Capture of Ré island
Encyclopedia
The Recovery of Ré Island (French: Reprise de l'Ile de Ré) was accomplished by the army of Louis XIII in September 1625, against the troops of the Protestant admiral Soubise
and the Huguenot
forces of La Rochelle
, who had been occupying the Island of Ré since February 1625 as part of the Huguenot rebellions
.
The Protestants had been resisting the central Royal government with the 1620-1622 Protestant rebellion, leading to the Naval battle of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
on 27 October 1622 between the naval forces of La Rochelle and a Royal fleet under Charles de Guise
. An uneasy peace was made with the Treaty of Montpellier
, but frustrations remained on both sides.
In February 1625, the Protestant Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise
led a Huguenot
revolt against the French king Louis XIII, and, after publishing a manifesto, invaded and occupied the island of Ré. He seized Ré with 300 soldiers and 100 sailors. From there he sailed up the coast to Brittany where he led a successful attack on the royal fleet in the Battle of Blavet
. Soubise then returned to Ré with 15 ships and soon occupied the Ile d'Oléron as well, thus taking control of the Atlantic coast from Nantes
to Bordeaux
. Through these deeds, he was recognized as the head of the reform, and named himself "Admiral of the Protestant Church". The French Navy, by contrast, was depleted, leaving the central government very vulnerable.
The Huguenot city of La Rochelle
voted to join Soubise on 8 August 1625.
organized a landing in order to re-capture the islands, using 20 borrowed Dutch warships as well as seven English ships under the Duke of Montmorency
.
, and was under the command of Admiral Willem Haultain de Zoete
. It would be withdrawn from French service in February 1626 after a resolution of the States-General
in December 1625.
The English king Charles I
and Duke of Buckingham
had negotiated with the French regent, Cardinal Richelieu, for English ships to aid Richelieu in his fight against the French Protestants (Huguenot
s), in return for French aid against the Spanish occupying the Palatinate (Mansfeld expedition of 1624-25), an agreement which led to great trouble with the English parliament, which was horrified by the help given to France against the Huguenots. Seven English ships were delivered by Captain Pennington
after many misgivings, and were employed in the conflict, although they were essentially manned by French crews, as most of the English crews had refused to serve against their coreligionaries and had disembarked in Dieppe. The English ships duly saw action against La Rochelle, however.
On 16 July 1625, Soubise managed to blow up the Dutch ship under Vice-Admiral Van Dorp, with a loss of 300 Dutch sailors.
In September 1625, Montmorency led his large fleet out of Les Sables d'Olonne, and finally defeated the fleet of La Rochelle
, commanded by Jean Guiton
and Soubise, in front of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
on 18 September 1625.
Two elite regiment
s of royal troops under Toiras were landed on the island, defeating Soubise with his 3,000 men. The island of Ré was invested, forcing Soubise to flee to England with his few remining ships. Montmorency thus managed to recover both Ile de Ré and Ile d'Oléron.
After long negotiations, a peace agreement, the Treaty of Paris (1626)
was finally signed between the city of La Rochelle and king Louis XIII on 5 February 1626, preserving religious freedom but imposing some guaranties against possible future upheavals: La Rochelle was prohibited from keeping a war fleet and had to destroy a fort in Tasdon. The contentious Fort Louis
under Royal control near the western gate of the city was supposed to be destroyed "in reasonable time".
The French officer Toiras was named as Governor of the island, and he started to reinforce fortifications in view of future attacks, especially at the Fort de La Prée
and Saint-Martin-de-Ré
.
An English offensive to capture the island would again take place in 1627 to support the Siege of La Rochelle
, leading to the second Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré led by the Duke of Buckingham
against Toiras.
The conflict clearly showed the dependence of France on foreign navies. This led Richelieu to launch ambitious plans for a national fleet.
Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise
Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise , was a French Huguenot leader.The younger brother of Henri de Rohan, he inherited his title through his mother Catherine of Parthenay. He served his apprenticeship as a soldier under Maurice of Nassau in the Low Countries...
and the Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
forces of La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, who had been occupying the Island of Ré since February 1625 as part of the Huguenot rebellions
Huguenot rebellions
The Huguenot rebellions, sometimes called the Rohan Wars after the Huguenot leader Henri de Rohan, refers to events of the 1620s in which French Protestants , mainly located in southwestern France, revolted against royal authority...
.
Background
Naval battle of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
The Naval battle of Saint-Martin-de-Ré took place on 27 October 1622, between the Huguenot fleet of La Rochelle under Jean Guiton, and a Royal fleet under Charles de Guise....
on 27 October 1622 between the naval forces of La Rochelle and a Royal fleet under Charles de Guise
Charles, Duke of Guise
Charles de Lorraine, 4th Duke of Guise was the son of Henry I, Duke of Guise and Catherine of Cleves.-Biography:...
. An uneasy peace was made with the Treaty of Montpellier
Treaty of Montpellier
The Treaty of Montpellier was signed in Montpellier on October 18, 1622 between King Louis XIII of France and Duke Henry II of Rohan. The treaty followed the Siege of Montpellier and ended hostilities between French royalists and the Huguenots...
, but frustrations remained on both sides.
In February 1625, the Protestant Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise
Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise
Benjamin de Rohan, duc de Soubise , was a French Huguenot leader.The younger brother of Henri de Rohan, he inherited his title through his mother Catherine of Parthenay. He served his apprenticeship as a soldier under Maurice of Nassau in the Low Countries...
led a Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
revolt against the French king Louis XIII, and, after publishing a manifesto, invaded and occupied the island of Ré. He seized Ré with 300 soldiers and 100 sailors. From there he sailed up the coast to Brittany where he led a successful attack on the royal fleet in the Battle of Blavet
Battle of Blavet
The Battle of Blavet was an encounter between the Huguenot forces of Soubise and a French fleet under the Duke of Nevers in Blavet harbour , Brittany in January 1625, triggering the Second Huguenot rebellion against the Crown of France.-Background:An important Huguenot rebellion against the...
