Du Guesclin, Bertrand definition of Du Guesclin, Bertrand in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Du Guesclin, Bertrand (bĕrträN` dü gĕklăN`), c.1320–80, constable of France (1370–80), greatest French soldier of his time. A Breton, he initially served Charles of Blois in the War of the Breton Succession Breton Succession, War of the, 1341–65, an important episode of the Hundred Years War . Duke John III of Brittany died in 1341 without heirs. The succession was contested by his half brother, John de Montfort, who was backed by Edward III of England, and by
..... Click the link for more information. . Charles was supported by the French crown, while his rival was allied with England. In 1356–57, Du Guesclin held Rennes against English attack. Entering the service of King Charles V of France on Charles's accession (1364), he won the brilliant victory of Cocherel over the forces of King Charles II Charles II (Charles the Bad), 1332–87, king of Navarre (1349–87), count of Évreux; grandson of King Louis X of France. He carried on a long feud with his father-in-law, John II, king of France, procuring the assassination (1354) of John's favorite,
..... Click the link for more information. of Navarre. The victory forced Charles II into a new peace with the French king. Du Guesclin was captured in the same year at Auray by English forces under Sir John Chandos. Ransomed by Charles V, who placed him at the head of the "free companies," the marauding soldiers who pillaged France after the Treaty of Brétigny Brétigny, Treaty of (brātēnyē`)
..... Click the link for more information. between France and England, De Guesclin was sent to Spain to aid Henry of Trastamara (later Henry II Henry II or Henry of Trastámara (trăstəmăr`ə)
..... Click the link for more information. of Castile) against Peter the Cruel Peter the Cruel, 1334–69, Spanish king of Castile and León (1350–69), son and successor of Alfonso XI. His desertion of his wife, Blanche of Bourbon, for María Padilla and his favors to the Padilla family aroused the opposition of the nobles
..... Click the link for more information. . Du Guesclin, though successful in the campaign of 1366, was defeated and captured (1367) by Peter and Edward the Black Prince Edward the Black Prince, 1330–76, eldest son of Edward III of England. He was created duke of Cornwall in 1337, the first duke to be created in England, and prince of Wales in 1343.
..... Click the link for more information. at Nájera. In 1369, however, he and Henry won the battle of Montiel, gaining for Henry the throne of Castile. Warfare with England was renewed in 1369, and Du Guesclin reconquered Poitou and Saintonge and pursued (1370–74) the English into Brittany. He disapproved of the confiscation (1378) of Brittany by Charles V, and his campaign to make the duchy submit to the king was halfhearted. An able tactician and a loyal and disciplined warrior, Du Guesclin had reconquered much of France from the English when he died while on a military expedition in Languedoc.

Bibliography

See biographies by D. F. Jamison (1864), E. V. Stoddard (1897), and R. Vercel (tr. 1934).