Insane War

The insane Guerre is the name given by the French historians to a war which opposes at the end of the Moyen-âge a coalition of princes apanagists and feudal with Anne de Beaujeu, regent of France after death of Louis XI and while waiting for the majority of the young king Charles VIII. She begins in 1485 and finishes in 1488.

As regards prince, one counts the dukes Rene II of Lorraine, François II of Brittany, Louis II of Orleans - cousin of the king and future Louis XII of France -, the prince d' Orange, the count of Albret, the count of Angouleme. Jean de Lescun, bastard of Armagnac, count de Comminges and governor of Guyenne, and Commines, support the revolt of their councils. Lastly, this revolt against the regent is supported by the foreign enemies of king de France: England, Castille-Aragon and Austria-Burgundy, and it is at the origin of the fastening of the Brittany to the royal Domaine.

Name and lasted

The expression insane war to indicate this “company without a future” the large feudal ones against the royal capacity is due to Paul Emile, in his Histoire of the faicts, gestures and conquestes of the roys of France , published in 1581.

It falls under a long succession of conflicts between the royalty and the large princes of the kingdom in second half of the 15th century: League of the Public property, Praguerie. In 1484-1485, the duke of Orleans, supported by the duke of Brittany and some other princes, tries to reverse the regent, Anne de Beaujeu. Without engagements, this one succeeds in breaking this revolt: November 2nd, 1485, the Paix of Bourges suspends the hostilities. Here ends, according to certain historians, the first phase of the insane War, who attach one second phase to him, of June 1486 in November 1488, sometimes called Guerre of Brittany . Other currents historiographic, mainly Breton, separate this second phase from the first, to associate it with the free-Breton war, or war of independence of Brittany.

Unfolding

Plots and the first rising

At the beginning of the reign of Charles VIII, Louis II of Orleans tries to seize regency, but is put in failure at the General states Turns (January 15th - March 11th, 1484). As of April, Louis of Orleans leaves for Brittany to be combined to the duke. He also sends a request for cancellation of his marriage to the pope, in order to be able to marry Anne of Brittany. Informed, Beaujeu make it come to the sacring from the king to Rheims (on May 30th). It holds to with it the first role, but sign on November 23rd a treaty with the duke of Brittany, which envisages its marriage with Anne of Brittany. Returned at the court, the duke of Orleans tries to remove the king, but Anne de Beaujeu, prevented, prevents some by making irruption in force in the room of the king: she stops some lords of the royal guard, and places the duke of Orleans under house arrest at Gien.

January 17th, 1485, it tries to raise Paris, but it fails. He manages to flee on February 3rd with Alençon, and made Amend on March 12th. Royal troops placed around Évreux prevent it from joining Brittany, and it is locked up in Orleans. At the same time, the Breton nobility is raised, brought back to the order by the royal troops.

August 30th, Louis of Orleans launches a proclamation against regency. The royal army goes on Orleans, and Louis II escapes from Beaugency, from where it is dislodged by the young person Trémoille in September. August 9th, François II of Brittany also joins him with a truce. This one is signed for one year with the Paix of Bourges, on November 2nd, 1485.

Resumption of the hostilities

As of the end of the truce, the rebels take again their revolt. Already in June 1486, Maximilien of Austria had invaded the north of France, then beaten a retreat; in November, it is Dunois which seizes the castle of Parthenay. January 11th, 1487, Louis of Orleans escapes from the castle of Blois, and continued by the royal archers, takes refuge again in Brittany. The royal army starts from Turns at the beginning of February and begins its offensive in south-west. It is on March 7th in Bordeaux, and Lescun, governor of Guyenne, is dislocated and replaced by Pierre de Beaujeu. The royal army sets out again of Bordeaux the 15, to take Parthenay the 30, Dunois managing to join Louis from Orleans to Nantes. The royal army goes up then towards Brittany. To the Treated Chateaubriant, the Breton nobility makes an agreement with the king: the duke will not be threatened by the royal army, which will leave Brittany as soon as the two rebellious French princes are captured. In north, the marshal of Esquerdes (or Querdes) retains brilliantly, then pushes back Maximilien of Austria, elected official king of the Romans little time before. In the south, the lord de Candale beats Alain d' Albret with the Bataille of Nontron: this one wanted to join the rebels of North, but is forced to deliver hostages. In Brittany, the rebels with the duke and combined royal party directed by the Viscount of Rohan hold the north of the duchy, and take Ploërmel.

April first, the mobilization of the military forces (noble and militia urban) required by the duke François II fails. At the same time, the royal army advances in Brittany: it is accommodated favorably with Châteaubriant, Vitré, Ancenis and Clisson, whose lords joined themselves king de France. It puts the seat in front of Nantes, but the helped inhabitants foreign mercenaries receive the decisive support of Cornouaillais and Léonards which unload and break surrounding. In same time, the Norman corsairs try to make the blockade of the ports of the north of Brittany.

January 20th, 1488, the dukes of Orleans and Brittany are declared rebellious with the Parlement of Paris: they and their accomplices are not regarded any more vassal rebels, but as guilty subjects of Lèse-majesté. In spring, the duke of Orleans begins again for his Vannes ally, Auray and Ploërmel. The Viscount of Rohan is forced to capitulate.

The next April 24th, a judgment of confiscation is handed down against all the goods of Louis of Orleans. Alain d' Albret obtains a subsidy of the court of Spain, and joined Brittany with 5000 men. Maximilien of Austria also sent 1500 men to him. While Trémoille gathers its forces on the limits of the duchy, Lord Scales unloads with English reinforcements. But whereas the King of the Romans is occupied by a rebellion in Flandres, supported by the marshal of Esquerdes, the supports of the duke of Brittany dispute the hand of Anne of Brittany: Louis of Orleans, Alain d' Albret and Maximilien of Austria being all candidates. The war continues with in particular the catch of Fougères by the royal troops on July 12th, then of Dinan. The Breton army ordered by the marshal of Rieux and the allied troops are beaten with the Bataille of Saint-Aubin-of-Cormier the the July 28th 1488, which puts an end to the war.

The duke of Brittany François II dies the September 9th and Anne of Brittany becomes duchess in January of the following year. An amnesty is then granted to Lescun, Dunois, and the majority of the vaincus.
Louis of Orleans is locked up in fortress then pardoned by Charles VIII with his majority, three years later.

See too

Sources

University of Mannheim for the course of the events

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