Battle of Auberoche

Nuova Cronica de Giovanni Villani Book 7. The earl, as a valiant lord, fearing neither the great cavalry nor the power of the King of France, who was at the said siege and in the country with Sir John of France, set out from Bergerac with as many men as he could bring with him. And when they drew near to the enemy, those who were on horseback all dismounted, leaving their horses behind with their pages, for there were about twelve hundred horsemen and archers, and an innumerable number of foot soldiers, and thus, on foot, they attacked the said host early in the morning, at daybreak on the 21st of October [1345] of that same year. There was a fierce and bitter battle, with great slaughter on both sides, and it lasted until midday, when no one yet knew which side had the advantage. In the end, the forces of the King of France, being sorely pressed and much damaged by the slaughter of men and of their horses, were overthrown; and the English and Gascons on their side, the knights having remounted freshly on their horses, by force put to flight the entire army of the King of France, where many were killed and taken prisoner. Among the other lords who were captured were Sir Louis de Poitiers, the Count of Valentinois, the Count of L’Isle, the Viscount of Narbonne, the Viscount of Villetritou, the Viscount of Caraman, Sir Reginald d’Aussí, nephew of Pope Clement VI, Sir Hugh du Baux (Ugone del Balzo), the Seneschal of Toulouse, and many other lords and barons, almost all of them from Languedoc; and for their ransom they paid in total more than five thousand pounds sterling. Sir John of France, who, as we have said, was nearby with his baronage, did not come to their aid, nor did he take the field, but withdrew; for which he was greatly disgraced, and fell under grave suspicion among those of Languedoc who held to the French king. And because of these two victories, the Earl of Derby and his men received the surrender of more than a hundred walled cities, towns, and castles in Gascony and the Toulousain.

Il quale conte d'Orbi, come vulente signore , non temendo di tanta cavalleria e potenzia del re di Francia, eh' avea al detto assedio e nel paese con messer Gianni di Francia, si si partì da Belcliirago con quanta gente potè con seco menare; e quando s' appressarono a'niniici, quelli ch'erano a cavallo, iscesono tutti a piedi, lasciando i cavalli addietro agli loro paggi, ch'erano da niilledugento cavalieri e arcieri e gente a pie innumerabile, e cosi a piedi assalirono la detta oste una mattina alia punta del giorno, a dì 21 d'Ottobre del detto anno, ove fu aspra e dura battaglia, e grande uccisione dall'una parte e dall' altra, e durò infino al mezzogiorno, che non sisapea chi avesse il migliore. Alla fine essendo malmenati la gente del re di Francia d'uccisione di gente e di loro cavalli, gl'Inghilesi e'Guasconi di loro parte i cavalieri rimontarono freschi in su i loro cavalli, e per forza misono in volta tutta la gente del re di Francia, ov'ebbe molti morti e presi. Infra gli altri signori presi furono messer Luigi di Pittieri, e il conte di Valentino, e il conte della Illa, e il visconte di Nerbona , e il visconte di Vilatrico , e il visconte di Caramagna , e messer Rinaldo d' Osi nipote che fu di papa Clemente sesto , e messere Ugotto del Balzo , e il siniscalco di Tolosa , e più altri signori e baroni quasi tutti di Linguadoca; i quali si ricomperarono per loro redenzione più di libbre cinquemila di sterlini. Messer Gianni di Francia , che era presso colla sua baronia come detto avemo , non venne al soccorso , né tenne campo , ma si tornò addietro; onde gli fu messo in grande viltà, e preso grande sospetto per quelli di Lingua doca che teneano col re di Francia. E per le dette due vittorie , al conte d' Orbi e sua gente s' arrenderono tra in Guascogna e in Tolosana più di cento tra città , terre e castella murate.

Petite Chronique de Guyenne. 38. 1345. The battle took place before Auberoche⁴⁴ in Périgord, on the day of Saint Seurin⁴⁵, led by the Earl of Derby, who won the field⁴⁶.

_TRANSLATION_38. 1345. L'an MCCCXLV fo la batalha dabant Albarocha⁴⁴ en Peyregore lo jorn de Sent Seurin per lo conte Darvi qui gasanhet lo camp⁴⁶.

Note 44. Auberoche, to the northeast of Périgueux, not far from the road from Périgueux to Limoges. (Department of the Dordogne, arrondissement of Périgueux, canton of Savignac-les-Églises, commune of Le Change.)

44. Auberoche, au N.-E. de Périgueux, non loin de la route de Périgueux à Limoges. (Dordogne, arr. de Périgueux, cant. de Savignac-les-Eglises, comm. du Change.)

Note 45. On October 21, 1346, according to the interpretation proposed by M. Siméon Luce. (Froissart, ed. Luce, vol. III, p. xvi, note 3.)

45. Le 21 octobre 1346, selon l'interprétation proposée par M. Siméon Luce. (Froissart, éd. Luce, t. Ilf, p. xvi, n. 3.)

Note 46. The passage from the Livre velu, to which reference has been made above, reads: “In the year 1345, Henry of Lancaster, Earl of Derby, fought a pitched battle with the army of the King of France on the day of Saint Seurin, before the place of Auberoche, which the said French had besieged.” (Quoted in Guinodie, Histoire de Libourne, vol. I, p. 39, note 4.) Dom Vaissette was the first to point out, as has been mentioned above, the importance of the Petite Chronique de Guyenne for the events of 1345. (See above, p. 53, note 1.)

