Battle of Balloon

The battles of Balloon opposed to the franques troops of Charles the Bald person to Breton of Nominoë, and was gained by this last the November 22nd 845.

First steps

In 840, by the death of Louis the Piles, Nominoë, missus dominicus for the Brittany since 832 is found in the expectancy in front of the quarrel which tears the heirs to the emperor. After having balanced from one party to another, it finally agrees to lend oath to Charles in January 841. Perhaps does it send (or it directs itself?) a Breton quota with the Battle of Fontenoy-in-Puisaye, in 841, which transfers with the hecatomb.

Ricouin, last prefect of the walk of Brittany, having fallen with Fontenoy, his/her son Lambert request to take again the load of his/her father. Charles refuses, doubting this man that one says educated in the culture of Breton, and names in his Renaud place, count of Herbauge, which was illustrated in the fight against the Scandinavians. Lambert takes refuge in Brittany.

The frank princes end up agreeing in 843 and signing the Traité of Verdun, the Western part returning with Charles the Bald person. Nominoë falls seriously sick at the same time and Renaud considers the moment favourable to get rid of him - perhaps it doubts its fidelity, even if Nominoë is acquired a priori with the cause of Charles, or, more probably, its load with the head of Armorique covets. Its unhappy initiative turns to the disaster: helped by Lambert and a troop of its faithful, Erispoë, wire of Nominoë, keep silent Renaud and massacre his men in the marshes of Messac. Lambert briefly occupies Nantes, that Charles entrusts quickly to Herve, elder of Renaud. Charles lost a general of great value but, especially, peace with the Breton ones.

In front of the aggression, Nominoë is considered released of its oath. One sees it supporting Lambert in 844, where Breton troops contribute to the defeat and dead of Herve. In shift in Aquitaine, Charles cannot react. Learning the difficulties in addition that knows the king in Toulouse, Nominoë continues the offensive and puts the Maine at fire and bag.

In 845, Charles concludes peace with Pépin II from Aquitaine and reconciles itself with Lambert. In November, it must go to Tours to celebrate the Saint Martin's day. It is countermanded at the last minute, having been informed that a party of Breton wishes to make defection, provided that it comes immediately to their assistance.

Involved forces

Manpower of the two camps are badly known, but the royal ost not being more complete in November and considering the impromptu character of the intervention, the Francs are undoubtedly very few - perhaps 3000 men (5 or 6 counties), undoubtedly less. The estimate is even more hazardous side of the Breton ones, whose army seems at the time made up of only one light cavalry, therefore certainly still much fewer.

The battle

Nominoë attracts the King with the marshy confluence of the Oust and the Aff, not far from the Abbaye of Balloon - from where the name of the battle. It is about a genuine trap, where the Breton ones exploit their knowledge of the marshes to overcome the Francs.

One has few details on unfolding battle. According to the Yearly of Saint-Bertin:

“Charles having imprudently attacked Brittany de Gaulle with limited forces, them his release foot by an inversion of fortune (…) ”

According to the First Annals of Fontenelle:

“(…), the Francs having entered to Brittany, started the combat with the Breton ones, on November 22nd, helped by the difficulty of places and the marshy grounds, the Breton ones appeared the best. ”

Consequences

After the rumor of its death circulated, Charles reappears in Maine. He reconstitutes his army there, but must wait after the general meeting of Epernay to move again towards Brittany, at the end of the summer 846. There, he concludes a treaty matched from oaths with Nominoë, agreement whose exact contents are unknown for us.

In spite of the climate of cold war which will perdurera and in particular the Breton raids carried out by certain Mangil in the Bessin to Christmas of the same year, the agreement will be broken only into 849.

This battle, relatively minor, is often confused with that, more decisive, of Jengland-Beslé, which will oppose Erispoë, successor of Nominoë, in Charles in 851. Made initially by A. of Borderie in its famous “History of Brittany”, the error was taken again many times since. However, it is battle of Balloon which some go back the birth to unified and independent Brittany, behind a single sovereign Nominoë. The expansionist policy of Nominoë, by the conquest of the old Steps of Brittany will be continued by his/her son Erispoë who will consolidate the borders of the Kingdom of Brittany.

References, Notes

Random links: