Siege of Rennes (1356–1357)

Siege of Rennes (1356-1357)
	Part of the War of the Breton Succession
A.	Mordelaise Gate
B.	Old Castle
C.	Church of St. Saviour
D.	Approximate location of the Raoul pasture)
Date	3 October 1356 – 5 July 1357
Location	Rennes, Brittany, France
Result	Lancaster sacks the city
Belligerents
House of Montfort, Brittany; Kingdom of England	House of Blois, Brittany; Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
Henry of Grosmont	Guillaume de Penhoët ; Bertrand de Saint-Pern ; Bertrand Du Guesclin ;
Strength
1,500–4,000 men	Weak garrison
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Last updated November 30, 2024

The siege of Rennes was an episode in the War of the Breton Succession during 1356-1357.

It was the third siege of the town during that war: between April and mid-May 1341, Rennes was besieged by Jean of Montfort, who finally managed to capture it. The city was repaired the following year by Blesist troops after several days of siege.^[1] Between the two events, Rennes had kept itself apart from the conflicts, until after the battle of Poitiers, when Henry of Grosmont, duke of Lancaster, came to besiege Rennes in October 1356, hoping thus to precipitate the end of the War of Succession.^[2]

Unfolding

Rather than attempt to take the city by force, and despite its great numerical superiority, Lancaster preferred to establish a blockade to starve the inhabitants.^[2] At the time, the ramparts had not yet been extended to the suburbs that had developed outside the Gallo-Roman walls. It was the latter (renovated in the preceding century) that were besieged, the suburbs themselves ending up largely ruined.^[3]

After the Battle of Poitiers in 1356, in which Jean II the Good was taken prisoner, Guy XII de Laval hurled himself into Rennes with Viscount de Rohan and other lords, to defend the town which was besieged by Henry of Grosmont.^[4] This operation was doubtless carried out by Couanier de Launay at the request of his uncle Pierre de Laval, Archbishop of Rennes.

The defence of Rennes was undertaken by Guillaume de Penhoët, nicknamed the Twisted Lame One, who lived in the castle, helped by Bertrand de Saint-Pern, the commander of the town and godfather of Bertrand de Guesclin.^[5]

Because of the method used by the assailants, the siege dragged on, without glamorous military action. If it has remained famous, it is mostly thanks to the ruses deployed by the defenders.

The "miracle" of the St. Savior Church

In February 1357, some residents of Rennes heard underground sounds which made them understand that Lancaster had ordered the digging of a tunnel under the ramparts, hoping to make troops quietly emerge into the heart of the city. Informed, Penhoët ordered the residents of houses near the city walls to hang in their homes copper basins containing metal balls so as to determine the exact location of the gallery thanks to the vibrations caused by the mining work. Once the location had been established, a counter-mine was dug, and a troop of soldiers commanded by Saint-Pern massacred the sappers before setting on fire the beams that supported the gallery.^[6]

Alain Bouchart, in his Great Chronicles of Brittany, places the site of the counter-mine inside the church of Saint-Sauveur just under the crucifix.^[7] A later legend asserts that the statue of the Virgin and Child, situated in a chapel of the church, miraculously came to life and showed with its finger where they need to dig.^[8] A cult of this statue then developed, called Notre-Dame of the Miracles and Virtues.

The herd of pigs

An even more famous episode in this siege involved a herd of pigs (2000 to 4000 according to Michel de Mauny) which Lancaster, knowing the state of famine within the walls, made to feed in front of the Mordelais gates in order to lure the people of Rennes out of the town^[b] The captain of Penhoët again distinguished himself by having a sow suspended to a postern of the gate; its calls attracted the pigs, which ran into the town before the English could react. The townspeople, bursting with laughter from the ramparts, took advantage of the occasion to mock their besiegers, who were flabbergasted by the trick: 'You owe us wages, because we are now your pig-keepers'!^[9]^[10]^[11]

Du Guesclin enters the town

A little later, another reprovisioning was brought by Bertrand Du Guesclin, who entered the town with carts full of rations, distracting the attention of the English duke by this trick, making him think that this was the arrival of a troop of German mercenaries.^[11] His arrival galvanised the besieged people, and the following weeks saw a series of assaults and duels,^[12] Du Guesclin again distinguishing himself in one of these, against the English Bramborc.^[3]

Outcome

If according to Michel de Mauny the siege was raised in February or March 1357 by relief forces led by one Thibaud de Rochefort,^[9] the other sources agree that the city was held to ransom by Lancaster. However, they differ on the conclusion which should be drawn from this.

