Black Monday Hailstorm

Black Monday Hailstorm is in 1360-1369 Black Monday Hailstorm.

On 13th April 1360 a freak weather event known as Black Monday Hailstorm occurred as the army of King Edward III of England (age 47) were camped outside Chartres [Map]. Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick (age 47), William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton (age 50), Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 50), Edward "Black Prince" (age 29) and Walter Mauny were present. Around one thousand English were killed, with up to six thousand horses. King Edward III of England believed the event to be an Act of God and proceeded to negotiate with the French resulting in the Treaty of Brétigny.

On 28th April 1360 Guy Beauchamp died from injuries received during the Black Monday Hailstorm.

Chronicle of Four Premiers Valois. [13th April 1360] King Edward of England, after he had lifted his siege before Reims, rode with his army until he crossed the Seine and entered the Gâtinais, ravaging and pillaging the land. And he advanced so far that he and his army came into the Chartres region. And there fell upon his army and upon him a very great storm, from which many Englishmen died, and even more of their horses. Such a thing had once before happened, in that very region, to Rou, king in part of Denmark, first duke of Normandy—his ancestor, descended from him in direct line from father to son, down to King William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, who conquered England. Wherefore the said Edward, King of England, considering that in former times enemies who laid waste to the land of Our Lady of Chartres had there suffered torments, and now in that same land a torment had fallen upon his army, departed from the land as soon as he could, and rode onward before Paris.

Le roy Edouart d'Angleterre, apres ce qu'il oult levé son siege de par devant Rains, chevauca tant o son host qu'il passa Seyne et vint en Gastinois bruiant et courant le pais. Et tant esploita que lui et son host vindrent en Chartrain. Et là chey sur son host et sur lui une très grant tempeste dont moult d'Angloiz moururent et plus encorres de leurs chevaulx. Ainsi avint jadiz eu dit terrouail à Rou, roy en partie de Danemarche, premier duc de Normendie, son anceseur, descendu de lui par droicte ligne de père en filz par la succession du roy Guillaume Le Bastard, duc de Normendie, qui conquist Angleterre. Par quoy le dit Edouart roy d'Angleterre, considérant que jadiz les ennemis qui degastoient la terre Nostre Dame de Chartres avoient là receu tourmens, et en icelle terre lui cheoit sur son host tourment, le plus tost qu'il poult se parti du pais, et vint chevaucant par devant Paris.

Chronicle of William Nangis, -1300. On the next day, that is, the following Monday [13th April 1360], there was such an abundance of rain and hail throughout the whole day that most of the English wagons and carts remained stuck in the roads and paths, soaked from the excessive downpour. The horses were exhausted and unable to pull them, and in fact, many were miserably drowned together with their drivers by the inestimable torrents of hail and rain. So much so that on that day the English, due to these obstacles, suffered tremendous losses — both in their belongings and in the lives of many who perished, as is reported.

In crastino autem, scilicet feria secunda sequente, per totum diem fuit tantorum imbrium etgrandinum abundantia, quod maxima pars bigarum et curruum ipsorum Anglicorum in viis et itineribus imbre nimio madentibus remansit, equis deficientibus nec trahere valentibus, sed potius multis cum ductoribus suis a grandinibus et aquis pluvialibus inæstimabilibus raiserabiliter suffocatis; in tantum quod illa die Anglici, ex hujusmodi impedimento, jacturam maximam de rebus suis et de corporibus multorum qui deficiebant, ut dicitur, incurrerunt.

