Honoré Bonet (c. 1340 – c. 1410) was a Provençal

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

, the prior of

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near Embrun. Bonet studied at the

University of Avignon Avignon University ( French: ''Avignon Université''; formerly known as ''Université d’Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse'') is a public university located in Avignon, France. Avignon University is situated on two campuses: the Hannah Arendt Ca ...

where he received a

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and traveled around

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and

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...

. He wrote on

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

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, and heraldry. In his work ''L'arbre des batailles'' (''The Tree of Battles'') (c. 1382-87) Bonet deals with

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

and the laws of war, written in the form of a scholastic dialogue: each chapter starts with a yes/no question, proceeds with a dialogue, and concludes. The book was written to obtain favour of Charles V of France, but without much effect. However, it became a manual for commanders and a lot of European rulers and gentlemen had this book in their libraries as well. In 1456 it was translated to English in the Rosslyn castle for Gilbert de la Haye, Chancellor of

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, Earl of Orkney and Caithness. Bonet was deeply influenced by Bartolo de Sassoferrato and Bonet himself was very influential in the 15th century. The 'Arbre des batailles' was a main source for

Christine de Pizan Christine de Pizan or Pisan (), born Cristina da Pizzano (September 1364 – c. 1430), was an Italian poet and court writer for King Charles VI of France and several French dukes. Christine de Pizan served as a court writer in medieval France ...

's 'Livre des fais d'armes et de chevalerie' (Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry),Martin van Creveld: A History of Strategy and her writing was in turn popularized by

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. Jean Courtois, herald of Alfonso V of Aragon, also used Bonet extensively in his 'Blason des Couleurs'. Martin van Creveld writes that Bonet's subject "was not so much military theory and practice as the art of 'chivalry' and the rules of war." According to van Creveld, such works "are little more than handbooks... Taking the formations and armament of their own day more or less for granted, however, they seldom rise above the specifics of time and place... The fact that some of them were in actual use until 1700 and beyond shows how indebted early modern Europe felt itself to the ancient world—or, conversely, how slow the evolution of warfare was. Unlike the Chinese classics they do not provide a coherent philosophy of war." Other works by Bonet are ''L'Apparicion maistre Jehan de Meun'' and the ''Somnium super materia scismatis'' (1394).

Editions and Translations

* The first French edition Lyon 1481. Thereafter it was published several times, including Bruxelles 1883. * ''The Tree of Battles of Honoré Bonet'', trans. G. W. Coopland, Liverpool: At the University Press, 1949.

Notes

References

External links

Bonet's Arbre des Batailles (1387)
by François Velde {{DEFAULTSORT:Bonet, Honore 1340 births 1410 deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain People from Provence French heraldists French Benedictines