Gautier de Mauny - 1347 A.D.
THE 100 YEARS WAR, THE SIEGE OF CALAIS AND
THE DEVOTION OF 6 BOURGEOIS.
King
Charles 4 having died without descendents, the French crown was given to his cousin
Philippe de Valois who chose the name Philippe 4. Edward 3, King of England and grandson
of Philippe Le Bel by his mother, claimed the French crown and tried to get it by force.
The victory
at Crécy on 26 August 1346 against the King of France, Philippe de Valois, opened the
northern route to Edward 3. He let his troops rest, then marches towards Calais and starts
a siege of the stronghold, the conquest of which will be the most important of his
glorious campaign.
He had
understood that, to gain the French crown, he had to conquer, in northern France, a
territory large enough to let his troops disembark in security, so that his troops could
attempt the conquest of France or, given a setback, retreat to a safe haven.
Calais,
which is situated within sight of the English coast, had a good harbor and solid walls. It
is marvelous situated for the establishment of a secure camp as was planned by Edward 3.
Calais is, as has been said by one of his successors, "the key and keyhole of
France".
On 4
September 1346, after having ravaged Ponthieu and Boulonnais, burned the outskirts of
Montreuil, Etaples and Wissant, Edward 3 stands at the walls of Calais. He demands the
surrender of the city from the Governor Jean deVienne.
Edward 3 is
resolved to take, at all cost, this well armed place that historians have always regarded
as one of the most fortified fortresses. But, seeing that he has little chance of success
by force, he decides to take the town through famine.
Preparing
for a long siege, Edward 3 constructed, between Calais and the rivers Guines and Hames,
the Nieulay bridge, a well provisioned city which he named "Villeneuve la
Hardie”. His army, comprising 32 000 men when it left England, will eventually number
100 000 men.
Jean de
Vienne seeing the preparations of the English realizes that famine will soon force him to
surrender. He tries to free his city of all those « useless » mouths to feed.
Hundreds of destitutes are thus chassed away. Some historians contend that Edward 3 let
these unfortunates cross his line while others maintain that he pushed them back, leaving
them to die of cold and hunger between the English camp and the city.
The first
part of the siege was somewhat tolerable for the Calais group which still had access to
the sea. Land engagements were limited during the winter of 1346-1347, just a few outings
by the besieged and some small skirmishes by the French garrisons in the small fortresses
of Artois and Boulonnais. Edward 3 tries, uselessly, to demolish the walls with some 20
cannons. Thus, on 15 February 1347, he decides to mobilize a flotilla of 120 vessels to
permanently block the sea access to Calais. One French squadron of 30 vessels succeeds, on
10 April, despite the vigilance of the enemy fleet and the fortifications erected by the
besiegers, in entering the port. Other attempts will fail miserably ; ships fall into
English hands. Thereafter, Calais has little hope of help coming by land...
On 26 June,
Jean de Vienne addresses a letter to the King of France. The English intercept it and
Edward 3 realizes that famine will soon bring the city to its knees. In his emotional
appeal to Philippe de Valois, he had written :
(the
following is translated from the original letter)
"Know
that nothing is left to eat, neither dogs, cats nor horses ; we cannot eat any food unless
we start eating people, if we don’t receive help soon".
An English
historian noted that hundreds from Calais left the city to die beneath its walls, the
besieger having refused them the right to cross his lines.
However, Philippe de Valois understood the necessity of
attempting to send help in order to maintain
the strength to resist heroically. By 24 May 1347, he raised a formidable army in Arras.
After having unsuccessfully asked for Flemish help, he sends his troops towards Hesdin,
Fauquembergues, Lumbres, Nordausques, Tournehem and Guines. On 27 July, the French army of
some 100 000 footmen and 35 000 horsemen finally appears at the heights of Sangatte, to
the great joy of Calais which thinks that the battle will soon be underway.
