Arnoul d'Audrehem (c. 1305 – 1370) was a
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
, who fought in the
Hundred Years' War.
Biography
He was born at
Audrehem, in the present
arrondissement of Saint-Omer
The arrondissement of Saint-Omer is an arrondissement of France in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region. It has 89 communes. Its population is 129,608 (2016), and its area is .
Composition
The communes of the arrondisseme ...
, in the ''
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety ...
'' of
Pas-de-Calais. Nothing is known of his career before 1332, when he is heard of at the court of
Philip VI of France.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
Between 1332 and 1342 he went three times to
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
to aid
King David Bruce in his wars. In 1342 he became captain for the king of France in
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...
; then he seems to have served in the household of the
duke of Normandy, and in 1346, as one of the defenders of
Calais, was taken as a prisoner to England by
Edward III.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
From 1349 he held an important place in the military history of France, first as captain in
Angoulême, and in June 1351, in succession to the lord of
Beaujeu, as
marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
. In March 1352 he was appointed lieutenant for the king in the territory between the
Loire
The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...
and the
Dordogne
Dordogne ( , or ; ; oc, Dordonha ) is a large rural department in Southwestern France, with its prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, it is name ...
, in 1353 in
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
, and in 1355 in
Artois
Artois ( ; ; nl, Artesië; English adjective: ''Artesian'') is a region of northern France. Its territory covers an area of about 4,000 km2 and it has a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras (Dutch: ''Atrecht'') ...
and
Picardy and the
Boulonnais.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
It was Audrehem who arrested
Charles II of Navarre
Charles II (10 October 1332 – 1 January 1387), called Charles the Bad, was King of Navarre 1349–1387 and Count of Évreux 1343–1387.
Besides the Pyrenean Kingdom of Navarre, Charles had extensive lands in Normandy, inherited from his fathe ...
and his
partisans, at the banquet given by the
dauphin (later
Charles V of France
Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (french: le Sage; la, Sapiens), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War, with his armi ...
) at
Rouen in 1356. At
Poitiers he was one of those who advised
John II of France
John II (french: Jean II; 26 April 1319 – 8 April 1364), called John the Good (French: ''Jean le Bon''), was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed ...
to attack the English, and, charging into the front line of the French army, was slightly wounded and taken prisoner.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
From England he was several times given safe-conduct to France, and he took an active part in the negotiations for the
Treaty of Brétigny
The Treaty of Brétigny was a treaty, drafted on 8 May 1360 and ratified on 24 October 1360, between Kings Edward III of England and John II of France. In retrospect, it is seen as having marked the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years ...
, recovering his liberty at the same time as king John. In 1361, as the king's lieutenant in
Languedoc
The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France.
Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...
, he prevented the free companies from seizing the castles, and negotiated the treaty with their chiefs under which they followed Henry, count of Trastámara (later
Henry II of Castile
Henry II (13 January 1334 – 29 May 1379), called Henry of Trastámara or the Fratricidal (''el Fratricida''), was the first King of Castile and León from the House of Trastámara. He became king in 1369 by defeating his half-brother Peter th ...
), into Spain.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
In 1365 he joined
Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin ( br, Beltram Gwesklin; 1320 – 13 July 1380), nicknamed "The Eagle of Brittany" or "The Black Dog of Brocéliande", was a Breton knight and an important military commander on the French side during the Hundred Years' Wa ...
in the expedition to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, and was taken prisoner with him by
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and the heir apparent to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, suc ...
at the
Battle of Nájera (Navarette) in 1367.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
The Black Prince recalled that he had accepted d'Audrehem parole after the battle of Poitiers and released him after d'Audrehem had giving his word that he would not bear arms against the Prince until his ransom was paid. When the Prince saw him he reproached him bitterly, and called him "liar and traitor".{{sfn, Hunt, 1889, p=98 D'Audrehem denied that he was either, and the prince asked him whether he would submit to the judgment of a body of knights. To this d'Audrehem agreed, and after he had dined the prince chose twelve knights, four English, four Gascons, and four Bretons, to judge between himself and the marshal. After the Prince had stated his case, d'Audrehem replied that he had not broken his word, for the army the Prince led was not his own; he was merely in the pay of
Peter of Castile
Peter ( es, Pedro; 30 August 133423 March 1369), called the Cruel () or the Just (), was King of Castile and León from 1350 to 1369. Peter was the last ruler of the main branch of the House of Ivrea. He was excommunicated by Pope Urban V for ...
. The knights considered that this view of the prince's position was sound, and gave their verdict for d'Audrehem.{{sfn, Hunt, 1889, p=98 However he was unable to pay his ransom until 1369.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
In 1368, on account of his age, he was relieved of the office of marshal, being appointed bearer of the ''
oriflamme
The Oriflamme (from Latin ''aurea flamma'', "golden flame"), a pointed, blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance, was the battle standard of the King of France in the Middle Ages. The oriflamme originated as the sacred banner of the Abbey of ...
'', with a pension of 2,000
livre
LIVRE (, L), previously known as LIVRE/Tempo de Avançar (, L/TDA), is a green political party in Portugal founded in 2014.
Its founding principles are ecology, universalism, freedom, equity, solidarity, socialism and Europeanism. Its symbol i ...
s.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
He was sent to Spain in 1370 by
Charles V of France
Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (french: le Sage; la, Sapiens), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War, with his armi ...
to urge his friend du Guesclin to return to France, and in spite of his age he took part in the
Battle of Pontvallain (December 1370), but fell ill and died, probably at
Saumur, in the latter part of December 1370.{{sfn, Chisholm, 1911, p=899
Notes
{{Reflist
References
*{{EB1911, wstitle=Audrehem, Arnoul d' , volume=2 , page=899
*{{DNB , last=Hunt , first=William , wstitle=Edward the Black Prince , volume=17 , pages=90–101
{{Authority control
{{DEFAULTSORT:Audrehem, Arnoul d'
1305 births
1370 deaths
People from Pas-de-Calais
Marshals of France
People of the Hundred Years' War
French prisoners of war in the Hundred Years' War