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Medieval History Database - Article : Armagnac Contingents At Orleans

Article : Armagnac Contingents At Orleans


MHDB Article ID: ACAO20201014
MHDB Article date: 14 October 2020
MHDB Article Author(s): Staff

Selection of Armagnac Contingents At Orleans

The Siege of Orleans (12 October 1428 - 8 May 1429) was one of the most important engagements of the late phase of the Hundred Years' War, and earned Joan of Arc the nickname "the Maid of Orleans" although her role in the army is often misunderstood or misrepresented in modern times.

The records provide a wealth of detail and also a needed degree of objectivity to a subject which has been falsified in far too many popular treatments, due mainly to the tendency for Hollywood scriptwriters, novelists, political activists, and the like, to manipulate Joan of Arc's history for their own ends. She is often depicted as an Amazon leading her own army of followers, which is not what the records or the many eyewitness accounts and other sources show, although she obviously had a profound importance for other reasons.

The army was commanded by a group of noblemen, mostly the same veteran commanders who had long served in Charles VII's forces. The chief of these at Orleans was Duke Charles of Orleans' half-brother Jehan, best known by the title Count of Dunois conferred on him some years later. Although he said he was inspired greatly by Joan of Arc and came to believe that she was sent by God, nonetheless he held the leadership position and often neglected to tell her the army's plans. She almost slept through the attack he ordered against the English garrison at Saint-Loup on 4 May 1429 because she wasn't told that an attack was planned. Her bodyguard, Jehan d'Aulon, said she suddenly woke up and exclaimed that an attack was underway, but she didn't know where it was until citizens in the streets told her the location. She was also left out of the loop for the assaults on May 6th, since the commanders decided to tell her only half the plan until she demanded to know the full details. On May 7th she accompanied the troops into the trench outside the "boulevert" (outlying fortress) south of the bridge, carrying her banner, and was hit by an arrow between the neck and left shoulder which forced her to rest for most of the day until she suddenly reappeared near the boulevert and inspired the troops to a final assault which finally took the complex of fortresses at the southern end of the bridge. This would essentially remain her role throughout the rest of the campaigns: she carried her banner in battle and lacked an official position in the chain of command, but often had a profound effect nonetheless and was credited by both sides as the primary reason the fortunes of war shifted so dramatically - because both sides believed she was exerting a supernatural effect (her own side believed she was sent by God, the opposing side believed she was a witch using black magic).

The records show the official chain of command and unit composition. Most of the units were led by French nobles but there were also allied Scots and various others. Charles VII's records are substantial but require patience to sift through, as many of the entries are back payments for service several months earlier. English records are far more systematic and organized, but nonetheless Armagnac records are complete enough to put together a clear picture of the army's command structure and number of men in each unit.

Among the many records for pro-Armagnac units which fought during the Siege of Orleans are the following small selection of examples:

A number of contingents at Orleans paid by the French Royal government on 17 December 1428:

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1Jean de la Brosse, Lord of Sainte-Severe, Knight, Marechal85NPNP"Jehan de Brosse, seigneur de Sainte Severe"; No archers listed
2The Batart d'OrleansNPNP65 (unspecified)
3Jacques de Chabannes, Knight, Marechal of Bourbonnois211NPNP"Jacques de Chabanes"; No archers listed
4Raymond de VillarsNPNP75 (unspecified)"monseigneur de Villars"
5Thibault de TermesNPNP14 (unspecified)"Thibault de Termes"
6Pierre de BeauvoirNPNP13 (unspecified)"Pierre de Bauvoir"
7Macias de Rechac, KnightNPNP18 (unspecified)"Macias de Rechac"
8Guillaume de Chaumont, Lord of GuitryNPNP21 (unspecified)"Guillaume de Chaumont, seigneur de Quittry"
9Lord of ChaumontNPNP13 (unspecified)"Monseigneur de Chaumont"
10Lord of CorrazeNPNP18 (unspecified)"Monseigneur de Coarase"
11Bernard de CommingeNPNP23 (unspecified)"Bernard de Comminge"
12Girault de la PagliereNPNP21 (unspecified)"Girault de la Pailliere"
13David MallevilleNPNP60 (unspecified)"David Malleville, capitaine Escossois"
14Poton de SaintraillesNPNP48 (unspecified)"Poton de Sainterailles"

Another group of contingents at Orleans paid the same day as above:

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1The Batart d'Orleans7030NP
2Jean de la Brosse, Lord of Sainte-Severe, Marechal5036NP
3Jacques de Chabannes & Theode de Walpergue, Knights, & Denis de Chailly & Guillaume Madre, Squires18132NPFrom payment records; evidently this entry combines several contingents? "Jacques de Chabanes","Theode de Walpergue","Denis de Chailly","Guillaume Madre"
4Lord of Corraze, Knight188NP"Monseigneur de Coarase"
5Ferrando de Seville2614NP"Ferrando de Civile"
6Jean de Lesgo, Knight8NPNP"Jehan de Lesgo"
7Guillaume de Chaumont, Knight, Lord of Guitry208NP"Guillaume de Chaumont, Seigneur de Quittry"
8Macias de Rechac, Knight17NPNP"Macias de Rechac"
9Bernard de Comminge, Squire2510NP"Bernard de Comminge"
10Girault de la Pagliere208NP"Girault de la Pailliere"
11Raymond de Villars, Knight2515NP"Raymon, seigneur de Villars"
12Louis d'Abbencourt, Knight8NPNP"Loys d'Abbencourt"
13Pierre de Beauvoir, Squire124NP
14Poton de Saintrailles, Squire3512NP"Poton, seigneur de Sainterailles"
15David Malleville, Squire5032NP"David Malleville, escuyer du pays d'Escoce"
16Friar Nicholas de Giresmes, Commander, Order of Rhodes1410NP"Frere Nicole de Giresme"
17Thibault de Termes, Squire10NPNP
18Guyet des Champs, Squire10NPNP"Guiet des Champs"
19Bouzon de Fages, SquireNPNPNG (unspecified)"Bouzon de Fages" Number of troops not given.

Group of commanders paid to assemble troops for the relief of Orleans, paid by the French Royal government on 04 February 1429:

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1NPNPNPNP
2, Lord of Lymeuil, SquireNPNPNP"......, seigneur de Lymeuil"
3Jean de la Roche, SquireNPNPNP
4Louis du Doignon, KnightNPNPNP"Messire Loys du Doignon"
5Guillaume d'Estumes, SquireNPNPNP

Several contingents in the relief army sent to Orleans during the initial march from Blois, paid on 27 April 1429:

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1Gilles de Rais2511 archersNPPayment both for his troops and to assemble the army
2Gaultier de Brusac, Squire7070NP
3Archades de la Tour2626NP
4Jean Foucault, Knight2220 archersNP
5Ambroise de Lore, Knight3233 archersNP
6Robert le Feure, Archer038 archersNP
7Thudual le Bourgeois, Squire1511 archersNP
8Bertrand de la Ferriere & the Batart de Beaumanoir, Squires2228 archersNP

Several contingents in the relief army which were part of the second march from Blois to Orleans, paid on 30 April 1429:

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1Girault de la Paglière, SquireNPNPNP
2Andre, Lord of Rambures, KnightNPNPNP
3Baudrain Touze, SquireNPNPNP
4Pierre Le Beuf, SquireNPNPNPListed as a commander, but paid 60 ecus to help him buy a horse, not as payment for his men

Another set of contingents which were part of the second march from Blois to Orleans, paid on 10 May 1429.

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1Gaston de Lesgo, Squire1515NP
2Arnault Guillau de Bourgogne, Squire2020NP
3Galardon de Gaulart, Squire2020NP
4Lord Rigault de Fontaines, Knight1515NP
5Alain Giron, Squire3030NP
6Lord Louis de Waencourt, Knight1010NP
7Bertrand de Toujouse, Squire2020NP
8Jean Girard, Squire202 (20?)NP

A third set of contingents which were part of the second march from Blois to Orleans, paid on 10 May 1429.

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1Sir Patrick Ogilvy of Auchterhouse, Sheriff of Angus60300 Scottish archersNP
2Jean de La Brosse, lord of Sainte-Sévère and BoussacNPNPNP
3Florent d'Illiers801100 (unspecified, on foot)archer as homme de trait, foot soldiers as pietons
4Etienne de Vignolles8060NParchers as hommes de trait
5The Bâtart de La Marche3030NParchers as hommes de trait, foot soldiers as pietons
6Bernard de Bourgogne, squireNPNPNPTroops not listed.
7Alain Serly, squireNPNPNPTroops not listed.
8Michael Norwill, squire2025NParchers as hommes de trait.
9John Chrichton, Governor of Châtillon816 archersNParchers as archiers.
10Galobre de Ponsac, squireNPNPNPTroops not listed.
11Gonsalle Darie, squireNPNPNPTroops not listed.
12Jean V, Baron of LignièresNPNPNPPayment to Jean Pot, for the Lord of Lignières; number of troops not listed.
13Pierre Riffart and Jean de SeignacNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
14Charlot de la Pierre1910NPArchers as hommes de trait.
15Jean, Lord of Bueil, Knight3040NPArchers as hommes de trait.
16Pierre d'Amboise, Lord of Chaumont-sur-LoireNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
17Guyot du PleceisNP6 archersNPArchers as archers.
18Jean MailletNPNP20 (unspecified)Troops merely described as comrades, compaignons.
19Pierre, Bâtart de La ChasteignerayeNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
20Antoine, Lord of Prie, Knight1020NPhommes de trait.
21Jean GirardNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
22Jean du Tessier, SquireNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
23Friar Nicholas de Giresmes, Order of Rhodes, knight, and Roberton des Croix, Squire121240 (unspecified, on foot)Archers as hommes de trait, foot soldiers as pietons
24Louis, Bâtart de Harcourt, SquireNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
25Louis de Tremagon, KnightNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
26The Lord of Torcy and Antoine de FlandreNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.
27Lord Raoul de GaucourtNPNPNPNumber of troops not listed.

Several contingents at Orleans, paid on 10 May 1429.

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1The Batart d'Orleans4926NP
2Jean de Blanchefort, Squire, lieutenant of Lord Sainte-Severe6242NP
3Jean de Graville, Master of the Crossbowmen6134NP
4Denis de Chailly, Squire3830NP
5Maurice de Meaux, Squire, lieutenant of Jean Ouchart, Knight2769NP"Morice de Meaulx", "Jehan Oulchart"; Scottish troops
6Guillaume de Sarnay, Knight119NP
7Guillaume de Madre, Squire228NP
8.... de Corraze, Knight1722NP
9Bernard de Comminge, Squire247NP
10Theolde de Walpergue, Knight3039NP
11Louis de Waucourt, Knight512NP"Loye de Waucourt"
12Poton de Saintrailles, Squire3028NP"Poton de Sainterailles"
13Girault de la Pagliere, Squire248NP"Girault de la Pailliere"
14Raymon de Villars, Knight5229NP"Raymon de Villars"
15Guillaume de Chaumont, Knight, Lord of Guitry1712NPLord of "Quittry"
16Thibault de Termes, Squire96NP
17Jacques du Bois, Knight147NP
18Nicolas de Giresmes, Knight167NP"Nicole de Giresme"

Several contingents which had served at Orleans, paid (several months late) by the French Royal government on 17 December 1429.

# CommanderMen-at-armsProjectile TroopsOther / Unspecified TroopsNotes
1The Batart d'Orleans5827NP
2Lord Sainte-Severe, Marechal7344NP
3Jean, Lord of Graville, Knight6429NP
4Lord Denis de Chailly, Squire3737NP
5Lord Guillaume de Serves, Knight1112NP
6Guiot des Champs, Squire89NP
7Ferrando de Pierrebonne179NP
8Guillaume Madre2324NP
9Guillaume de Chaumont, Knight, Lord of Guitry1915NP
10Theode de Walpergue, Knight3341NP
11Bernard de Cominge, Squire2510NP
12Nicholas de Giresme, Knight176NP
13Louis de Waencourt, Knight58NP
14Philippe de Culan, Knight125NP
15.... de Corraze, Knight2131NP
16Girault de la Pagliere, Squire256NP
17Poton de Saintrailles, Squire3427NP
18Maurice de Meaulx, Squire, lieutenant of Jean Oulchart, Knight2560NP
19Raymond de Villars, Knight2813NP
20Thibault de Termes, Squire89NP
21Jacques Du Bois, Knight196NP

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