Following the defeat of

Mauron Mauron (; br, Maoron) is a commune in the Morbihan department and Brittany region of north-western France. It lies close to the borders of both Côtes d'Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine. Mauron's location make it a crossroads on the routes connecting ...

during the

Breton War of Succession The War of the Breton Succession (, ) was a conflict between the Counts of Blois and the Montforts of Brittany for control of the Sovereign Duchy of Brittany, then a fief of the Kingdom of France. It was fought between 1341 and 12 April ...

, the Franco-

Bretons The Bretons (; br, Bretoned or ''Vretoned,'' ) are a Celts, Celtic ethnic group native to Brittany. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Common Brittonic, Brittonic speakers who emigrated from Dumnonia, southwestern Great Britain, par ...

, led by

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' W ...

, took their revenge at the Battle of Montmuran on April 10, 1354.

The battle

Along with many other Englishmen, the young

Hugh Calveley Sir Hugh Calveley (died 23 April 1394) was an English knight and commander, who took part in the Hundred Years' War, gaining fame during the War of the Breton Succession and the Castilian Civil War. He held various military posts in Brittany a ...

served in

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...

, supporting Jean de Montfort's English-backed bid to become

Duke of Brittany This is a list of rulers of the Duchy of Brittany. In different epochs the sovereigns of Brittany were kings, princes, and dukes. The Breton ruler was sometimes elected, sometimes attained the position by conquest or intrigue, or by hereditary r ...

against the French-backed claimant,

Charles de Blois Charles of Blois-Châtillon (131929 September 1364), nicknamed "the Saint", was the legalist Duke of Brittany from 1341 until his death, via his marriage to Joan, Duchess of Brittany and Countess of Penthièvre, holding the title against the cl ...

, during the

. In 1354, Calveley was captain of the English-held fortress of

Bécherel Bécherel (; , Gallo: ''Becherèu'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. History During the Roman times the town was positioned close to the important road linking Rennes with Dinan to the north. In ...

. He planned a raid on the castle of Montmuran on 10 April, to capture

Arnoul d'Audrehem Arnoul d'Audrehem (c. 1305 – 1370) was a Marshal of France, who fought in the Hundred Years' War. Biography He was born at Audrehem, in the present arrondissement of Saint-Omer, in the ''département'' of Pas-de-Calais. Nothing is known of h ...

, Marshal of France, who was a guest of the lady of Tinteniac. Bertrand du Guesclin, in one of the early highlights of his career, anticipated the attack, posting archers as sentries. When the sentries raised the alarm at Calveley's approach, du Guesclin and d'Audrehem hurried to intercept. In the ensuing fight, Calveley was unhorsed by a knight named Enguerrand d'Hesdin, captured, and later ransomed.

The battle

See also