46. Le passage du Livre velu, auquel il a été fait allusion plus haut, porte: "En l'an mil .ccc. quaranta et sincq, Henri de Lancastre, compte Derbi, se combata en batalha restada am l'agent deu rey deffransa lo jorn de sent Seurin, devant lo loc d'Aubarrocha que los ditz franses linen agsitiat." (Cité dans Guinodie, Histoire de Libourne, t. I, p. 39, n. 4.) D. Vaissete a le premier signalé, comme il a été dit ci-dessus, l'importance de la Pelite chronique au point de vue des événements de 1345. (Voir ci-dessus p. 53, n. 1.)

Froissart Book 3: 1342-1346. 220. [21st October 1345] And behold, the English came striking into that host, well prepared and foreseeing what they had to do, crying out: "Derby! Derby for the count!" and "Manny! Manny for the lord!" Then they began to cut down and hew apart the tents, chests, and pavilions, overturning one upon another, striking down, killing, and maiming men, throwing all into great confusion; and the French knew not to whom to turn, they were so bewildered and taken by surprise. And when they tried to draw up in the fields to rally and assemble, they found archers all ready, who shot at them, struck them, and killed them without mercy or pity. Then there fell suddenly upon those knights of Gascony a great misfortune; for they had no leisure to arm themselves nor to form ranks. The Count of Lille was taken in his pavilion and grievously wounded; the Count of Périgord likewise was captured in his own, and Sir Roger, his uncle; and were slain the Lord of Duras and Sir Aymar de Poitiers, while his brother the Count of Valentinois was taken. In short, never was so great a number of good men, knights and squires who were there, lost in so short a time; for each fled as best he might. It is true that the Count of Comminges, the Viscount of Carmain, the Lord of Villemur, the Lord of Brunquiel, the Lord of La Barde, and the Lord of Taride, who were encamped on the other side of the castle, rallied together, raised their banners, and advanced valiantly into the fields. But the English, who had already defeated the greater part of the host, came up shouting their cries that way, and fell in upon them in full career, like men wholly encouraged and who saw well that, unless fortune turned too much against them, the day was theirs. There were performed many fine feats of arms, many captures and rescues. When Sir Frank de Halle, Sir Alain de Finefroide, and Sir John de Lindehalle, who were inside the castle of Auberoche, heard the noise and shouting, and recognized the banners and pennons of their own men, they armed themselves and made all those who were with them arm likewise. Then they mounted their horses, issued out of the fortress of Auberoche, and charged straight into the thickest of the battle. This greatly refreshed and reinvigorated the English.

220. Evous les Englès venant frapant en celle host, pourveus et avisés de ce qu’il devoient faire, en escriant: «[D]erbi, [D]erbi au conte!» et «Mauni, Mauni au signeur!» Puis commencièrent à coper et à decoper tentes, trés et pavillons, et reverser l’un sus l’autre, et abatre et occire et mehagnier gens, et mettre en grant meschief; ne [les François] ne savoient auquel entendre, tant estoient il quoitiet et fort hastet. Et quant il se traioient sus les camps pour yaus recueillier et assambler, il trouvoient arciers tous appareilliés qui les traioient et bersoient et occioient sans merci et sans pité. Là avint soudainnement sus ces chevaliers de Gascongne uns grans meschiés, car il n’eurent nul loisir d’yaus armer ne traire sus les camps. Mais fu li contes de [Lille] pris en son pavillon et moult durement navrés, et li contes de Pieregorch ossi dedens le sien, et messires Rogiers, ses oncles, et occis li sires de Duras et messires Aymars de Poitiers, et pris li contes de Valentinois ses frères. Briefment, on ne vit onques tant de bonnes gens, chevaliers et escuiers qui là estoient, perdu à si peu de fait, car cescuns fuioit que mieulz mieulz. Bien est verité que li contes de Commignes et li viscontes de Quarmaing et cil de Villemur et cils de Brunikiel et li sires de la Barde et li sires de Taride, qui estoient logiet d’autre part le chastiel, se recueillièrent et misent leurs banières hors, et se traisent vassaument sus les camps. Mais li Englès, qui avoient jà desconfis le plus grant partie de l’ost, s’en vinrent en escriant leurs cris celle part, et se boutèrent e[n]s de plains eslais, ensi que gens tous reconfortés et qui veoient bien, se fortune ne leur estoit trop contraire, que li journée estoit pour yaus. Là eut fait mainte belle apertise d’armes, mainte prise et mainte rescousse. Quant messires Franke de Halle et messires Alains de Finefroide [et messires Jehans de Lindehalle], qui estoient ens ou chastiel [de Auberoche], entendirent le noise et le hue, et recogneurent les banières et les pennons de leurs gens, si s’armèrent et fisent armer tous chiaus qui avoecques euls estoient. Et puis montèrent à cheval, et issirent de le forterèce d’Auberoce, et s’en vinrent sus les camps et se boutèrent ou plus fort de le bataille: ce rafresci et resvigura grandement les Englès.