"14th century French Illustrations by Jean Cuvelier" Topic

Illustrations of military interest from La chanson de Bertrand du Guesclin by Jean Cuvelier, Paris, France, c. 1380-1392, British Library MS Yates Thompson 35

Mirror site: Illustrations of military interest from La chanson de Bertrand du Guesclin by Jean Cuvelier, Paris, France, c. 1380-1392, British Library MS Yates Thompson 35

Druzhina
14th Century Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

thank you for the info ! Very useful

Some intriguing details: Crossbows on the side of the defending English, bows (not very "long" are they?) on the side of the French.

Du Guesclin has a very distinctive face, pugnacious and unlovely, as if the artist is intimately familiar with his subject.

At Auray twin knights are crossing lances, one on a black horse the other on a white horse, both decorated with "ermine". What does that mean? That partisans from that noble house were on both sides? Who are they? Why prominently in the foreground?

Interesting, larger shields at Valognes.

All visors down at Coquerel. Implied in the picture that mutual outflanking occurred.

Auray was a Breton civil war; ermine is the arms of the Dukes of Brittany, the title claimed by both sides.

There you go! Thanks.

The crossbowmen defending English held castles may be locals, e.g. Chastel Pestien is Château de Pestivien in Brittany:

The castle of Pestivien, owned by the Pestivien family, was held on July 10, 1355 by the King of England (Captain Roger David). Roger David (or Davy) is the husband of Jeanne de Rostrenen, widow of the viscount of Rohan who had been killed in the battle of Roche-Derrien near Charles de Blois. This castle was taken by Du Guesclin in 1363-1364, helped by the militia of Guingamp and about 6000 men. The siege had ruined the castle.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers