I propose today, in addition to the article on the Battle of Nancy ( http://patrimoine-de-lorraine.blogspot.com/ 2011/01/la-bataille-de-nancy-5-janvier-1477.html ), a biography of Duke René II of Lorraine, also published in the journal Medieval History in 2004.
Happy reading ...
Happy reading ...
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Duke René II of Lorraine
The prince, who defied the powerful Duke of Burgundy
The prince, who defied the powerful Duke of Burgundy
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Grand son of Rene d'Anjou, Rene Lorraine was born in Los Angeles May 2, 1451. Eldest son of Ferry de Lorraine Count Vaudémont, Baron de Joinville, Seneschal of Champagne hereditary and Yolande d'Anjou (daughter of Rene), he spent his youth in the court of his grandfather, in Provence and Anjou. This prince had five brothers and sisters: Nicolas, seigneur de Joinville and Bauffremont; Peter Jane, wife of Charles of Anjou Count of Maine, Margaret, wife of Rene and Yolande Duke of Alencon, the wife of Louis the Landgrave of Hesse.
In 1463, at the end of spring, Rene d'Anjou was playing Castle Bar's "Farce of the Shepherds" to her grandchildren present. In 1470, the young man accompanied the Duke of Lorraine in his travels including Vézelise in June.
Succeeding his uncle, Jean de Lorraine in early 1473 as Captain of Angers, Anjou Seneschal and Governor, Rene de Lorraine thus obtained his grandfather Rene d'Anjou wages associated with these various functions in February.
The Arms of René II of Lorraine
In July 1473, the Duke of Lorraine ephemeral Nicolas d'Anjou died leaving his cousin René in dismay. Yolande of Anjou became Duchess of Lorraine situation will not last because it preferred to let the duchy in the hands of his son on August 2 the same year, however, reserving the usufruct. René II, Duke of Lorraine made his official entry into Nancy on August 4.
Soon after taking office, the young duke was approached by two major European princes: Louis XI, King of France and Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The purpose of their maneuvers was to contract an alliance. René II first favoring the King of France by sealing it with the Treaty of Neufchâteau August 27, 1473, and in doing so the Duke of Lorraine, however, only obtained no serious guarantees from the sovereign. Plagued by financial difficulties, the Duke asked his allies to lend him the sum of 20,000 pounds. He received a categorical denial that prompted him to turn to rival the king of France, Charles the Bold. Indeed, feeling deeply violated, Rene II then heard himself with the Duke of Burgundy at the Treaty of Nancy, October 15, 1473. Charles the Bold received the right to place garrisons in the castles of Darney Lorraine, Epinal, Amance, Neufchâteau Prény, creating a line of communication that allowed him to join the Luxembourg and Burgundy, while Lorraine territory.
A duke of Burgundy too pressing.
René II could no longer withstand the actions of Charles the Bold, who Lorraine was ideal territory that was missing to create a large territory, a realm whose income would be the prince. Convoys of men and goods passing through his country, bands of mercenaries from North looted, burned and killed the inhabitants of the Lorraine to which he belonged. The Duke was exhausted.
Renouncing his alliance with Charles the Bold, July 9, 1474, Rene II joined the league formed by Louis XI, the Emperor, the German princes, the cities of Alsace and the Swiss cantons. On 15 August following, King of France assured its aid if attacked Burgundy.
After a short stay in the Vosges, including Neufchâteau, Mirecourt Dompaire, Rene II came to take possession of the duchy of Bar entrusted to it by Rene d'Anjou, in the month of November 1474.
Stained showing René II in prayer
work attributed to Valentin Bousch
Basilica of Saint Nicolas de Port
After defying the Duke of Burgundy through his herald, May 9 1475, the Duke of Lorraine sealed an alliance with the emperor on May 17 Shortly after, Rene II could not prevent the Burgundian troops (around 40,000 men) to penetrate and Lorraine to monopolize all castles except the Prény who resisted the onslaught. November 30, Charles the Bold made his entrance into the city of Nancy. Meanwhile, a nine-year peace was signed between the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy, and sealed a treaty between the same Duke and the Emperor.
