Robert Knolles

Robert Knolles (1325 - 1407), regarded as one of the large English captains of the beginning of the War One hundred Year old.

Beginnings

Born in the Cheshire, it makes its first weapons at the time of the War of succession of Brittany, fascinating party for the duke Jean IV against the applicant Charles of Blois, which the king of France supports. In 1351, it takes part in the Combat of the Thirty during which it is overcome and captured.

Released after a ransom, it second Jean of Lancaster, in spring 1356, at the time of its ride through the Normandy to join the Prince Noir in Poitou. The Ost of Jean II the fact however of moving back. Knolles arrives all the same, with its troop, to take Domfront.

After the Battle of Poitiers, it puts at the service Charles II of Navarre at the time of its attempt at seizure of power in 1358. It seizes Châteauneuf-Valley-of-Bargis. One year after, with the head of 2000 to 3000 Anglo-Gascons, it devastates the valley of the the Loire, besieges and puts at bag Auxerre on March 10th, 1359 and goes even until to Burgundy. In the year 1359, Robert Knolles occupies CUSE then Saint-Pourçain but must flee in front of the army of noble bourbonnais, auvergnats and foréziens. It is during this ride that it gains its reputation of cruel character and without scruple.

1360-1370

After the Treated of Brétigny (1360), it turns over in Brittany and assists Jean IV again in his fight for the possession of the duchy. Robert Knolles seizes Ménétréol-under-Sancerre in 1361 but fails in front of Sancerre. In September 1364, it gains the Bataille of Auray. Charles of Blois is massacred during the combat and Bertrand of Guesclin, his principal captain, is captured. Consequently, the seizure of Jean IV on the duchy is assured.

In 1367, it accompanies the Prince Noir and John Chandos in Castille where they gain the Bataille of Najera against Henri II of Castille and Bertrand of Guesclin, again captured. In 1369, it assists the Prince Noir, patient, in Aquitaine. In 1370, the war against France begins again. Edouard III the met with the head of an army. In July, it unloads with Calais with 3000 men with an aim of taking again possession of the kingdom. This conquest is transformed into raid of plunderings, confusions, exactions. Incompetent to take the cities, Knolles is satisfied to burn the campaigns. He attacks without success Arras, Rheims, Troyes then returns towards Paris where some distant suburbs are burnt. Charles V, as a careful king, is satisfied to let it pass. The ride does many devastations but the reconquest does not take place. It undergoes even a frank defeat, inflicted by of Guesclin, with Pontvallain.

Knolles turns over then in Brittany where it faces a mutiny of some of its men, tired to fight for thin spoils. It gives up the part then and takes refuge in its castle of Derval which Jean IV offered to him, who itself had taken it of force to the Maison of Red.

End of a career

In 1373, it leaves its retirement to help Jean IV, again fights about it against Charles V. The time of the victories however passed. Of Guesclin manages to conquer most of the duchy and Knolles must return in England. In 1377, it is one of the commanders of the fleet sent against the Spaniards. In 1380, under the orders of Thomas de Gloucester, it however takes again foot in Brittany and assistance Jean IV to reconquer his duchy. The war leader finishes his career on an high note. In 1381, at the request of the new king Richard II, it will leave its retirement again to subdue the revolt of Wat Tyler.

Robert Knolles dedicated most of its fortune to charity works: construction of a college and a chaplaincy with Pontefract, foundation of an English hospital with Rome, restoration of the churches of Sculthorpe and Harpley.

He died in Sculthorpe in the Norfolk the August 15th 1407.

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