Today is Nájera's anniversary, one of the rare occasions were we can see the clash of different military cultures. I decided to bring some questions and encourage further discussion:

-> How significant was France's support to King Henry II of Castile? I know that Du Guesclin was one of the commanders, but how many French troops supported Henry?

-> How reliable are the illuminations of Froissart about the battle? I mean, slingers are wearing plate armor for their arms and legs. You also notice extensive use of steel plate cuirasses, globose breastplates and a combination of brigandine+plackarts.


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Du Guesclin's advice was completely ignored. He knew how to fight the English and that meant dismounting and advancing on foot, but the Spanish knights couldn't "demean" themselves in this manner. Chivalry demanded that they remain on horseback.

Lafayette C Curtis and me briefly discussed the battle in this thread: http://myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=32601&highlight=

We didn't discuss numbers but according to Froissart the French could have well numbered 4000

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After midnight the trumpets sounded in king Henry's host. Then every man made him ready. At the second blast they drew out of their lodgings and ordered three battles. The first had sir Bertram of Guesclin, lord Robert of Roquebertin and the earl Dune of Aragon ; and there were all the strangers, as well of France as of other countries, and there were two barons of Hainault, the lord d'Antoing and sir Alard lord of Briffeuil : there was also the Begue of Villaines, the Begue of Villiers, sir John of Berguettes, sir Gawain of Bail- leul, the Alemant of Saint-Venant, who was there made knight, and divers other of France, Aragon and Provence and of the marches thereabout. There was well in that battle four thousand knights and squires well armed and dressed after the usage of France. The second battle had the earl dontello and his brother the earl Sancho, and in that battle with the gene- tours there were fifteen thousand afoot and a-horseback, and they drew them a little aback on the left hand of the first, battle. The third battle and the greatest of all governed king Henry himself; and in his company there were a seven thousand horsemen and threescore thousand afoot, with the cross-bows : so in all three battles he was a fourscore and six thousand a-horse- back and afoot. Then king Henry leapt on a strong mule after the usage of the country and rode from battle to battle, right sweetly praying every man that day to employ himself to defend and keep their honour, and so he shewed himself so cheer- fully that every man was joyful to behold him. Then he went again to his own battle, and by that time it was daylight, and then about the sun -rising he ad- vanced forth toward Navaret to find his enemies, in good order of battle ready to fight. The prince of Wales at the breaking of the day was ready in the field arranged in battle, and advanced forward in good order, for he knew well he should encounter his enemies. So there were none that went before the marshals' battles but such currours as were appointed : so thus the lords of both hosts knew by the report of their currours that they should shortly meet. So they went forward an hosting pace each toward other, and when the sun was rising up, it was a great beauty to behold the battles and the armours shining against the sun. So thus they went forward till they approached near together : then the prince and his company went over a little hill, and in the descending thereof they perceived clearly their enemies coming toward them. And when they were all descended down this mountain, then every man drew to their battles and kept them still and so rested them, and every man dressed and apparelled himself ready to fight. Then anon after, the English- men and Gascons alighted off their horses and every man drew under their own banner and standard in array of battle ready to fight. It was great joy to see and consider the banners and pennons and the noble armoury ^ that was there. Then the battles began a little to advance, and then the prince of Wales opened his eyen and regarded toward heaven, and joined his hands together and said : ' Very God, Jesu Christ,^ who hath formed and created me, consent by your benign grace that I may have this day victory of mine enemies, as that I do is in a rightful quarrel, to sustain and to aid this king chased out of his own heritage, the which giveth me courage to advance my- self to re-establish him again into his realm.' And first the duke of Lancaster and sir John Chandos' battle assembled with the battle of sir Bertram of Guesclin and of the marshal sir Arnold d'Audrehem, who were a four thousand men of arms. So at the first brunt there was a sore encounter with spears and shields, and they were a certain space or any of them could get within other. There was many a deed of arms done and many a man reversed and cast to the earth, that never after was relieved. And when these two first battles were thus assembled, the other battles would not long tarry behind, but approached and assembled together quickly. And so the prince and his battle came on the earl Sancho's battle, and with the prince was king don Peter of Castile and sir Martin de la Carra, who represented the king of Navarre. And at the first meeting that the prince met with the earl Sancho's battle, the earl and his brother fled away without order or good array, and wist not why, and a two thousand spears with him. So this second battle was opened and anon discomfited, for the captal of Buch and the lord Clisson and their company came on them afoot and slew and hurt many of them. Then the prince's battle with king don Peter came and joined with the battle of king Henry, whereas there were three- score thousand men afoot and a-horseback. There the battle began to be fierce and cruel on all parts, for the Spaniards and Castilians had slings, wherewith they cast stones in such wise, that therewith they clave and brake many a bassenet and helm and hurt many a man and overthrew them to the earth ; and the archers of England shot fiercely and hurt [the] Spaniards grievously and brought them to great mis- chief. The one part cried, ' Castile for king Henry ! ' and the other part, ' Saint George, Guyenne ! ' And the first battle, as the duke of Lancaster and sir John Chandos and the two marshals sir Guichard d'Angle and sir Stephen Cosington, fought with sir Bertram of Guesclin and with the other knights of France and of Aragon. There was done many a deed of arms, so it was hard for any of them to open other's battle. Divers of them held their spears in both their hands, foining and pressing each at other, and some fought with short swords and daggers. Thus at the begin- ning the Frenchmen and they of Aragon fought valiantly, so that the good knights of England endured much pain. That day sir John Chandos was a good knight and did under his banner many a noble feat of arms. He adventured himself so far, that he was closed in among his enemies and so sore overpressed that he was felled down to the earth ; and on him there fell a great and big man of Castile called Martin Fer- rant, who was greatly renowned of hardi- ness among the Spaniards, and he did his intent to have slain sir John Chandos, who lay under him in great danger. Then sir John Chandos remembered of a knife that he had in his bosom and drew it out and strake this Martin so in the back and in the sides that he wounded him to death, as he lay on him. Then sir John Chandos turned him over and rose quickly on his feet, and his men were there about him, who had with much pain broken the press to come to him, whereas they saw him felled. (Here Froissart praises most English and French knights to high heaven while saying the Spanish were slightly less good, decided not to include it) This was a marvellous dangerous battle, and many a man slain and sore hurt. The commons of Spain according to the usage of their country with their slings they did cast stones with great violence and did much hurt, the which at the beginning troubled greatly the Englishmen : but when their cast was past and that they felt the sharp arrows hght among them, they could no longer keep their array. With king Henry in his battle were many noble men of arms, as well of Spain as of Lisbon, of Aragon and of Portugal, who acquitted them right nobly and gave it not up so lightly, for valiantly they fought with spears, javelins, archegayes and swords ; and on the wing of king Henry's battle there were certain well mounted, who always kept the battle in good order, for if the battle opened or brake array in any side, then they were ever ready to help to bring them again into good order. So these Englishmen and Gascons, or they had the advantage, they bought it dearly, and won it by noble chivalry and great prowess of arms : and for to say truth, the prince himself was the chief flower of chivalry of all the world, and had with him as then right noble and valiant knights and squires : and a little beside the prince's battle was the king of Mallorca and his company, fighting and acquitting themselves right valiantly, and also there was the lord Martin de la Carra represent- ing the king of Navarre, who did right well his devoir. The battle that was best fought and longest held together was the company of sir Bertram of Guesclin, for there were many noble men of arms who fought and held together to their powers, and there was done many a noble feat of arms. And on the English part specially there was sir John Chandos, who that day did like a noble knight and governed and counselled that day the duke of Lancaster in like manner as he did before the prince at the battle of Poitiers, wherein he was greatly renowned and praised, the which was good reason ; for a valiant man and a good knight, acquitting himself nobly among lords and princes, ought greatly to be re- commended : for that day he took no heed for taking of any prisoner with his own hands, but always fought and went forward ; but there was taken by his company under his banner divers good knights and squires of Aragon and of France, and specially sir Bertram of Guesclin, sir Arnold d'Audre- hem, sir Begue of Villaines and more than threescore prisoners. So thus finally the battle of sir Bertram of Guesclin was discomfited, and all that were therein taken and slain, as well they of France as of Aragon. There was slain the Begue of Villiers, and taken the lord Antoing of Hainault, the lord Briff'euil, sir Gawain of Bailleul, sir John of Berguettes, sir Ale- mant of Saint -Venant and divers other. Then drew together these banners, the banner of the duke of Lancaster, of sir John Chandos and of the two marshals, and the pennon of Saint George, and went all together on the battle of king Henry and cried with a high voice, * St. George, Guyenne ! ' Then the Spaniards and their company were sore put aback. The captal of Buch and the lord Clisson fought vali- antly, and also sir Eustace d'Aubrecicourt, sir Hugh Calverley, sir soudic, sir John Devereux and other acquitted themselves that day right nobly. The prince shewed himself like a noble knight and fought valiantly with his enemies. On the other side king Henry acquitted himself right valiantly, and recovered and turned again his people that day three times. For after that the earl don Tello and a three thou- sand horsemen with him were departed from the field, the other began then greatly to be discomfited and were ever ready to fly after their company ; but then ever king Henry was before them and said, 'Fair lords, what do you? Wherefore will ye thus forsake and betray me? Sith ye have made me king and set the crown on my head and put the heritage of Castile into my hands, return and help to keep and defend me, and abide with me ; for by the grace of God, or it be night, all shall be ours ' : so that these words or such-like encouraged his people in such wise, that it made them to abide longer in the field, for they durst not fly for shame when they saw their king and their lord so valiantly fight and speak so amiably : so that there died more than a thousand and five hundred persons, that might well have saved them- selves and have taken the time to their advantage, an the love that they had to their lord and king had not been. When the battle of the marshals were passed through their enemies and had dis- comfited the greatest number of them,^ so that the Spaniards could not sustain nor defend them any longer, but began to fly away in great fear without any good array or order toward the city of Nazres, and so passed by the great river,^ so that for any words that king Henry could say they would not return, and when the king saw the mischief and discomfiture of his people and that he saw no recovery, then he called for his horse and mounted thereon and put himself among them that fled ; bm he took not the way to Nazres, for fe of enclosing, but then took another eschewing all perils, for he knew well tba' if he were taken, he should die without mercy. Then the Englishmen and GaS' cons leapt a-horseback and began to ch the Spaniards, who fled away sore discom fited to the great river. And at the entr of the bridge of Nazres there was a hideous shedding of blood, and many a man slain and drowned ; for divers leapt into the water, the which was deep and hideous ; they thought they had as lief to be drowned as slain. And in this chase among other there were two valiant knights of Spain bearing on them the habit of religion, the one called the great prior of Saint James and the other the great master of Cala- trava ; they and their company to save themselves entered into Nazres, and they were so near chased at their back by Eng- lishmen and Gascons, that they ^ won the bridge, so that there was a great slaughter ; and the Englishmen entered into the city after their enemies, who were entered into a strong house of stone. Howbeit, incon- tinent it was won by force, and the knights taken and many of their men slain and all the city overrun and pilled, the which was greatly to the Englishmen's profit.