. Soubise then returned to Ré with 15 ships and soon occupied the Ile d'Oléron as well, thus taking control of the Atlantic coast from 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....
to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
. Through these deeds, he was recognized as the head of the reform, and named himself "Admiral of the Protestant Church". The French Navy, by contrast, was depleted, leaving the central government very vulnerable.
The Huguenot city of La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
voted to join Soubise on 8 August 1625.
Encounter and capture of the island
Charles, Duke of GuiseCharles, Duke of Guise
Charles de Lorraine, 4th Duke of Guise was the son of Henry I, Duke of Guise and Catherine of Cleves.-Biography:...
organized a landing in order to re-capture the islands, using 20 borrowed Dutch warships as well as seven English ships under the Duke of Montmorency
Henri II de Montmorency
Henri II de Montmorency was a French nobleman and military commander.Born at Chantilly, Oise, he was the son of duke Henry I, whom he succeeded in 1614, having previously been made grand admiral...
.
Naval battle of Pertuis Breton
The Dutch fleet of 20 warships was supplied under the terms of the 1624 Franco-Dutch Treaty of CompiègneTreaty of Compiègne
The Treaty of Compiègne of 10 June 1624 was a peace treaty between France and the Netherlands. It allowed France to subsidize the Dutch war effort against Spain in the Dutch War of Independence after the end of the Twelve Years' Truce...
, and was under the command of Admiral Willem Haultain de Zoete
Willem Haultain de Zoete
Willem de Zoete, Heer Haultain was a Dutch Admiral of the 17th century. He served as a Lieutenant-Admiral from 1601 to 1627. He led a Dutch fleet of 20 warships, supplied under the terms of the 1624 Franco-Dutch treaty, into the Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré against a Huguenot uprising...
. It would be withdrawn from French service in February 1626 after a resolution of the States-General
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
in December 1625.
The English king Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
had negotiated with the French regent, Cardinal Richelieu, for English ships to aid Richelieu in his fight against the French Protestants (Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
s), in return for French aid against the Spanish occupying the Palatinate (Mansfeld expedition of 1624-25), an agreement which led to great trouble with the English parliament, which was horrified by the help given to France against the Huguenots. Seven English ships were delivered by Captain Pennington
Pennington
-Places:United States*Pennington, Alabama*Pennington, New Jersey*Pennington, Texas*Pennington, Wisconsin**home to The Pennington School*The Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana*Pennington County, Minnesota...
after many misgivings, and were employed in the conflict, although they were essentially manned by French crews, as most of the English crews had refused to serve against their coreligionaries and had disembarked in Dieppe. The English ships duly saw action against La Rochelle, however.
On 16 July 1625, Soubise managed to blow up the Dutch ship under Vice-Admiral Van Dorp, with a loss of 300 Dutch sailors.
Naval battle of Saint-Martin de Ré and landing
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, commanded by Jean Guiton
Jean Guiton
Jean Guiton was born in La Rochelle where he followed the occupation of ship-owner.Having been nominated Admiral of the fleet of La Rochelle, Jean Guiton fought the Naval battle of Saint-Martin-de-Ré against Royal forces on 27 October 1622....
and Soubise, in front of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Saint-Martin-de-Ré is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.It is one of the 10 communes located on the Île de Ré.-History:Saint-Martin-de-Ré has extensive fortifications, reflecting the strategic importance of the Île de Ré...
on 18 September 1625.
Two elite regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s of royal troops under Toiras were landed on the island, defeating Soubise with his 3,000 men. The island of Ré was invested, forcing Soubise to flee to England with his few remining ships. Montmorency thus managed to recover both Ile de Ré and Ile d'Oléron.
Aftermath
Treaty of Paris (1626)
The Treaty of Paris was a peace agreement between king Louis XIII and the Huguenots following the outbreak of the Second Huguenot rebellion and the Capture of Ré island....
was finally signed between the city of La Rochelle and king Louis XIII on 5 February 1626, preserving religious freedom but imposing some guaranties against possible future upheavals: La Rochelle was prohibited from keeping a war fleet and had to destroy a fort in Tasdon. The contentious Fort Louis
Fort Louis (La Rochelle)
Fort Louis was a Royal fort built just outside the walls of the Huguenot city in La Rochelle.The fort was a source of great tension between the Huguenots of La Rochelle and Louis XIII, and was perceived as a real threat to their survival...
under Royal control near the western gate of the city was supposed to be destroyed "in reasonable time".
The French officer Toiras was named as Governor of the island, and he started to reinforce fortifications in view of future attacks, especially at the Fort de La Prée
Fort de La Prée
The Fort de La Prée is a French fortification located near the eastern end of the Ile de Ré.The fort was built by French officer Toiras, Governor of the island, following the capture of the recovery of the island by Royal troops against Huguenot insurgents in the Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré...
and Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Saint-Martin-de-Ré is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.It is one of the 10 communes located on the Île de Ré.-History:Saint-Martin-de-Ré has extensive fortifications, reflecting the strategic importance of the Île de Ré...
.
An English offensive to capture the island would again take place in 1627 to support the Siege of La Rochelle
Siege of La Rochelle
The Siege of La Rochelle was a result of a war between the French royal forces of Louis XIII of France and the Huguenots of La Rochelle in 1627-1628...
, leading to the second Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré led by the Duke of Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham
The titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
against Toiras.
The conflict clearly showed the dependence of France on foreign navies. This led Richelieu to launch ambitious plans for a national fleet.