Little wars

In the summer of 1305 the seneschal of Gascony, John de Havering, was engaged in suppressing a private war between Amanieu d’Albret and the Sire de Caumont. Full details survive for this little campaign, which gives us an insight into how ducal armies were raised and maintained in this era. The war was ignored by chroniclers, possibly because it was an internal affair and shed no particular glory on anyone.

Havering was a no-bullshit government hatchet man who had captured Madog ap Llywelyn in Wales and engineered the recapture of Bordeaux. He raised an army made up of reliable loyalists, most of whom had spent years in exile in England during the Anglo-French war. Such men were unlikely to accept bribes or stab Havering in the back.

The soldiers these men brought are styled in the rolls as ‘militibus’ (knights), ‘scutiferis’ (esquires) and ‘servientibus’ (foot-sergeants). The details of each lord and the strength of his retinue are provided, such as: 

Bernard Trencaléon, twenty-three esquires and thirty sergeants

Auger de Pouillon, thirty-four foot-sergeants 

Assieu de Galard, eighteen esquires and twenty-five foot-sergeants

Etcetera. Havering gave command of the army to Pons de Castillon, who brought two knights and twelve esquires in his company. The terms of payment are also listed. A baron who served with horses and arms got 4 shillings a day; the knights 2 shillings; the esquires 12 pence; the foot-sergeants 2 pence. Twopence a day was roughly the same earned by a common labourer in this era, so the ordinary soldier wouldn’t expect to get very fat on his wages alone. Hence all the pillaging.

Once he was suited and booted, Pons set off on his mission. First he marched to La Réole on the bank of the Garonne, southeast of Bordeaux. This was always a nest of potential rebels, and Pons saw fit to grab it before the citizens went into revolt. He then marched to the Albret and Caumont strongholds of Casteljaloux and Le Mas, arrested both lords and seized their castles. Albret was imprisoned at Bordeaux and Caumont at La Réole. Meanwhile other ‘malefactors, rebels and disturbers of the peace’ were mopped up and detained in other strongholds held by the king-duke.

The entire operation took twenty-six days and cost a total of £486 and 13 shillings. Much of this expense was taken up by the loss of a single war-horse, which cost £300. A palfrey was also killed, valued at 70 livres tournois. Otherwise the ducal force suffered no casualties.

Job done.