Battle of Jengland
Encyclopedia
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
. The Bretons were victorious, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Angers in September 851 which secured Breton independence.
, had defeated Charles the Bald at the Battle of Ballon
. A truce had followed, but in 849 Nominoë resumed his offensive against the Franks. He sought to establish full personal control over his duchy and extend its territory. In 851, Frankish garrisons left in the previous year in Rennes
and Nantes
capitulated to Nominoë, who raided eastwards, ravaging Le Mans
. Nominoë then decided to advance to Chartres
, but died suddenly, near Vendôme
. His successor, his son Erispoe, took command of the Breton force and continued its offensive in alliance with Lambert II of Nantes
, a renegade Frank dispossessed by Charles the Bald.
Faced with the threat, Charles sought the support of his brother Louis the German
, obtaining a contingent of Saxons to increase the size of his force. He marched to confront Erispoe, who retreated back to the borders of Brittany. Both leaders probably led smallish armies, with Charles commanding around 4,000 troops and Erispoe around 1,000.
. The king arranged his troops in two lines: at the rear were the Franks; in front were Saxon mercenaries whose role was to break the assault of the Breton cavalry, which was known for its mobility and tenacity.
In the initial engagement, a javelin assault forced Saxons to retreat behind the more heavily armoured Frankish line. The Franks were taken by surprise. Rather than engage in a melée
, the Bretons harassed the heavily armed Franks from a distance, in a manner comparable to Parthia
n tactics, but with javelins rather than archers. They alternated furious charges, feints and sudden withdrawals, drawing out the Franks and encircling over-extended groups.
After two days of this sort of fighting, Frankish losses in men and horses were mounting to catastrophic levels, while the Bretons suffered few casualties. With his force disintegrating, Charles withdrew from the field during the night. When his disappearance was noticed the following morning, panic seized the Frankish soldiers. The Bretons quickly raided the camp, taking booty and weapons and killing as many fugitives as they could.
, on the outskirts of the now-extended territory of Brittany. In September 851 Erispoe submitted to Charles as Emperor, while receiving the title of king in return.
According to the Annals of Saint-Bertin "Erispoe, son of Nominoë from Charles, in the City of Angers submitted and received a gift of symbols of the monarchy that came from his father, adding also Rennais, Nantais and Retz."
By the treaty, Erispoe remained in principle subject to Charles the Bald, but could now also see himself Charles's equal, able to use the title of "rex". Charles recognized the authority of Breton rulers over the areas around Rennes
, Nantes
and Pays de Retz
, which had previously formed the Frankish "Breton March", a border zone. Erispoe, at the same time, absorbed a non-Breton speaking population of Gallo-Roman and Romano-Frankish peoples.
The Treaty of Angers demarcated the borders of the medieval Duchy of Brittany and the later French province of Brittany
. It also marked a turning point in relations between the Western Franks and Brittany. Later Breton dukes were able to extend their territory further, but were unable to hold it for long. The Treaty of Angers essentially defined the limits of historic Brittany. The peace created by the regularisation of Franco-Breton relations also gave the Bretons the stability to fend off later Viking attacks.
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...
and the Breton army of Erispoe, 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...
. The Bretons were victorious, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Angers in September 851 which secured Breton independence.
Background
In 845, Nominoë, Duke of BrittanyDuke 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...
, had defeated Charles the Bald at the Battle of Ballon
Battle of Ballon
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...
. A truce had followed, but in 849 Nominoë resumed his offensive against the Franks. He sought to establish full personal control over his duchy and extend its territory. In 851, Frankish garrisons left in the previous year in Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
and 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....
capitulated to Nominoë, who raided eastwards, ravaging Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
. Nominoë then decided to advance to Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, but died suddenly, near Vendôme
Vendôme
Vendôme is a commune in the Centre region of France.-Administration:Vendôme is the capital of the arrondissement of Vendôme in the Loir-et-Cher department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It has a tribunal of first instance.-Geography:...
. His successor, his son Erispoe, took command of the Breton force and continued its offensive in alliance with Lambert II of Nantes
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...
, a renegade Frank dispossessed by Charles the Bald.
Faced with the threat, Charles sought the support of his brother Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
, obtaining a contingent of Saxons to increase the size of his force. He marched to confront Erispoe, who retreated back to the borders of Brittany. Both leaders probably led smallish armies, with Charles commanding around 4,000 troops and Erispoe around 1,000.
The battle
In August 851, Charles left Maine to enter Brittany by the Roman road from Nantes to CorseulCorseul
Corseul is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.The town was a major Roman town and contains Roman ruins. The town hall contains a small archaeological museum.-History:...
. The king arranged his troops in two lines: at the rear were the Franks; in front were Saxon mercenaries whose role was to break the assault of the Breton cavalry, which was known for its mobility and tenacity.
In the initial engagement, a javelin assault forced Saxons to retreat behind the more heavily armoured Frankish line. The Franks were taken by surprise. Rather than engage in a melée
Mêlée
Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
, the Bretons harassed the heavily armed Franks from a distance, in a manner comparable to Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
n tactics, but with javelins rather than archers. They alternated furious charges, feints and sudden withdrawals, drawing out the Franks and encircling over-extended groups.
After two days of this sort of fighting, Frankish losses in men and horses were mounting to catastrophic levels, while the Bretons suffered few casualties. With his force disintegrating, Charles withdrew from the field during the night. When his disappearance was noticed the following morning, panic seized the Frankish soldiers. The Bretons quickly raided the camp, taking booty and weapons and killing as many fugitives as they could.
Treaty of Angers
The battle redefined relations between Franks and Bretons. Charles the Bald agreed to meet Erispoe in AngersAngers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, on the outskirts of the now-extended territory of Brittany. In September 851 Erispoe submitted to Charles as Emperor, while receiving the title of king in return.
According to the Annals of Saint-Bertin "Erispoe, son of Nominoë from Charles, in the City of Angers submitted and received a gift of symbols of the monarchy that came from his father, adding also Rennais, Nantais and Retz."
By the treaty, Erispoe remained in principle subject to Charles the Bald, but could now also see himself Charles's equal, able to use the title of "rex". Charles recognized the authority of Breton rulers over the areas around Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, 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....
and Pays de Retz
Pays de Retz
The Pays de Retz is a historical region of France that currently forms part of the Loire-Atlantique department, but which previously formed part of the Duchy of Brittany....
, which had previously formed the Frankish "Breton March", a border zone. Erispoe, at the same time, absorbed a non-Breton speaking population of Gallo-Roman and Romano-Frankish peoples.
The Treaty of Angers demarcated the borders of the medieval Duchy of Brittany and the later French province of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. It also marked a turning point in relations between the Western Franks and Brittany. Later Breton dukes were able to extend their territory further, but were unable to hold it for long. The Treaty of Angers essentially defined the limits of historic Brittany. The peace created by the regularisation of Franco-Breton relations also gave the Bretons the stability to fend off later Viking attacks.