Battle of Ballon
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ballon took place on 22 November 845 between the forces of Charles the Bald
, king of West Francia, and Nominoë Duke of Brittany
. Nominoë was appropriating border territory and opposing Charles' attempt to impose Frankish authority. Nominoë defeated Charles, initiating a period of Breton expansion and consolidation of power.
, Nominoë initially supported Charles the Bald in the dispute between him and his brothers over control of Frankish territory. However, when Count Ricuin of Nantes
was killed at the Battle of Fontenoy
, Charles refused to accept Lambert II
as his successor, since Lambert's father, Lambert I
, had fought against Charles. Charles replaced him with his supporter Renaud, Count of Herbauge
. While Nominoë was ill, Renaud attacked Breton territory, but was killed in battle by the Bretons led by Erispoe, Nominoë's son, in alliance with Lambert. This allowed Lambert to occupy Nantes with the support of Nominoë. Recovered from his illness, Nominoë hoped to take advantage of the disorder to expand into Frankish territory.
On campaign in Aquitaine
, Charles was initially unable to respond to the incursions. Learning of Charles's difficult military position in Toulouse, Nominoë continued his offensive, raiding Maine
.
In 845, Charles concluded a peace with Pepin II of Aquitaine
and was reconciled with Lambert II of Nantes, freeing him to deal with the threat from Nominoë. In November, he had intended to participate in a religious festival in Tours
, but he decided to strike against Nominoë instead, having heard that a faction of discontented Bretons would defect to him if he hastened to their aid.
Nominoë lured the king into marshland at the confluence of the Oust and the Aff
between Redon and Bains-sur-Oust
, near Ballon Abbey - hence the name of the battle. The Bretons were then able to exploit their knowledge of this treacherous wetland territory.
Details of the events of the actual battle are sketchy. Reports simply state that Charles was defeated. According to the Annals of Saint-Bertin:
According to First Annales de Fontenelle:
Following his defeat, rumors circulated that Charles had been killed, forcing him to make a quick public appearance in Maine. While there he rebuilt his army, and headed back towards Brittany late in 846. There he concluded a treaty with Nominoë, though the exact content of the agreement is unknown. Despite this a "cold war" persisted, and Breton raids continued into Frankish territory at Christmas of that year. Nevertheless the agreement remained unbroken until 849.
This relatively minor battle is often confused with the much more decisive Battle of Jengland
won by Nominoë's son Erispoe against Charles in 851. This confusion dates to Arthur de la Borderie
's 1894 History of Brittany and has been repeated many times since. However, it is to the battle of Ballon that some date the birth of a unified and independent Brittany, behind a single sovereign: Nominoë. The expansionist policy of Nominoë, by the conquest of the former Marches of Brittany
, a Frankish buffer zone, was continued by Erispoe, who consolidated the borders of medieval Brittany.
In the twentieth century the battle was given emblematic status by Breton nationalists
. In 1952 the battle was commemorated by the nationalist group Koun Breizh, who funded the erection of a statue of Nominoë by the artist Raffig Tullou in Bains-sur-Oust
, near the site of the victory. Another nationalist group, Bretagne 845, founded in 1982, was named from the date of the battle. It merged with Koun Breizh in 1994.
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
, king of West Francia, and Nominoë Duke of Brittany
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
. Nominoë was appropriating border territory and opposing Charles' attempt to impose Frankish authority. Nominoë defeated Charles, initiating a period of Breton expansion and consolidation of power.
Background
Following the death of Louis the PiousLouis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, Nominoë initially supported Charles the Bald in the dispute between him and his brothers over control of Frankish territory. However, when Count Ricuin of Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
was killed at the Battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenay (841)
The three year Carolingian Civil War culminated in the decisive Battle of Fontenay-en-Puisaye, also called the Battle of Fontenoy, fought at Fontenoy, near Auxerre, on the 25 June 841...
, Charles refused to accept Lambert II
Lambert II of Nantes
Lambert II was the Count of Nantes and Prefect of the Breton March between 843 and 851. Lambert ruled the county in opposition to Amaury, the puppet count installed by Charles the Bald, King of West Francia. At his death, the county was effectively in Breton control...
as his successor, since Lambert's father, Lambert I
Lambert I of Nantes
Lambert I was the Count of Nantes and Prefect of the Breton March between 818 to 831 and Duke of Spoleto between 834 and 836. Lambert succeeded his father Guy....
