[2] The duchy of Bar having passed to the house of Anjou, Réné, in the year 1431, sent his bailiffs from Bar and St Michel to receive from Anthony of Lorraine count de Vaudemont, his acknowledgment of him as lord paramount. The duke insisted on having full obedience of all places within the county that had been held as fiefs from the dukes of Bar, under pain of confiscation. Dict. de Martiniere. This was probably the cause of quarrel.
[3] Vaudemont,—a small town in Lorraine. It had been the capital of the county, but had given up that honour to the little town of Vezelize.
THE DUKE OF BAR IS COMBATED BY THE COUNT DE VAUDEMONT AND DEFEATED.
When the marshal of Burgundy had assembled all his men, he marched them toward Langres; and thence the Burgundians and Picards advanced toward the Barrois, where they were joined by the count de Vaudemont with all the forces he could collect. When united, they might amount to about four thousand combatants; and their chief captains were the said Anthony de Toulongeon marshal of Burgundy, the count de Vaudemont, the lord d'Antoing, Gerard de Marigny, the count de Fribourg, the lord de Mirabeau, the lord de Sez, the lord de Roland, sir Imbert Marechal, a Savoyard, the bastard du Vergy, Matthieu de Humieres, nephew to the above-mentioned lord d'Antoing, sir John de Cardonne lord de Bichancourt, Boort de Bazentin, a gallant english knight called sir John Ladan, and sir Thomas Gergeras.
Sir John Ladan was governor of Montigny-le-Roi, and had with him six score combatants at the least, with many notable gentlemen renowned and expert in war. They advanced in handsome array into the Barrois, followed by sixteen or twenty carts laden with stores and provision.
They announced their entrance into the Barrois by setting fire to different parts of that country; and thus they advanced to a large village called Sandacourt, within seven leagues of their adversaries, where they arrived on a Saturday night. On the morrow, Sunday, they expected an attack from the enemy, and, consequently, they formed their men in order of battle, and remained in this state the most part of that day, having their archers posted behind sharp stakes to prevent the charge of the cavalry. As the enemy did not appear, they retired, about vespers, to the village to refresh themselves, and called a council to consider how they should act. It was resolved, that since from the badness of the roads, and from the country being so intersected with hedges, they could not, without danger, march to meet the enemy, who were superior to them in numbers, they should return through the Barrois to Burgundy, destroy the country they marched through, and reinforce themselves with men and every thing necessary to enable them to combat the enemy.
This resolution was very displeasing to the count de Vaudemont, but he was, through necessity, forced to abide by it. The captains then ordered all things to be packed and ready for the march on the ensuing day, Monday, the feast of St Martin in the summer; but the duke of Bar, having heard of their arrival, quitted the siege of Vaudemont, leaving a sufficient body to blockade it until his return, and marched his army to offer them battle before they were reinforced.
His strength consisted of about six thousand combatants, under some of the highest rank in Bar, Lorraine and Germany, and advanced in handsome array. The scouts of the marshal of Burgundy fell in with those of the duke of Bar, attacked and conquered them; and this was the first intelligence the marshal had of their intentions.