As they lay siege to Bourg in the summer of 1296, the French also attacked Bellegarde, a ducal bastide on the edge of English-held territory in southeast Gascony. The English are said to have ‘thrown themselves’ into Bellegarde, implying the attack was unexpected.
The French were led by Jean de Brienne, the young Count of Eu, and the provost of Toulouse. Neither seems to have been over-endowed with brains. When they arrived before the town, they found the gates had been left open. In the ‘boldness of his mind’, the young count decided to charge through the gates with a few followers, leaving the rest of his army outside.
Surprise, surprise - it was a trap. The gates clanged shut and the English rushed out from hiding. They put all the French to the sword with the exception of Jean himself, who was impaled with a lance. Incredibly, he survived and was ransomed, only to die six years later in the muddy carnage of Courtrai.
His lieutenant, the provost, decided now was the time for a really futile gesture. He drew his sword, leaped over the ditch under the walls of Bellegarde and cut through the nearest ropes. Alas, he failed to notice the ropes were attached to some beams on the battlements, upon which the citizens had placed baskets full of stones. The beams now overturned and tipped the stones onto his head, crushing him to death.
After witnessing this spectacular display of tomfoolery by their commanders, the French decided to call it a day and withdraw. And who can blame them.
The above pic is of the massive triple walled fortress built in the 18th century on top of the old medieval fortification at Bellegarde, to guard the borders of the First French Republic.
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