Coutantin 1356 AD

[Erpingham]

Battle : Coutantin, November 1356
Protagonists:  Sir Godfrey de Harcourt (Navarre) v. Sir Rauol de Reyneval (French).
Numbers: 700 Navarre, 1500-2000 French including 800 from Paris, plus forces from Normandy and Artois.
Source : Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of England, France and Spain, Trans Thomas Johnes 1806 Chapter CLXXI
Text :
When Sir Godfrey de Harcourt, who was strong, bold, and courageous, heard that the French were come to the city of Coutances, he collected together as many men at arms as possible, archers and other friends, and said he would go to meet them. He left, therefore, St. Sauveur le Vicomte, accompanied by about seven hundred men, including everyone. This same day, the French also sallied out, and had sent forward their scouts to examine the country, who returned and informed their lords that they had seen the Navarrois. On the other hand, Sir Godfrey had sent out his scouts, who had taken a different road, and, having examined the army of the French, had counted their banners and pennons, and to what numbers they amounted. Sir Godfrey, however, paid but little attention to their report: he said, that since he saw his enemies he would fight with them. He immediately placed his archers in the front of his men, and drew up in battle array the Englishmen and Navarrois. When Lord Raoul de Reyneval perceived he had drawn up his men, he ordered part of the French to dismount, and to place large shields before them to guard themselves against the arrows, and for none to advance without his orders.
The archers of Sir Godfrey began to advance, as they were commanded, and to shoot their arrows with all their strength. The French, who were sheltered behind their shields, allowed them to shoot on, as this attack did not hurt them in the least. They remained so long in their position without moving, that these archers had expended all their arrows; they then cast away their bows, and began to fall back upon their men at arms, who were drawn up alongside of a hedge, Sir Godfrey in the front, with his banner displayed. The French then began to make use of their bows, and to pick up arrows everywhere, for there were plenty of them lying about, which they employed against the English and men of Navarre. The men at arms also made a vigorous charge; and the combat was very sharp and severe, when they were come hand to hand; but the infantry of Sir Godfrey would not keep their ranks, and were therefore soon discomfited. Sir Godfrey, upon this, retreated into a vineyard which was inclosed with strong hedges, and as many of his people as could get in followed him. When the French saw this, they all dismounted, surrounded the place, and considered how they could best enter it. They examined it on every side, and at last found an entrance. As they went round seeking a passage, Sir Godfrey and his men did the same, and halted at the weakest part of the hedge.
As soon as the French had gained this entrance, many gallant deeds of arms were performed; but it cost the French dear before they were complete masters of it. The banner of Sir Raoul was the first that entered. He followed it, as did the other knights and squires. When they were all in the inclosure, the combat was renewed with greater vigour, and many a one was beat down. The army of Sir Godfrey would not keep the order which he had appointed, according to the promise made to him; but the greater part fled, and could not withstand the French. Sir Godfrey, on seeing this, declared, that he would prefer death to being taken, and, arming himself with a battle-axe, halted where he was; he placed one foot before the other, to be firmer; for he was lame of one leg, though very strong in his arms. In this position, he fought a long time most valiantly, so that few dared to encounter his blows; when two Frenchmen mounted their horses, and, placing their lances in their rests, charged him at the same time, and struck him to the ground: some men at arms immediately rushed upon him with their swords, which they ran through his body, and killed him on the spot. The greater part of his army were slain or made prisoners, and those who were able to escape returned to St. Sauveur le Vicomte. This happened in the winter of 1356, about Martinmas.
Commentary
Froissart in modern times has gained a bad reputation for historical accuracy. However, he remains very much the collector of tales of feats of arms on the field and interviewed many knights to collect their experiences.  Here he is particularly interested in the heroic death of Godfrey de Harcourt, a Norman whose anti-Valois sentiments led to him seeing service with both the English and the Navarrese.
The battle itself is typical of the small affairs which fill the Hundred Years War.  Both sides have deployed their scouts and we see how scouts estimate the size of the enemy force by its banners and pennants, a banner containing 25-80 men at arms under the 1351 ordonnance.
The Navarrese deploy with their backs to a hedge (to avoid encirclement) and with their archers (seemingly English) forward.  The French dismount part of their men-at-arms, keeping some mounted, and deploy infantry behind pavises forward.  At least some of these infantry are archers, as they reuse the English archers' arrows. 
The English archers fail to make any impact on the French behind their pavises and fall back on the men-at-arms.  The French men-at-arms then attack – it is not clear whether on horseback or on foot.  The Navarrese fail to keep their ranks – keeping good order was considered vital for infantry facing an attack, especially by cavalry.  There obviously follows a lull in which Harcourt gets most of his men into the enclosed vineyard.  The French scout the position then move their attack force to the weakest point.  The Navarrese clearly don't have enough men to cover the whole circuit and mirror the French movement.  Once the French are inside the vineyard, it is all over and, despite a heroic one man stand, de Harcourt is killed.
Why did de Harcourt lose this battle?  The disparity in numbers is a factor but it is no worse than,say,  Lunalonge or Loudoun Hill.  Two obvious factors come to mind.  Firstly, de Harcourt either overestimates his own forces, underestimates the French or a bit of both.  The Navarese are a scratch force of garrison troops and "friends" – they lack cohesion and in some cases commitment.  So they don't stand up well to attack, fail to keep their ranks and ultimately flee.  The other factor is that de Reyneval uses his force competently.  He screens his force with infantry, both pavise bearers and archers stiffened with dismounted men-at-arms.  This effective shielding of the French occurs a number of times in Froissart's battle descriptions of this period e.g. Nogent-sur-Seine in 1369 (and compare the tactics at the Battle of St. Aubin's Bay).  He keeps a mounted force – it doesn't say where but it was probably to his rear and flank (think Poitiers, Auray, Othée, the Burgundian battle plan 1417).  This will pin de Harcourt in place – if he advances away from the hedge, the cavalry will take him in the flank and rear.  In the end, it comes down to a hard fight but de Reyneval keeps the tactical initiative throughout.  Coutantin is one of those little actions which show the French were not quite the bumbling idiots they are sometimes depicted as.

[aligern]

Excellent post! A  really illuminating commentary.


Roy.