Guillaume Cale

Guillaume Caillet (also: Karle, Cale, Carle or Callet - first name also: Jacques) was a medium-sized farmers and mid-14th century leader of the first open revolt of the peasantry against the noble lordship of French history, the so-called Grand jacquerie.

Life

Caillets origins, his family situation and his life data are largely unknown. As a relatively safe applies its origin from the village Mello (Oise ) in Beauvais, north of Paris. His name is given by the so-called " Lettres de rémissions " - testifies to the royal administration on the outcome of revolt - a kind of subsequent justification letter. The Chronicles and Chartulare his era describe Guillaume as a man with a certain charisma, " a man with good knowledge, eloquent and with good figure." In a time in which already was the Hundred Years War in progress, offered clashes in nobility, in which the French crown and Navarre were involved in particular, not only to the Paris citizens, but particularly hard hit by the caused of the country ravages of famine farmers occasion to revolt.

King Charles V remained largely idle during the uprising, which initially benefited Charles the Bad of Navarre. Although this took advantage of the weakening of the king, his rebellious peasants could be just as dangerous. He invited Guillaume Caillet as leader of the peasant troops, he should be granted safe passage! He was captured, tortured, " appointed Pawn King " with a glowing iron tripod as crown and beheaded on June 10, 1358 or slain.

Work

In May 1358 Caillet was urged by the Autständischen, the " Jacques " to be their leader. They called him "king" or " Sovereign captain of flat land ." He had initially refused the command, but then bent at the threat of death. As allies of the first hour, find a member of the Order of Malta and a certain Jacques Bernier de Montataire mention.

Caillet it was mainly to protect the country people from the violent attacks by domestic and foreign nobles. The rebellion also seemed to contain an idea: " It must be possible a world without nobles! "

After the outbreak on May 21, 1358 the revolt was quickly food and spread to the regions of the Île -de -France, Picardy, Champagne, of Artois and Normandy to Lorraine on about. Caillet tried in vain to build a common front with the behind the head of the Paris Commercial Guild Étienne Marcel, gathered protest movement whose favor the same time Charles V pandered.

The peasantry had let themselves be encouraged by the events in Paris to revolt against the noble lordship. Guillaume was well aware that his peasants needed the support of the cities. But of the cities it was not considered equally. The city poverty was undoubtedly on the farmer side. The rich merchants felt, however, in more than a discomfort, given the clout of the peasant mob, although Marcel Guillaume's first plan did not seem averse. Guillaume had not assessed the situation correctly. Charles leaned stronger than expected on the bourgeois state and presented far-reaching reforms of the royal state as of Étienne Marcel required in view. After addition, the peasantry was robbed by a stratagem of Charles the evil of their charismatic leader Guillame Caillet, the farmers could not achieve their desired goal, they were defeated. The subsequently committed by the nobility to the peasants atrocities and a fractious Paris citizenship meant that the people turned back to the king.

The nickname Jacques Bonhomme

Jacques Bonhomme is the name that was assigned to Guillaume Caillet by Jean Froissart. In reality, the name comes " Jacques Bonhomme " as such from the epoch of the peasant uprisings in the 14th century and refers to the peasantry (or their leader Guillsume or " Jacques " Caillet ). According to the chronicle of Jean de Venette nobles occupied the farmers with this nickname. In Old French is " Jacques " a synecdoche for farmer, which was derived from the typical for the farmers short vest, the " Jacque ".