Chronicle of Henry Knighton. [13th April 1360] For as they were returning from the city of Paris toward the region of Orléans in the Beauce, a terrible storm suddenly arose — with thunder, lightning, and then hail — and it killed an uncountable number of people and more than 6,000 horses, so that the baggage train of the army was almost entirely lost. It became absolutely necessary to return toward England. But God turned the misery of necessity into a moment of honor for royal majesty. For the pope sent solemn envoys with letters to the king of England to begin negotiations for peace and reconciliation. And they negotiated at Morancez near Chartres, and the negotiations continued on the fifth day of May. Then the king prepared to return to England, both because of necessity and because of the form of the treaty; and whatever they had, they consigned to flame and fire due to the lack of transport—tents, utensils, wagons, saddles, and almost all other things. Nam in eorum reditu de civitate Parisiensi versus partes de Orlions in I'evosina subito supervenit horribilis tempestas tonitrui fulguris deinde grandinis, et occidit gentes absque numero et plusquam vj. millia equorum, ita quod cariagium exercitus defecit fere in toto, et oportuit necessario redire versus Angliam, sed deus transtulit miseriam necessitatis in honorem regi majestatis® Nam papa misit nuncios solemnes cum literis ad regem Anglie ad tractandum de pace et concordia.

Et tractaverunt apud Morens prope Chartres et continuatus est tractatus quinto die Maii. Quando rex disposuit se redire versus Angliam, tum propter necessitatem tum propter formam trac. tatus, quæcunque habebant miserunt flamma et incendio præ defectu cariagii, tentoria, utensilia, currus, sellas, et caters quasi cuncta.

Chronicle of Jean de Venette. [13th April 1360] The next day, however, that is, the second feria³⁰, it rained and hailed so abundantly all day long that the strength of the horses failed. They could not pull their loads, and the wagons, soaked with rain, remained stationary on the roads and highways. Many horses and their drivers were pitiably drowned by the hail and the torrential rains. It is said that the English incurred very heavy losses both of baggage and of men on that day³¹.

Note 30. This is a synonym for Monday, and was a form for referring to the days of the week without using their pagan names.

Note 31. For the other contemporary comments on this storm see Delachenal, Histoire de Charles V, 11, 191-92. "In this same yere, the xiiii day off Aprill Kyng Edward with his Oost lay byfore the Citee off Parys; the which was a ffoule Derke day off myste, and off haylle, and so bytter colde, that syttyng on horse bak men dyed. Wherefore, unto this day yt ys called blak Monday, and wolle be longe tyme here affter." Chronicles of London, p. 13.

History of Bernard Guesclin. [13th April 1360] The storm, which breaks out at that moment near Chartres, comes just in time to save his pride at the end of a campaign that had so miserably failed. This storm is the pretext, the opportunity, if you will—not the cause—of the sudden change in the dispositions of the King of England, which then made possible the conclusion of the Treaty of Brétigny. In reality, the invader's ambition was broken by the foresight and wisdom of the regent Charles, seconded by the patriotic resistance of the people. The proud Edward prefers to let it be believed that he was defeated by the heavens.

La tempête, qui éclate sur ces entrefaites aux environs de Chartres, vient à point pour sauver son amourpropre à la fin d'une campagne qui a si misérablement avorté. Cette tempête est le prétexte, l'occasion, si l'on veut, non la cause du changement soudain qui se fait alors dans les dispositions du roi d'Angleterre et qui rend possible la conclusion du traité de Brétigny. En réalité, l'ambition de l'envahisseur s'est brisée contre la sagesse prévoyante du régent Charles secondé par la patriotique résistance des populations. L'orgueilleux Edouard aime mieux laisser croire qu'il a été vaincu par le ciel.

Note 1. Edward III, like all conquerors, took particular care in shaping public opinion. Froissart is the only chronicler who presents the storm of April 13, 1360 as the determining cause of the peace agreed near Chartres: "And then the King of England looked toward the Church of Our Lady of Chartres and vowed and devotedly surrendered himself to Our Lady, and promised—as he later said and confessed—that he would agree to peace." But this passage is only found in the first version of the first book of his Chronicles, a version written, as is known, from the English point of view and, so to speak, under the dictation of the knights at the court of Edward III. The chronicler from Valenciennes removed this passage in his second version; he merely notes that after this storm the English king "was much more humble and gentle than before." The Grandes Chroniques de France (vol. VI, pp. 170–171) do not mention the storm in question at all. Finally, the only contemporary English chronicle that does mention it, that of the monk of St. Albans, denies that this storm had any influence on Edward's decisions: "At that time there struck such a fierce and unheard-of storm that several thousand men and horses from the king's army perished suddenly, collapsing from the extreme cold. Yet neither the king nor his men were frightened by this from continuing with their undertaking." (Chronicon Angliæ (1328–1388), by a monk of St. Albans, London, 1874, p. 42.) Thomas Walsingham, for the period from 1328 to 1388, merely reproduced the chronicle of the monk of St. Albans.

