Olivier de Clisson
Encyclopedia
Olivier de Clisson nicknamed "The Butcher", was a Breton
soldier
, the son of the Olivier de Clisson who was put to death in 1343 on the suspicion of having wished to give up Nantes
to the English
.
he took arms on the side of John de Montfort
, who was supported by the English. Olivier distinguished himself at the Battle of Auray
(1364), where he lost an eye in the fighting, and earned the nickname "Butcher" because his troops were ordered to take no prisoners. Later, due to differences with de Montfort, Olivier went over to the side of Montfort's rivals, and therefore, France.
In 1370, Olivier acquired the lordship of Josselin
and began to build Josselin Castle
, an imposing new fortress with eight towers. The same year, he joined Bertrand du Guesclin
, who had lately become constable of France
, and followed him in campaigns against the English, including the Siege of Brest
in 1373. On the death of du Guesclin, Clisson received the constable's sword, and held the office from 1380 to 1392. He fought with the citizens of Ghent
, defeating them at Roosebeke
(1382), and later commanded the army in Poitou
and Flanders
(1389), and made an unsuccessful attempt to invade England
.
On his return to Paris, in 1392, an attempt was made to assassinate him by Pierre de Craon
, allegedly at the instigation of John de Montfort, now John V, Duke of Brittany
. Craon waylaid Clisson in a narrow street. Clisson's unarmed servants fled, but Clisson was saved from death by his chainmail
coat, and was able to draw his sword and fend off his attackers. In the struggle, he fell from his horse and was knocked out against the door of a baker's shop. Believing him dead, Craon fled Paris for Brittany.
In order to punish Duke John and Craon, Charles VI
, accompanied by the constable, marched on Brittany, but it was on this expedition that the king was seized with madness. The uncles of Charles VI blamed Clisson for Charles' breakdown, and took proceedings against Clisson, so that he had to take refuge in Brittany.
He was reconciled with John V, and after the duke's death, in 1399, he became protector of the duchy
, and guardian of the young princes. He had gathered vast wealth before his death.
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...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, the son of the Olivier de Clisson who was put to death in 1343 on the suspicion of having wished to give up 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 the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Biography
He was brought up in England, where his mother, Jeanne de Belleville, married her second husband. On his return to BrittanyBrittany
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...
he took arms on the side of John de Montfort
John V, Duke of Brittany
John V the Conqueror KG was Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.-Numbering:...
, who was supported by the English. Olivier distinguished himself at the Battle of Auray
Battle of Auray
The Battle of Auray took place on 29 September 1364 at the French town of Auray. This battle was the decisive confrontation of the Breton War of Succession, a part of the Hundred Years' War....
(1364), where he lost an eye in the fighting, and earned the nickname "Butcher" because his troops were ordered to take no prisoners. Later, due to differences with de Montfort, Olivier went over to the side of Montfort's rivals, and therefore, France.
Josselin
Josselin is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:St Meriadek is said to have founded a chapel there during the 4th century...
and began to build Josselin Castle
Josselin Castle
Josselin Castle is a medieval castle at Josselin, in the Morbihan department of Brittany, France, first built in the 11th century and rebuilt at various times since...
, an imposing new fortress with eight towers. The same year, he joined Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin , known as the Eagle of Brittany or the Black Dog of Brocéliande, was a Breton knight and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was Constable of France from 1370 to his death...
, who had lately become constable of France
Constable of France
The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
, and followed him in campaigns against the English, including the Siege of Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in 1373. On the death of du Guesclin, Clisson received the constable's sword, and held the office from 1380 to 1392. He fought with the citizens of Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, defeating them at Roosebeke
Battle of Roosebeke
The Battle of Roosebeke took place on November 27, 1382 on the Goudberg between a Flemish army under Philip van Artevelde and a French army under Louis II of Flanders who had called upon the help of the French king Charles VI after he had suffered a defeat during the Battle of Beverhoutsveld...
(1382), and later commanded the army in Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
(1389), and made an unsuccessful attempt to invade England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
On his return to Paris, in 1392, an attempt was made to assassinate him by Pierre de Craon
Pierre de Craon
Pierre de Craon , known as "le Grand", was a medieval French aristocrat notorious for his riotous temperament, culminating in his attempted murder of Olivier de Clisson, Constable of France...
, allegedly at the instigation of John de Montfort, now John V, Duke of Brittany
John V, Duke of Brittany
John V the Conqueror KG was Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.-Numbering:...
. Craon waylaid Clisson in a narrow street. Clisson's unarmed servants fled, but Clisson was saved from death by his chainmail
Mail (armour)
Mail is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.-History:Mail was a highly successful type of armour and was used by nearly every metalworking culture....
coat, and was able to draw his sword and fend off his attackers. In the struggle, he fell from his horse and was knocked out against the door of a baker's shop. Believing him dead, Craon fled Paris for Brittany.
In order to punish Duke John and Craon, Charles VI
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, accompanied by the constable, marched on Brittany, but it was on this expedition that the king was seized with madness. The uncles of Charles VI blamed Clisson for Charles' breakdown, and took proceedings against Clisson, so that he had to take refuge in Brittany.
He was reconciled with John V, and after the duke's death, in 1399, he became protector of the duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
, and guardian of the young princes. He had gathered vast wealth before his death.
Further reading
- Turnbull, Stephen, The Book of the Medieval Knight (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1985).
- Henneman, John Bell, Olivier de Clisson and Political Society in France under Charles V and Charles VI (Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996).