The history of Brittany by Henri Poisson and Jean-Pierre le Mat states that the siege was lifted following a treaty between France and England, but indicates neither the date, nor the amount taken by the Duke from the residents.^[8] Jean-Pierre Leguay for his part specifies both: on 5 July 1357, the siege was raised at the cost of a ransom of 100,000 ecus, of which 20,000 were paid immediately in cash. He also indicates that this was a compromise between Lancaster and the residents of Rennes.^[12] The History of Rennes published in 2006, on the other hand, sees this as straight capitulation, the city's honorable defense being the only thing that spared it from all-out plunder.^[3]

Notes

↑ 1,000 armed men and 500 archers from Jean Froissart 4,000 from Cuvelier, figures reported by de Mauny (1974, p. 12)
↑ Michel de Mauny specifies the exact location : the Raoul meadow, which is now la rue Nantaise.^[9]

Related Research Articles

Charles V, called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War as his armies recovered much of the territory held by the English and successfully reversed the military losses of his predecessors.

Captal de Buch was a medieval feudal title in Gascony held by Jean III de Grailly among others.

Bertrand du Guesclin, nicknamed "The Eagle of Brittany" or "The Black Dog of Brocéliande", was a Breton knight and an important military commander on the French side during the Hundred Years' War. From 1370 to his death, he was Constable of France for King Charles V. Well known for his Fabian strategy, he took part in seven pitched battles and won the five in which he held command.

Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster was an English statesman, diplomat, soldier, and Christian writer. The owner of Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, Grosmont was a member of the House of Plantagenet, which was ruling over England at that time. He was the wealthiest and most powerful peer of the realm.

Rennes, France, is the administrative capital of the French department of Ille-et-Vilaine. Before the French Revolution, prior to the integration of the Duchy of Brittany into the Kingdom of France, Rennes was the capital of the duchy, with the other historical capitals of Brittany's Ducal period being Nantes and Vannes. It has a long history due to its location at the confluence of two rivers and its proximity to the bordering regions from which arose various challenges to the borders of Brittany.

Sir Robert Knolles or Knollys was an English knight of the Hundred Years' War, who, operating with the tacit support of the crown, succeeded in taking the only two major French cities, other than Calais and Poitiers, to fall to Edward III. His methods, however, earned him infamy as a freebooter and a ravager: the ruined gables of burned buildings came to be known as "Knollys' mitres".

Jean III de Grailly, Captal de Buch,, was a Gascon nobleman and a military leader in the Hundred Years' War, who was praised by the chronicler Jean Froissart as an ideal of chivalry.

Beersel Castle is a medieval castle located in Beersel, Flemish Brabant, Belgium. Originating in 1300 under the auspices of the Duchy of Brabant, the water castle's present configuration dates to 1357. It was twice sacked and was subject to significant restorations in 1491 and 1617. Its present condition owes much to a major restoration in 1928–39. Built largely of brick, a rare material for such buildings at the time, around a circular enceinte, its major feature is its three large towers. Nowadays, it is open to the public and is considered one of Belgium's best-preserved castles.

Michael Christopher Emlyn Jones is a British historian.

The union of the Duchy of Brittany with the Crown of France was the culmination of a political process begun at the end of the 15th century in the wake of the Mad War. It resulted in the Edict of Union of 13 August 1532 and the incorporation of the duchy into the Crown lands of France, a critical step in the formation of modern-day France.