Unhappy with this turn of events and strongly determined not to let the Duke of Lorraine formed an armed force in the Vosges Lorraine nobles remained loyal as well as Swiss mercenaries from different cantons. But things did not turn out so easily and Rene II was forced to leave the Bailiwick of Vosges because the person was seriously threatened. He then went to Joinville late in the year 1475. During the winter of 1475-1476, the Duke of Lorraine summoned two envoys in Switzerland to recruit new troops. In April 1476, having got wind of the bitter defeat Burgundy at Grandson 2 March last, he planned to fight again immediately. While in Switzerland, where he tried to convince the cantons to assist in its task of regaining the territories, he took part in the famous Battle of Murten, June 22 where the Duke of Burgundy was defeated.
The collapse of the great prince provoked a virulent reaction Lorraine from residents who began the fight, taking up to several Burgundian garrison fortresses which Vaudémont. René II could make its debut in Saint-Die July 21 and the next day in Epinal. It began shortly after the siege of the fortress of Chatel-sur-Moselle, Nancy and the city, the latter capitulated on October 8.
A duchy of Lorraine found.
"The Duke René II at the Battle of Nancy, Jan. 5, 1477"
Miniature from the manuscript "The Nancéide" Pierre de Blarru. Late fifteenth century.
The Duke of Lorraine did not take long relished taking his capital as troops of the Duke of Burgundy came to lay siege on October 21. René II preferred to leave his beloved city to go for help in Alsace, including Sélestat where he stayed on 1 December. Having failed to convince Alsatians and Swiss help in its task of covering definitively his dukedom, Rene II spent at January 4, 1477 Saint-Nicolas-de-Port and walked towards his ducal city. January 5, the Burgundian troops were defeated by a strong coalition during the battle, or rather for Nancy. The Grand Duke of the West, Charles the Bold found there miserable death.
René II inevitably came up in this conflict also could permanently cost him his dukedom. In late January 1477, he assembled the States-General of Lorraine then went to King Louis XI of France congratulated greatly.
The equestrian statue of René II of Lorraine
Bronze Mathias Schiff - 1883
Nancy - Place Saint-Epvre
Legacy coveted.
From March 1477, the Duke of Lorraine envisioned to secure possession of any property of his grandfather, Rene d'Anjou. Indeed, the duchies of Anjou, Bar, counties of Maine, Provence and the Kingdom of Sicily was part of the legacy of his grandfather but had not counted on the king of France who wanted monopolize these territories.
While René II went to Provence, the spies of Louis XI furrowed his duchy on the lookout for any information concerning him. Can not return to his dominions, the Duke embarked at Marseilles Nov. 25, 1480 for Venice where he arrived March 13. Accepted April 16 as patrician of the city of the Doges, he sealed a treaty with the Doge Mocenigo John in which he forced himself to come and defend the Venetian Republic in the company of 500 knights and 1000 men at arms in case of danger.
Venice - The campanile of Piazza San Marco
with his left Doge's Palace
During the year 1481, Rene II was finally able to go through Lorraine Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Louis XI had built Anjou, Maine and Provence in the kingdom of France without the Duke of Lorraine could not intervene.
War of Ferrara and his troubles with royalty.
May 3, 1482, the Republic of Venice declared war Ercole d'Este, Duke of Ferrara and supporter of Ferrante of Aragon, the usurper of the kingdom of Sicily, while possession of the House of Anjou. René II decided after a few to make a valuable aid to the Doge but left his good city of Nancy that Duke March 11, 1483, along with a number of lords Lorraine and the Bishop of Verdun. Through Switzerland, the Duke of Lorraine many mercenaries recruited him for bringing to 200 cavalry and 1000 infantry expeditionary capabilities. He was received with great pomp by the Doge of Venice on April 13.
