Battle of Tinchebray

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1106. After this, and before August, went the king (age 38) over sea into Normandy; and almost all that were in that land submitted to his will, except Robert de Belesme (age 50) and the Earl of Moretaine (age 22), and a few others of the principal persons who yet held with the Earl of Normandy (age 55). For this reason the king afterwards advanced with an army, and beset a castle of the Earl of Moretaine, called Tenerchebrai.¹³⁶ Whilst the king beset the castle, came the Earl Robert of Normandy on Michaelmas eve against the king with his army, and with him Robert of Belesme, and William, Earl of Moretaine, and all that would be with them; but the strength and the victory were the king's. There was the Earl of Normandy taken, and the Earl of Moretaine, and Robert of Stutteville, and afterwards sent to England, and put into custody. Robert of Belesme was there put to flight, and William Crispin was taken, and many others forthwith. Edgar Etheling (age 55), who a little before had gone over from the king to the earl, was also there taken, whom the king afterwards let go unpunished. Then went the king over all that was in Normandy, and settled it according to his will and discretion.

Note 136. Now Tinchebrai.

Chronicum Anglicanum by Ralph Coggeshall. Robert, Duke of Normandy, was captured by his brother, King Henry, at Tinchebray¹ on the Vigil of Saint Michael [28th September 1106], along with William, Count of Mortain, Robert de Stuteville, and many others. From that day, all of Normandy was subjected to King Henry. Duke Robert was imprisoned in a tower and remained there until the day of his death.

Robertus, dux Normanniæ, apud Tenerchebrai, vigilia Sancti Michaelis, a fratre suo Henrico capitur, et cum eo comes Guillelmus de Moretonio, et Robertus de Stutevile, et plures alii, et sic ab illo die tota Normannia regi Henrico subjecta est. Dux vero Robertus in quadam turri relegatus est usque diem obitus sui.

Note 1. See letter in Eadmer from King Henry to Anselm: "Henry, king of the English, to Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, greeting and friendship. To your paternity and sanctity we signify that Robert, count of Normandy, with all the forces of knights and foot soldiers which he could assemble by entreaty and by payment, on the appointed and determined day, fought fiercely with me before Tinchebray. And at last, by the mercy of God, we conquered, and without great slaughter of our men. What more? By divine mercy the duke of Normandy and the count of Mortain, and William Crispin, and William de Ferrers, and Robert de Stuteville the elder, and others, up to four hundred knights and ten thousand foot soldiers, together with Normandy, were delivered into our hands. Of those whom the sword destroyed, there is no number. But this I attribute not to pride or arrogance, nor to my own strength, but to the gift of divine ordering. Therefore, venerable father, humbly and devoutly prostrate at the knees of your sanctity, I beseech you to implore the Supreme Judge, by whose judgment and will this triumph, so glorious and so useful to me, has been granted, that it may not turn to my loss or detriment, but to the beginning of good works and of the service of God, and to the condition of God's holy Church, to be maintained and strengthened in tranquil peace, so that henceforth she may live free and be shaken by no storm of wars."

And anonymous letter Jesus College, Oxford, MS. li. fo. 104: "To his lord the priest of Sagy, the priest of Fécamp, greetings and prayers. I bring good news, my lord, since I know how eager you are for such tidings. Our lord the king fought with his brother at Tinchebray on the third day before the Kalends of October (29 September), at the third hour; and the battle was drawn up in this order. In the first line were the men of Bayeux, Avranches, and Coutances, all on foot. To these were added seven hundred knights arrayed for each battle-line; besides this, the Count of Maine and the Count of the Bretons, Alan Fergant, encircled the army with up to a thousand knights, all gildones (mercenaries) and servants having been removed. For the king's whole army was reckoned at nearly forty thousand men of this sort. The count, however, had six thousand, with seven hundred knights; and the battle scarcely lasted one hour, when Robert of Bellême at once turned his back, by whose flight all the rest were scattered. The count himself was taken prisoner, and also the Count of Mortain with his barons, and Robert of Stuteville, my friend; all the others were broken and put to flight. Moreover the land was brought under the king's sway; and so that I pass nothing by, this marvel: the king in the battle lost scarcely two men. One alone was wounded, Robert of Bonesbot. When I came to the king he received me kindly at Caen, and freely remitted all that he was demanding of our land. And now peace is restored in the land, thanks be to God. Pray too that it may remain everlasting, and that God may grant us health of mind and body. Farewell."

History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. After a little time, while he was besieging a certain castle of the Count of Mortain, called Tinchebray, and labouring to take it, his brother Count Robert and the Count of Mortain, with a great multitude of soldiers, thinking they could avenge themselves on King Henry and drive him completely from the land, attacked him with great force¹. But by the judgment of God coming upon them, they were both captured, and many others with them, by the men of King Henry, and were brought before him. Thus, God granted victory without bloodshed to the king who feared Him, just as once He did to His servant the emperor Theodosius. For in this battle none of Henry's men fell, and on the opposing side scarcely sixty were slain. So, when the conflict had ended and peace had been restored to the wretched province, which had nearly been ruined through the imprudence of the aforesaid count, King Henry took into his own possession all of Normandy and all the castles of the Count of Mortain. Having pacified the whole land, he returned to England, bringing with him Count Robert his brother, the Count of Mortain, and certain others whom he chose, and he kept them in honourable custody for the remainder of their lives. This battle at Tinchebray between King Henry of the English and his brother Robert, Duke of the Normans, was fought in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1106, on the fifth day before the Kalends of October. In the same year, in the month of February, a comet had appeared, ominous to kings and dukes of changes of kingdoms. Count Robert ruled the duchy of Normandy for 19 years, excluding the time he spent on the journey to Jerusalem. He was a most valiant knight, and performed many noble deeds, especially when Antioch and Jerusalem were taken from the Saracens by the Christians; yet he was less fit for governing the duchy, because of his simplicity and because he lent his ear too easily to frivolous counsel.