Edouard III mettait, comme tous les conquérants, un soin particulier à travailler l'opinion publique. Froissart est le seul chroniqueur qui présente l'orage du 13 avril 1360 comme la cause déterminante de la paix convenue près de Chartres : "Et adonc regarda li rois d'Engleterre devers l'église Nostre Dame de Chartres, et se voa et rcndi dévotement à Nostre Dame et prommist, si com il dist et confessa depuis, que il s'accorderuit à le pais." Mais ce passage ne se trouve que dans la première rédaction du I^er livre de ses Chroniques, rédaction écrite, comme on sait, au point de vue anglais et pour ainsi dire sous la dictée des chevaliers de la cour d'Edouard III. Le chroniqueur de Valenciennes a supprimé, dans sa seconde rédaction, le passage que nous avons souligné; il se contente de faire remarquer qu'après cet orage le roi anglais "fu plus liumbles et plus débonnaires assés que devant." Les Grandes Chroniques de France (t. VI, p. 170, 171) ne disent pas un mot de la tempête dont il s'agit. Enfin, la seule chronique anglaise contemporaine qui en parle, celle du moine de Saint-Alban, nie que cette tempête ait eu aucune influence sur les résolutions d'Edouard : "Quo tempore ingruebat tam sæva tempestas et inaudita, ut plura millia hominum et equoruni in régis exercitu ilinerando périrent, subito mortua corruendo præ frigoris imminentis asperitate. Quæ tamen nec regein nec suas terrucrunt,quin proccderent cum inceptis." Chronicon Anglæ (1328-1388), auctore monacho quodam Sancti Albani, London, 1874, in-8^o, p. 42. Thomas Walsingham, pour la période comprise entre 1328 et 1388, n'a fait que reproduire la chronique du moine de Saint-Alban.

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History of Charles V. Black Monday Hailstorm7, On Monday, April 13 [1360], the English army, while on the march, was struck by a storm — a true cyclone — of incredible violence, made especially dangerous by the size of the hailstones, which in just a few minutes killed many horses from the baggage teams and even a good number of men. It is hardly possible to deny the reality of "Black Monday," which is mentioned in almost all the chronicles¹. Froissart² attributes to this chance event consequences out of proportion with the actual disaster³. It is possible that Edward III saw in this unleashing of the elements a sign of divine wrath, and above all a reason not to march over the lands of the Church of Chartres. Had not the first Duke of Normandy, Rollo, suffered a bloody defeat for waging war there⁴. One can thus accept that Edward III may have made a vow to Our Lady of Chartres — provided it is not seen as the sole or decisive reason for the treaty that followed shortly after. Indeed, the storm of April 13 did not halt the English march for long. It continued on to Bonneval and Châteaudun, perhaps aiming for Vendôme, but slowly enough that the Abbot of Cluny was able to resume negotiations — twice previously broken off. Even within his own entourage, the King of England had a passionate advocate for peace; with greater authority, the Duke of Lancaster might have played the role of Cineas to Pyrrhus. He wisely pointed out that "in one day one could lose more than had been gained in twenty years." And in fact, it had taken just one day of tempest to deprive the English army of its baggage and to leave it in a pitiful state.