, had fought against Charles. Charles replaced him with his supporter Renaud, Count of Herbauge
Renaud d'Herbauges
Renaud was Frankish Count of Herbauges, Count of Poitiers and Count of Nantes. His name is also spelled Rainaldus or Ragenold, and he is sometimes known as Reginald in English...
. While Nominoë was ill, Renaud attacked Breton territory, but was killed in battle by the Bretons led by Erispoe, Nominoë's son, in alliance with Lambert. This allowed Lambert to occupy Nantes with the support of Nominoë. Recovered from his illness, Nominoë hoped to take advantage of the disorder to expand into Frankish territory.
On campaign in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
, Charles was initially unable to respond to the incursions. Learning of Charles's difficult military position in Toulouse, Nominoë continued his offensive, raiding Maine
Maine (province)
Le Maine is one of the traditional provinces of France . It corresponds to the old county of Maine, with its center, the city of Le Mans.-Location:...
.
In 845, Charles concluded a peace with Pepin II of Aquitaine
Pepin II of Aquitaine
Pepin II, called the Younger , was King of Aquitaine from 838 as the successor upon the death of his father, Pepin I. Pepin II was eldest son of Pepin I and Ingeltrude, daughter of Theodobert, count of Madrie...
and was reconciled with Lambert II of Nantes, freeing him to deal with the threat from Nominoë. In November, he had intended to participate in a religious festival in Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, but he decided to strike against Nominoë instead, having heard that a faction of discontented Bretons would defect to him if he hastened to their aid.
The battle
Charles quickly assembled an army of around 3,000 men. Nominoë's men were probably much fewer in number, comprising mostly a highly mobile light cavalry.Nominoë lured the king into marshland at the confluence of the Oust and the Aff
Aff (river)
The Aff is a river in Brittany, western France. It is a 65 km long tributary of the river Oust. It is canalized for between Glenac and La Gacilly....
between Redon and Bains-sur-Oust
Bains-sur-Oust
Bains-sur-Oust is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine departement of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Bains-sur-Oust are called in French Bainsois....
, near Ballon Abbey - hence the name of the battle. The Bretons were then able to exploit their knowledge of this treacherous wetland territory.
Details of the events of the actual battle are sketchy. Reports simply state that Charles was defeated. According to the Annals of Saint-Bertin:
- "Charles had recklessly attacked Gallic Britain [Brittany] with limited forces, slipping up by a reversal of fortune..."
According to First Annales de Fontenelle:
- "The Franks entered Brittany and engaged in battle with the Bretons, November 22. Helped by the difficulty of the wetland location, the Bretons proved the better."
Aftermath and significance
This relatively minor battle is often confused with the much more decisive Battle of Jengland
Battle of Jengland
The Battle of Jengland took place on 22 August 851, between the Frankish army of Charles the Bald and the Breton army of Erispoe, Duke of Brittany...
won by Nominoë's son Erispoe against Charles in 851. This confusion dates to Arthur de la Borderie
Arthur Le Moyne de La Borderie
Arthur Le Moyne de La Borderie, was a Breton historian, regarded as a father of Brittany's historiography.-Life:He came from La Borderie, which was an estate in the commune of Étrelles....
's 1894 History of Brittany and has been repeated many times since. However, it is to the battle of Ballon that some date the birth of a unified and independent Brittany, behind a single sovereign: Nominoë. The expansionist policy of Nominoë, by the conquest of the former Marches of Brittany
March of Neustria
The marches of Neustria were creations of the Carolingian king of West Francia covering the ancient Merovingian kingdom of Neustria. Originally, there were two marches, one against the Bretons and one against the Norsemen created by Charles the Bald in 861. These two marches are often called the...
, a Frankish buffer zone, was continued by Erispoe, who consolidated the borders of medieval Brittany.
In the twentieth century the battle was given emblematic status by Breton nationalists
Breton nationalism
Breton nationalism is the nationalism of the traditional province of Brittany in France. Brittany is considered to be one of the six Celtic nations...
. In 1952 the battle was commemorated by the nationalist group Koun Breizh, who funded the erection of a statue of Nominoë by the artist Raffig Tullou in Bains-sur-Oust
Bains-sur-Oust
Bains-sur-Oust is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine departement of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Bains-sur-Oust are called in French Bainsois....
, near the site of the victory. Another nationalist group, Bretagne 845, founded in 1982, was named from the date of the battle. It merged with Koun Breizh in 1994.