Battle of Varaville

The Battle of Varaville was a military clash in medieval France, in which the Duke of Normandy, William the Bastard ( later " the Conqueror" ) won a victory against King Henry I.. It took place in August 1057 at Varaville in the department of Calvados in the Basse -Normandie instead.

Background

With the aid of King Henry I., the young William had once in the fight against its competitors in the reign of Normandy won ( Battle of Val- ès -Dunes, 1047). The French king hoped that by means of his proteges Wilhelm to achieve a strengthening of royal authority in the powerful Norman principality, but Wilhelm took place in 1052 a policy U-turn by emancipated itself from the influence of the king to henceforth de facto rule independently in Normandy can. In the victorious battle of Mortemer in 1054 he was able to maintain the sovereignty thus obtained successfully beat back the king.

In 1057 King Henry I tried II Martel of Anjou, who was an arch-opponent of the Normans, once again restoring military means his authority in Normandy in alliance with the Count Gottfried. The Alliance was probably sealed in January 1057 at a meeting of the two in Tours and reaffirmed at a meeting held in March of the same year in Angers.

The Battle

In August 1057 the king came with his army in Normandy and marched through the Hiémois to conquer pulling in the north to Bayeux. In the village of Varaville they reached the bend in the River Dives, they had to cross in order to march to Bayeux can. Duke William was at this time with his troops in Falaise, but was always informed by his Kundschaftersystem about the movements of the enemy, he was able to follow so easily. In Varaville he eventually joined on to the opponent, who had just sat there, his vanguard over the river and now was going to follow up the rear. William took the opportunity once was and went on the attack.

The ensuing struggle, the characterization discussed in the general literature as a " battle", as it is said to have acted according to the traditions rather a veritable massacre. William attacked the totally surprised and non-combat set rearguard of the enemy, who had just focused on crossing the Dives, but now looked unprepared exposed his attacks. The Normans were reflected the rear guard of the king who could not do anything already on the opposite side of the river standing against it. His defeat was sealed with it, whereupon he took along the east bank of the Dives to escape from Normandy out in his royal domain.

Follow

In the battle of Varaville the last attempt of King Henry I. failed to bring its already at Mortemer 1054 lost authority over the Duke of Normandy reasserted. Consequently, this principality slipped on several generations beyond the sphere of influence of the king. Henry I made ​​no further attempts to change this condition and died in 1060 after which he succeeded to the immature Philip I.. From the royal side, therefore, no threat could arise for Wilhelms more unchecked power in Normandy over several years. Instead, he was able to consolidate his power and undisturbed in 1066 committing the invasion of England by which he became "the Conqueror".

The Battle of Varaville was and is awarded to the history of research due to their short and clear history of no great importance, as the decisive turning point for William's political future has already been made in Mortemer and Varaville this could no longer turn back. According to their importance Varaville was only two contemporary authors, William of Jumièges and William of Poitiers, survived. Later she mentioned only William of Malmesbury in his Chronicle and Wace in his Roman de Rou poem work. In other major authors of that time, such as Orderic Vitalis, she found no mention.