Bloody end of an English raid!


France at the time of the 100 Years War:

On September 26, 1423, an English detachment marched through the Pays de la Loire region in what is now the department of Mayenne.

The English troops under their commander William de la Pole...



...is 2,000 men in arms and 800 archers strong and is on the way back to Anjou from a raid and plunder.

The English left a trail of blood and destruction in their wake. They also take with them dozens of prisoners (peaceful villagers of the village of Segres) and a herd of 1,200 cattle stolen there.

Near the town of La Brossinière (today the town of Bourgon), the English ran into a carefully planned ambush by 1,520 French troops under Ambroise de Loré...



...and Jean VIII d'Harcourt...:



The French were descended from the mother-in-law of King Charles VII of France, Queen Jolanthe d'Aragon...



... personally, who was upset because the English had also plundered property belonging to her.

The clash between the two enemy troops is short, bloody, and a complete French success!

Due to the looting, the English train had a very long convoy with them, but marched in a disciplined marching order.

Even before the main English force could react to the discovery of the French troops in front of them, Loré led a cavalry charge against the English...:



They took cover behind the wagons of the convoy....:



At the same time, the French infantry advanced, and soon the English were surrounded. Although they fought bravely, they could not last long...:

The English soldiers soon turned to flee, but only a few managed to do so. A total of between 1200 and 1400 English soldiers were killed on the spot or killed by the French while trying to escape...:



William de la Pole and some other nobles escaped with about 120 men. Only one knight, Jean Le Roux, and a few men in arms had fallen on the French side.