The King of
France immediately has the area reconnoitered to identify the most favorable area of
attack. An examination of the enemy position reveals that the nature of the land and the
defensive measures taken by Edward 3 makes an attack impossible. Philippe de Valois
proposes an open field battle to Edward 3. This is declined since Edward knows that the
city is at his mercy.
However, on
29 July, a Papal legation bring propositions of mediation from Pope Clément 6. For 3
days, the propositions are transmitted from one camp to the other. Although the French
offered the Duchy of Guyenne and the county of Ponthieu against the delivery of Calais, the negotiators separate without having
arrived at a compromise. The discord between Edward 3 whose pretensions to the throne of
France are well known and Philippe 4, the actual King, runs too deeply.
During this
time, the poor people of Calais, famished and sustained by the hope of coming help,
multiply their distress signals and shouts to the King of France, accompanied by trumpet
calls and fires on three successive nights. Despite these desperate calls for help,
Philippe 4 does not risk an attack, deeming it impossible. During the night of Wednesday
to Thursday 2 August 1347, he gives the order to retreat. It is easy to understand the
despondency of Calais which sees all hope gone.
Also, on 3
August, Jean de Vienne, sensing the
impossibility of any resistance, and after hearing the advice of his companions at arms
and of the bourgeois of the town, comes to the walls to ask for negotiations. Edward 3
immediately sends Gautier de Mauny and some other knights to whom Jean de Vienne declares
his intention of surrendering the town on condition that the lives of the garrison and the
people be spared. Edward 3 irked by the extraordinary resistance of Calais and the loss of
many men and money demands an unconditional surrender. Gautier de Mauny promises to Jean
de Vienne to try to ask the King to relent.
Before the
King, Gautier de Mauny repeats the conversation he had with the Governor of Calais. Edward
3 persisting in his intentions, Gautier de Mauny, confronts him and demonstrates the
severity of his decision. All the barons present understand that the only crime of Calais
was to fight for its King. Thus, they side with Gautier : Edward 3, somewhat shaken,
pronounces his sentence :
(translation
of the original text)
"My
Lords, I do not want to be alone against all of you. Gautier; go to Calais and tell the
Captain that the most grace they will have from me, is that I will let them leave the town
except for six of their most notable bourgeois who will stay, barefoot with a rope around
their necks and the key to the town and castle in hand. I will take pity on all
others”
Gautier
hastily returns before Jean de Vienne who awaits him on the ramparts and informs him of
his master’s decision. Jean de Vienne thanks him and ask him to stay while he
communicates his message to the people of Calais. He immediately has the church bells rung
to call the population to the market place and announces the conditions imposed by the
victor.
His words
bring cries, groans, tears and he himself is also shaken. After a moment, the richest
bourgeois of the city, Eustache de Saint-Pierre rises and says:
(translation
of the original text)
"Lords,
it would be most unfortunate to let people die of hunger when we can find another
solution. I hope to gain our Lord’s grace and forgiveness if I am the first to die to
save our people ; I will voluntarily undress to my shirt, bare head, a noose around my
neck, at the mercy of the King of England".
Each comes
near to thank him, men and women kneel crying at his feet. Seeing the heroic example,
another very noble bourgeois, Jean d'Aire, rises and declares his will to share the
destiny of his peer. A third, Jacques de Wissant, states his willingness to accompany his
two cousins. Then it is the turn of Pierre de Wissant, along with his brother Jean de
Fienne and Andrieux d'Andres. The 6 bourgeois undress, bare in their undershirts, tie a
rope around their necks, take the keys to the city and castle, each holding a few in his
hand. When they are ready, Jean de Vienne stands at their head and taking the road to the
city gate, accompanied by men, women and children who are all crying. A poignant scene. For
beyond the city gate, Jean de Vienne says to Gautier who awaits him:
(translation
of the original text)
"As
captain of Calais, I deliver to you, with the consent of the people, these 6 bourgeois,
and swear that they are and have always been most honorable...".