Post aliquantulum vero temporis, cum obsideret quoddam castrum comitis Moritolii, quod vocatur Tenerchebrai, atque in obsidendo laboraret ut illud caperet, frater ejus comes Robertus et comes Moritolii, cum magna multitudine militum, putantes se de rege Henrico vindicare, eumque omnino de terra delere, cum magno impetu irrue runt in eum. Sed judicio Dei super eos veniente, capti sunt ambo et multi alii cum eis ab hominibus Henrici regis atque ante eum adducti. Concessit hoc modo Deus regi se timenti victoriam incruentam, sicut quondam Theodosio imperatori servo suo fecerat. In hoc enim conflictu ex suis nullus, ex adversa parte vix sexaginta corruerunt. Finito itaque hoc conflictu et pace reddita miseræ provinciæ, quæ pene per imprudentiam comitis prædicti destructa erat rex Henricus totam Northmanniam et omnia castella comitis Moritolii in suum dominium suscepit. Atque ita omni terra sedata, rediens in Angliam, Robertum comitem fratrem suum et comitem Moritolii et quosdam alios quos ei placuit, secum adduxit, eosque in libera custodia usque ad terminum vitæ eorum tenuit. Factum est autem hoc bellum apud Tenerchebrai inter Henricum regem Anglorum et Robertum fratrem suum ducem Northmannorum, anno ab Incarnatione Domini 1106, v Kal. Octobris. Eodem autem anno, mense Februario, cometes apparuerat, regibus et ducibus mutatione regnorum terribilis. Rexit autem Robertus comes ducatum Northmannie 19 annis, excepto spatio, quo in itinere Hierusalem demoratus est. Fuit hic Robertus miles fortissimus et multa nobiliter gessit; maxime quando a christianis Antiochia et Hierusalem super Sarracenos captæ sunt. Ad regimen tamen ducatus minus utilius propter simplicitatem suam et propter consilia levia, quibus nimium aurem accommodabat.

Note 1. The Battle of Tinchebray was fought on 28th September 1106. Historia Novorum by Eadmer Letter from King Henry to Archibishop Anselm: "To your paternity and sanctity we signify that Robert, count of Normandy, with all the forces of knights and foot soldiers which he could assemble by entreaty and by payment, on the appointed and determined day, fought fiercely with me before Tinchebray. And at last, by the mercy of God, we conquered, and without great slaughter of our men. What more? By divine mercy the duke of Normandy and the count of Mortain, and William Crispin, and William de Ferrers, and Robert de Stuteville the elder, and others, up to four hundred knights and ten thousand foot soldiers, together with Normandy, were delivered into our hands. Of those whom the sword destroyed, there is no number. But this I attribute not to pride or arrogance, nor to my own strength, but to the gift of divine ordering. Therefore, venerable father, humbly and devoutly prostrate at the knees of your sanctity, I beseech you to implore the Supreme Judge, by whose judgment and will this triumph, so glorious and so useful to me, has been granted, that it may not turn to my loss or detriment, but to the beginning of good works and of the service of God, and to the condition of God's holy Church, to be maintained and strengthened in tranquil peace, so that henceforth she may live free and be shaken by no storm of wars."

Jesus College, Oxford, MS. li. fo. 104. Letter from a priest of Fécamp to a priest of Séez: "To his lord the priest of Sagy, the priest of Fécamp, greetings and prayers. I bring good news, my lord, since I know how eager you are for such tidings. Our lord the king fought with his brother at Tinchebray on the third day before the Kalends of October [29th September], at the third hour; and the battle was drawn up in this order. In the first line were the men of Bayeux, Avranches, and Coutances, all on foot. To these were added seven hundred knights arrayed for each battle-line; besides this, the Count of Maine and the Count of the Bretons, Alan Fergant, encircled the army with up to a thousand knights, all gildones [mercenaries] and servants having been removed. For the king's whole army was reckoned at nearly forty thousand men of this sort. The count, however, had six thousand, with seven hundred knights; and the battle scarcely lasted one hour, when Robert of Bellême at once turned his back, by whose flight all the rest were scattered. The count himself was taken prisoner, and also the Count of Mortain with his barons, and Robert of Stuteville, my friend; all the others were broken and put to flight. Moreover the land was brought under the king's sway; and so that I pass nothing by, this marvel: the king in the battle lost scarcely two men. One alone was wounded, Robert of Bonesbot. When I came to the king he received me kindly at Caen, and freely remitted all that he was demanding of our land. And now peace is restored in the land, thanks be to God. Pray too that it may remain everlasting, and that God may grant us health of mind and body. Farewell."