The Cité de Carcassonne is a medieval citadel located in the French city of Carcassonne, in the Aude department, Occitania region. It is situated on a hill on the right bank of the river Aude, in the south-eastern part of the city proper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pouancé Castle</span> Medieval castle in northwest France

The medieval castle of Pouancé is located in Pouancé, Maine-et-Loire, France, at the western border of the old province of Anjou, where it was built as a defence against Brittany. Along with the remains of the city walls, it covers a surface of three hectares. It is nicknamed the "second castle of Anjou" because of its size, which is just less than that of the castle of Angers. It belongs to the Breton march, facing the Breton castle of Châteaubriant.

Gourmaëlon or Wrmaelon, was the Count of Cornouaille and de facto ruler of Brittany from 907 – c. 914. As ruler of Brittany he was considered Prince de Bretagne in some chronicles and histories. His actual history is among the least well documented of the early medieval rulers of Brittany. His reputed time of rule coincides with a dramatic increase in Viking invasions that ultimately led up to the Viking Occupation of Brittany that began after his death.

The Prix du Cercle du livre de France is a literary prize created by the Quebec publishing house Le Cercle du livre de France with the aim of promoting Quebec authors. From 1977 to 1985, the prize was offered by Esso Canada and was renamed Prix littéraire Esso du Cercle du livre de France.

The sieges of Vannes of 1342 were a series of four sieges of the town of Vannes that occurred throughout 1342. Two rival claimants to the Duchy of Brittany, John of Montfort and Charles of Blois, competed for Vannes throughout this civil war from 1341 to 1365. The successive sieges ruined Vannes and its surrounding countryside. Vannes was eventually sold off in a truce between England and France, signed in January 1343 in Malestroit. Saved by an appeal of Pope Clement VI, Vannes remained in the hands of its own rulers, but ultimately resided under English control from September 1343 till the end of the war in 1365.

Guillaume Boitel, was a knight and the faithful companion of the French knight Bertrand Du Guesclin. He was originally sent by king Charles V of France to assist Du Guesclin during the Anglo-French war in Normandy and the Breton War of Succession between Charles de Blois and Jean de Montfort (1363-1364).

Robert de Fiennes, named Moreau (1308–1385) was the 28th Constable of France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bertucat d'Albret</span>

Bertucat d'Albret was a medieval mercenary leader of a bandit army in the Hundred Years' War.

John I, was Count of Penthièvre and Viscount of Limoges from 1364 to 1404, and the Penthièvre claimant to the Duchy of Brittany.

Amaury IV of Craon, Lord of Craon, Chantocé, Ingrandes, Briollé, Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe, Précigné and Sablé, Sainte-Maure, Nouâtre, Pressigny and Marcillac, Châteauneuf-sur-Charente and Jarnac, was a French noble, who was part of the Hundred Years' War.

References

↑ Leguay 1972, p. 134.
1 2 Poisson & Le Mat 2000, p. 163.
1 2 3 Pichot 2010, p. 69.
↑ Dom Morice 1742, p. 28.
↑ de Mauny 1974, p. 12.
↑ de Mauny 1974, pp. 12–13.
↑ de Mauny 1974, p. 13.
1 2 Poisson & Le Mat 2000, p. 164.
1 2 3 de Mauny 1974, p. 14.
↑ Leguay 1972, p. 134-135.
1 2 Poisson & Le Mat 2000, p. 167.
1 2 Leguay 1972, p. 135.

Sources

Dom Morice [in French] (1742). Charles Osmont (ed.). L'Histoire de Bretagne. Vol. I. Paris.
Leguay, Jean-Pierre (1972). "IV. Rennes aux XIVe et XVe siècles / Rennes in the 14th and 15th centuries". Histoire de Rennes / History of Rennes (in French). Collection Univers de la France. ISBN 978-2708947504.
de Mauny, Michel (1974). L'ancien comté de Rennes, ou Pays de Rennes. La Grande et la petite histoire des communes françaises (in French). Vol. 9. Paris: Roudil. p. 135.
Pichot, Daniel (2010). "La naissance d'une capitale / Birth of a capital". Histoire de Rennes. PUR. ISBN 978-2843983788.
Poisson, Henri; Le Mat, Jean-Pierre (2000). Histoire de Bretagne (in French). illustrator Xavier de Langlais. Coop Breizh. p. 654. ISBN 978-2843460913.