Thus they
go meet their destiny in the camp of the English. Upon their arrival, the King, Edward 3,
comes to the public place fronting his palace, the queen Philippine de Hainaut sa femme
(who is pregnant) at his side along with the lords of his court. Before the King, the 6
bourgeois kneel and joining hands state:
(translation
of the original text)
"Kind
Sire and kind King, look at we six, who have been longtime bourgeois and merchants of
Calais ; we bring you the keys of the city and castle ; we submit to you will in order to
safeguard the "remainder" of the people of Calais which has suffered much. Have
pity and mercy on us by your high nobility".
The lords
and knights present all have pity for them and barely speak.
The King
looks at the in anger because he was so hardhearted and felt such wrath that he could not
speak. He finally spoke and ordered that their heads be cut off. All the Barons and
knights present along with Messire Gautier de Mauny unsuccessfully beseeched the King to
take pity on them. It is then that the Quenne of England, who could not stop her tears,
threw herself at his feet and said:
(translation
of the original text)
"Oh,
kind Lord, when I crossed he sea, at great peril as you know, I nevr asked you for
anything ; but, I humbly pray and request for the love of the Son of Mary and the love you
hold for me, that you have mercy on these men"
The King
waits a moment, looks at the Queen who cries, is moved and, not wanting to hurt her
feelings, says :
(translation
of the original text)
"Oh,
Madame, I would much prefer you were elsewhere ! Your request is so tender that, even
though I am tempted to deny it, I cannot deny you. Here ! I give then to
you ! Do with them as you please!"
Then, the
Queen, happy, rises, asks the 6 bourgeois to rise, removes their nooses et brings them in
her rooms, has them dressed, has dinner served to them, gives them 6 gold crowns and
provides them with safe conduct away from the battlefield. They go live in other cities in
Picardie. The next day, 4 August 1347, Calais is occupied and Gautier de Mauny takes
possession of the city and castle. His first task is to order that Jean de Vienne and his
knights be kept under house arrest, pending their transfer to England until their ransom is paid. Simple footmen are assembled in
the great hall to be disarmed and are sent away. He has cartloads of food brought in and
distributed to the inhabitants of the city. This distribution has disastrous effects as
more than 300 persons die because they ate too much too fast. Those who survived are
expulsed, because Edward 3 has resolved to fill the city with English subjects. Only one
priest and some old people stay in Calais to provide information relating to the ancient
customs of Calais.
This is, in
accordance with the "Chroniques" of Froissart, the generally accepted version of
the surrender and sacrifice of the 6 bourgeois. In 1895, the illustrious Rodin
immortalized in bronze, the lofty nakedness of these heroes.
Example of
an early text relating the battle:
"Comment
le duc de normandie re-
tourna de
gascoingne en france.
Le duc de
normandie qui se tenoit
devant
aguillon et qui dedens
avoit
assegies les bons chevaliers d'engleterre
monseigneur
gautier de mauny et les autres
qui si
vaillemment s'estoient tenuz et tin-
drent
toudiz le siege durant et qui tant
de belles
appertises d'armes y firent si
comme cy
dessus est dit parquoy le duc
en avoit
parle si avant que point ne s'en
par tiroit
si aroit pris la forteresce et ceulz
qui dedens
estoient. Or avint ce siege
pendant
environ la my aoust que vne
escharmuche
se fist devant le chastel
d'aguillon
et se multiplia tellement par
convoitise
d'armes que la plus grant
partie de
ceulx de l'ost y alerent Adont
estoit la
venuz nouvellement en l'ost
messire
phelippe de bourgoingne pour ce
temps
conte d'artois et de bouloingne
et cousin
germain au dit duc de norman-
die Lequel
estoit un moult joeene chevalier
et plain
de grant voulente sicomme il
moustra
Car si tost que l'escarmuche
fu
commenciee il ne voult pas estre des
derrains
mais s'arma et monta sur un
coursier
fort et roide malement et de
grant
haste pour plus tost estre a l'es-
carmuche."