VII. —Le lundi 13 avril, l'armée anglaise fut atteinte en pleine marche, par un orage — véritable cyclone — d'une violence inouïe, redoutable surtout par la grosseur des grêlons qui, en quelques minutes, tuèrent quantité de chevaux des attelages et même bon nombre d'hommes. Il n'est guère possible de nier la réalité du "black monday", dont presque toutes les chroniques font mention. Froissart attribue à cet événement fortuit des conséquences hors de proportion avec le désastre. Il est possible qu'Edouard III ait vu dans ce déchaînement des éléments un signe de la colère céleste, et surtout un motif de ne pas passer sur les terres de l'église de Chartres. N'était-ce pas pour y avoir porté la guerre que le premier duc de Normandie, Rollon, avait subi une sanglante défaite? On peut donc admettre qu'un vœu ait été fait par Edouard III à Notre-Dame de Chartres, mais à la condition de n'y pas voir la cause déterminante et unique du traité qui intervint peu de temps après. En effet, l'orage du 13 avril n'arrêta pas longtemps la marche des Anglais. Elle continua sur Bonneval et Chateaudun, peut-être avec Vendôme pour objectif, mais assez lentement pour que l'abbé de Clunypût revenir à la charge et reprendre les négociations, par deux fois rompues. Dans son entourage même, le roi d'Angleterre trouvait un chaleureux avocat de la paix ; avec plus d'autorité, le duc de Lancastre aurait joué le rôle de Cineas auprès de Pyrrhus. Il représentait sagement "qu'en un jour on pourrait perdre plus qu'on n'avait gagné en vingt ans". Et de fait, il avait suffi d'un jour de tempête pour priver l'armée anglaise de ses équipages et pour la mettre dans un pitoyable état.

Note 1. The Great Chronicles say nothing about it.

Les Gr. Chr. n'en disent rien.

Note 2. See Henry Knighton, Volume 2, Page 112.

Note 3. See Chronicle of London from 1189 to 1483 edited by Nicholas Harris-Nicolas, London, Longman and C°, 1827, in-8°, p. 64, a^o XXXVI (1360), and Scalaronica, Continuation of the Chronicle of Nangiaco, Froissart Book 2 Chapter 211.

Note 4. See Chronicle of Four Premiers Valois. Rollo, who had come to besiege Chartres, was defeated on July 20, 918, by Richard, Duke of Burgundy, and Robert the Strong. (Orderic Vitalis, vol. I, pp. 160–161; vol. III, p. 143).

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Thomas Walsingham [-1422]. [13th April 1360] And on the morrow, the Octave of Easter, he turned his standards with the army toward Orléans, pillaging, laying waste, and consuming many things with fire. At that time, there arose such a fierce and unheard-of storm that many thousands of men and horses in the King's army, while on the march, perished—suddenly collapsing dead due to the intense harshness of the cold. Yet these things did not in the least terrify the King or his men, so as to prevent them from continuing with their undertakings.

Et in crastino, Octavis Paschæ, convretit signa cum excrcitu versus Aurclianum, prædando, vastando, et igni consumendo plurima. Quo tempore ingruebat tam sæva tempestas et inaudita, ut plura millia hominum et equorum in Regis exercitu itinerando perirent, subito mortua corruendo præ frigoris imminentis aspcritatc. Quæ tantum Regem nec suos terruerunt, quin procederent cum inceptis.

A Chronicle of London. [13th April 1360] This same yere, that is for to seye the yere of oure lord a MCCCLX [1360], the xiiij day of Aprill thanne beynge the morwe after Estre day, kyng Edward with hys oost lay aboughte Parys; whiche day was a foul derk day of myst and of hayl, and so bitter cold that manye men deyde for cold: wherfore unto this day manye men callen it the blake Moneday.

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Scalaronica. On Sunday the 13th of April [1360] it became necessary to make a very long march toward Beauce, by reason of want of fodder for the horses. The weather was desperately bad with rain, hail and snow, and so cold that many weakly men and horses perished in the field. They abandoned many vehicles and much baggage on account of the cold, the wind and the wet, which happened to be worse this season than any old memory could recall.