Laval and Verneuil. Part of my Hundred Years War men of Maine. The banner is also the current armorial for the city of Mayenne, Geoffrey de Mayenne used the arms when he fought for King John.

My French army is for the battles in Anjou, Maine, Brittany, Touraine and Normandy. Full details on our website about our battlefield tours for the HYW Here

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers
Matt

100 Years War French Army III

French Mean at Arms HYW

French écuyers and gentile hommes led by Pierre Michel, écuyer banneret seigneur Le Plessis, Villiers, Saint-Gilles, Bossacourt et la Noe. Supplied 20MAA and 40 Archers for La Brossinière.
Additions to my French army for the battles in the Anjou, Maine, Brittany and Normandy. Full details on our website about our battlefield tours for the 100 years war. 100 years war in Medieval Maine Wargames holiday

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers
Matt

100YW French Le Mans company

Next unit is a Archer company of crossbow and pavise men from the city of Le Mans, they fought at a number engagements in Maine and Anjou. Recorded at Baugé, La Brossinière, Fresnay, siege of Le Mans, Siege of Saint Suzanne, and Verneuil.

Figures are 28mm Perry Miniatures with hand painted Pavises and Banner.

Cheers

Matt

100 Years War French Army I

French 100 years war longbow

French longbow unit, the first of my Perry 28mm French 100YW army is completed for the local battles around our Maison that we conduct tours for Baugé, la Brossinière, Fresnay and Verneuil, plus skirmishes andthe 70 odd sieges  in Anjou, Maine, Normandy and Brittany.

Full details on our website about our “walk the battlefield in the morning, Wargame in the afternoon”  tours for the HYW. 100 Years War Wargame Holiday

These guys have been finished for weeks, but I had not based them, plus I am hand painting flags so that has slowed production, glad to say I have completed 18 banners today, so a flurry of posts over the next 20 odd days.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers
Matt

100 years war Knights/Chevaliers and squires/écuyers IV

100YW French Armagnac (knights and squires) Chevaliers & Écuyers

More Chevaliers and écuyers of Maine for the eleven local battles within 100klm, plus the 50 odd sieges. Still concentrating on my French army from Baugé to Verneuil, basing of the units has commenced and first units of Archers and Chevaliers/Écuyers are completed, photos this week. The figures are a mix of Perry plastics and metals for Chevaliers and Écuyers from Maine, Brittany, Normandy and Touraine.

The battlefield tour relating to our closest battles can be found here https://www.lhoteldeherce.fr/product-page/100-years-war-holiday

Guillaume de Brée, Chevalier, seigneur Marpalu, Brée, Lucé, et Bahoulliére. In the company Guy de Laval 1422, la Brossinière, Baugé, Verneuil, Orleans, Normandy campaign 1431. 

Guillaume Blosset (Le Borgne-One eye) chevalier Banneret, seigneur de Saint Pierre et Carouges. In the company of Pierre d'Alençon (Bastard of Alençon) at Baugé, la Brossinière, siege of Chartres, Orleans,  coronation of Charles VI, butler and chamberlain of Charles VI. 

Macé de Richer, Écuyer, seigneur Domfront, Gaigne, et Monthéard, Azincourt, La Brossinière, Saint James, Avranches, Mount Saint Michel, Campaign Normandy 1431. In the company of Pierre d'Alençon.

Guillaume de Mirmande, écuyer, seigneur de Mirmande, fief de Saint-Jean-Lachalm. La Brossinière, Orleans, Saint James, Normandy campaign 1431, in the company of Jean d'Harcourt.

Jean de Gesvres, seigneur de la Rivère de Gesvres, in the company of and vassal to Jean de Vaux, La Brossinière, siege de Lava,l, siege de Orleans, Saint-James, Normandy campaign 1431, owed service to Chateau Mayenne 40 days.

René de Joncheres, écuyer, seigneur de Joncheres, Agincourt, La Brossinière, Saint James, Avranches, Mont Saint Michel, Normandy Campaign 1431, in the company of Pierre d'Alençon.

Jean de la Joue, écuyer, seigneur de la Blanchardiere et de la Caraterie. At Azincourt, siege de Alençon, Baugé, la Brossinière, siege de Saint Suzanne, Le Mans, Saint James, Laval, Avranches, Mont Saint Michel, Normandy campaign 1431. In the company Jean de Vaux

Jean de Cucé, écuyer, seigneur de Bourdneuf, youngest son Baron Cucé. In the garrison of Vitré, la Brossinière, Saint James, Avranches, Normandy campaign 1431. In the company Pierre d'Alençon.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt