Battle of Brignais

In the battle of Brignais hit on April 6, 1362 marauding mercenaries sacked the Grandes Compagnies a French army under the command of Jean de Melun, Count of Tancarville.

Prehistory

Since the beginning of the Hundred Years War, France had suffered devastating defeats in the Battle of Crécy ( 1346 ) and the Battle of Maupertuis ( 1356). In Maupertuis King John II was in English captivity, from which he was only released after 1360 after the Treaty of Brétigny. During the subsequent ceasefire sacked the mercenaries, who had been dismissed from their masters, the country. John II decided to destroy them, whereupon the mercenaries banded together to defend them to larger groups.

Schlacht

On April 6, 1362 took advantage of one of these companies, the Tard - Venus, a surprise effect to destroy a French army at Brignais south of Lyon. Several noblemen found on this day the death, including Jacques I de Bourbon, Count of La Marche and Constable of France, the eldest son Pierre, and Louis d' Albon, Count of Forez. Many more were captured. Cause of this defeat was a lack of discipline on the part of the knights who entered without infantry and had dispensed with scouts.

Follow

France's new king Charles V was the threat of the dismissed mercenaries in the handle, by mandating its commander Bertrand du Guesclin to collect the mercenaries and to undertake campaigns in Hungary and Spain. The mercenaries were out of the country, and now even fought for France.