This subject is interesting, as showing pretty accurately the arrangement of the interior works of a fortified castle of the fourteenth century, and the manner of taking possession of such a place by an armed force.
The circumstances connected with the taking of this fortress by the troops of the Duke de Berri, are briefly as follows.
The wars between the French and English, which devastated a large portion of France during part of the fourteenth century, were aggravated in their ruinous effects upon the people by the Free Companies, a sort of land privateers who, under pretext of belonging to one or other party, pillaged small towns, captured castles when insufficiently defended, and, in short, preyed recklessly upon the defenceless; being, in fact, bands of robbers.
Geoffrey Tête-noire, one of these Free Companions, by the treachery of a servant, gained possession of the castle of Ventadour, in Auvergne, belonging to the Count de Montpensier, which, from its strong position among the mountains, was deemed at that time impregnable by force; indeed, it appears that it was so, for Geoffrey Tête-noire held it till his death, defeating every attempt to gain it by force, and refusing every offer to buy it with money; he considered it as his own inheritance, levying contributions on all the surrounding country, which enabled him to live in great state and plenty. He commenced his passports and treaties of composition with “Geoffrey Tête-noire, duke of Ventadour, count of Limousin, sovereign lord and commander of all the captains in Auvergne, Rouergue, and Limousin.”
The nephews of Geoffrey, Alleyne and Peter Roux, succeeded their uncle in possession of the castle; but the Duke de Berri, who had purchased it of the Montpensier family, determined to obtain possession, and put an end to the dominion of these freebooters. After many fruitless attempts, by force and negociation, Sir William le Boutellier, with Sir John Bonne-lance, and others, formed[Pg 47] a close siege, surrounding the castle with block-houses, &c. &c. But all attempts might have been vain but for the over-cunning of the nephews, who, offering to surrender the place for ten thousand francs, if the two knights would bring the money into the court-yard of the castle, had concealed a body of armed men in a tower near the entrance-gate, to seize them when they should be off their guard.
The knights brought the money, but, having suspicions, had concealed a body of horse, during the night, within a short distance of the entrance, and soon perceiving that treachery was intended, they, as Froissart says, “made a signe to him who bore the horn to sound for their ambuscade;” these, putting spurs to their horses, galloped into the castle, the gate being open, and the nephews were instantly arrested in the king’s name.
The tower above-mentioned was found filled with armed men, who confessed the purport of their concealment there. The intended treachery of Alleyne and Peter was thus proved beyond doubt, and they were eventually tried, and publicly executed. The castle had been in the possession of Geoffry and his nephews above 15 years, and was regained about 1390.
The moment selected by the Illuminator appears to be that, when, after the arrest of Alleyne and his brother, the tower near the gate was opened, and the men-at-arms came from their ambush confessing the intended treachery of the brothers, and begging for mercy, as is minutely related by Froissart. A standard-bearer is seen planting the standard of the Duke de Berri over the gate-tower, and calling by sound of horn the besieging troops, who are seen entering in an orderly manner in the foreground. It may, perhaps, represent the calling of Sir William’s ambuscade of cavalry, but the former view accords best with the arrangement of the picture, and I have no doubt but that was the intention of the artist.[Pg 48]
The attack on the Town of Africa.