Myself I'm more interested in a previous skirmish on a hill west of Vitoria, where the Spanish, French and English would fight again in 1813...walking there, knowing what happened centuries ago is quite special ;)

Quote:

Trace their deeds in France, which they twice subdued; and even follow them to Spain, where they twanged the yew and raised the battle-axe, and left behind them a name of glory at Inglis Mendi [Englishmen Hill], a name that shall last till fire consumes the Cantabrian hills.

The Bible in Spain, by George Borrow

Chandos Herald has a nice account of that fight...

Quote:

2681 Now may God aid the right! The Prince was encamped in front of Vittoria; and round about there was no hovel nor house not wholly full of his men. But the Prince the next day was not aware of the expedition that Don Tello was preparing; for know that without sleeping he rose at midnight, rode the broadest road straight up the mountain, until he brought his company right down a valley. First he met Hugh of Calverley, who was breaking up, and coming towards the Prince. The currours wrought great damage to his sumpter beasts and waggons, whereat noise and shouting arose, and the currours ran up and down through the camp: many were killed in their beds. There the vanguard would have been sorely surprised had it not been for the noble Duke of Lancaster, full of valour; for as soon as he heard the shouting he sallied forth from his lodging and took his station on the mountain. There his company rallied, and all the others as best they could, and it is said that the Spaniards thought to take this mountain; but round the Duke and his banner all the banners of the army gladly gathered. Thither the Prince and Chandos came, and there the army was drawn up; there you might see the currours repulsed with force. Each one strove to acquit himself well. 2725 Then the main body of the Spaniards rode up and met Felton and Sir Richard Taunton, Degori Says (?), Ralph de Hastings, who cared not two cherries for death, and Sir Gaillard Beguer, and many a good and valiant knight: they were a good one hundred fighting-men together, great and small. Their company rallied on a little mountain, but Sir William, the valiant, very boldly and bravely charged the enemy like a man devoid of sense and discretion, on horseback, lance couched. Striking a Spaniard upon his flower-emblazoned shield, he made him feel through the heart his sharp blade of steel. Down to the ground he hurled him in the sight of all the people. Like a man full of great hardihood he rushed upon them, with drawn sword, and the Castilians by their might followed him on all sides, and threw spears and darts at him. They slew his horse under him, but Sir William Felton defended himself stoutly on foot, like a lion-hearted man; albeit his defence availed him little, for he was slain. God have mercy on him. 2769 And the others joined together on a mountain which they took; there the Spaniards made many an onslaught on them, fiercely attacking them without cessation, and hurling at them spears and darts and strong, sharp archegays. And they, who were very courageous, gave proof of their prowess like men of valour, for more than a hundred times that day they descended without ceasing, their sharp lances in their hands, and by force made them give way. Nor would the Castilians have been able to harm them, by casting lance or dart, had it not been for the French and Bretons, the Normans, Picards, and Burgundians, who came up a valley with Marshal d’Audrehem and Sir Jehan de Neufville. Those were together a thousand. As soon as they saw them, they all immediately dismounted. 159 The English and Gascons saw well that they cold not long withstand there, for they had no support, and the French on foot ran at full speed to attack them; and the others without slackening defended themselves fiercely, but they were not one hundred against more than six thousand. And these knights approved themselves well, and there did such feats of arms that never were Oliver nor Roland able to do more, as I have heard related. But their defence availed but little, for by force they had to yield themselves prisoners. There were taken: Hastings and Degori Says (?), Gaillard Beguer, a perfect knight, the three brothers Felton, and with them Richard Taunton, Mitton, and many others, whose names I have not mentioned: whereat the Prince was sore grieved, but he thought certainly that the whole army had come down through the pass and on that account he would not break up his army; for he would have gone to succour his men, had it not been for this, for that he was bound to do: but it was not so done. And they who had carried out their emprise, as soon as it was told them that the Prince was near there, departed at their speediest and turned back. They take the prisoners with them, treating them very harshly.

http://www.elfinspell.com/Chandos2.html

Of course, you can find there a good account about Nájera.