After a brilliant victory over Ercole d'Este and his troops on April 20, Rene II, the newly appointed captain general of the Venetian troops, undertook the siege of the city of Ferrara. More concerned about the fate of Sicily, Duke of Lorraine left the task of completing the capture of Ferrara in Calabria bastard. So he retired to Padua to organize the Sicilian expedition but on the death of King Louis XI of France, who intervened on September 8, he preferred to return as soon as Lorraine September 22 before traveling to Anne of Beaujeu, the late Queen and Charles VIII, any young king.
René II arrived in Blois on 25 October that awaited the Regent Anne de Beaujeu. Wishing to tie, Queen of France gave him back the Barrois, formerly occupied by Louis XI and even offered to marry Philip of Gelderland, which he did elsewhere, but we'll talk.
Rene
Nancy II - Gate the Craffe
July 27, 1486, Rene II sent a scathing protest to the regent of the kingdom about the final connection of the duchy of Anjou and the county of Provence as she had promised to try to help him recover its rights over these two principalities. To appease his hatred, Anne de Beaujeu appointed him Grand Chamberlain and promised to provide troops and money from the perspective of a new expedition to Sicily.
Learning a revolt had exploded in Sicily against the power of Ferrante of Aragon in early 1488, Rene II welcomes this event and rallied his troops to reconquer the land of his ancestors. But he can not carry out his plan for the King of France Charles VIII ordered him to return in Lorraine as envisioned himself to conquer the kingdom of Sicily. Annoyed, the Duke agreed, and on this occasion was also stripped of his command of the company Lances Hundred and the pension granted to 36 000 pounds in 1484.
Rene II does not intend to stop there again and claimed the county of Provence. Charles VIII granted him a pension of 24,000 new compensatory, May 22, 1497.
After the death of the French sovereign April 7 1498, the Duke of Lorraine naturally attended the coronation of Louis XII in which he pays tribute to the changing Barrois. Relations with the new king will not always rosy for the Duke tried repeatedly to get him some land that belonged in the past, like Gondrecourt.
Two marriages.
Duke René II of Lorraine married twice. On September 9, 1471 he married Jeanne d'Harcourt, daughter of William of Harcourt, Count Tancarville and Yolande de Laval. As Jeanne could not bear him children, he divorced her in 1475. Following an investigation by the Official Toul, a meeting of religious and legal marriage annulled last August 8, 1485, ten years after the repudiation ducal. As compensation, Jeanne d'Harcourt received from June 1486 an annual pension of 2000 pounds.
Duke René II of Lorraine and the Duchess of Gelderland Philippe with their son.
Vita Christi by Ludolph the Carthusian . 1506.
Lyon Municipal Library, ms manuscript 5125, folio 3v.
It was at Blois that Rene II met and then married Philip of Gelderland niece of Queen Anne of Beaujeu. Philip was Then the daughter of Adolph Egmont, Duke of Gelderland and Catherine de Bourbon. A marriage contract was signed August 28, 1485 and September 1, the union was celebrated in Orléans. From this union were born twelve children: Charles (born 1486 and died young), Francis (born and died July 5, 1487), Antoine (born June 4, 1489, will succeed his father), Anne (born 1490 and died the following year), Nicolas (born 1493 and died in infancy), Isabella (born 1494 and died before 1508), Claude (born 1496 and died in 1550. Author of the branch of the Dukes of Guise House of Lorraine), John (born 1498 and died in 1550. Cardinal Deacon), Louis (born in 1500 and died in 1528. Bishop of Toul and then abbot of St. Mihiel, became Earl of Vaudémont), Claude and Catherine ( born in 1502) and Francis (born 1506 and died at the Battle of Pavia in 1525).
Philip of Gelderland.
Painting on wood - Early sixteenth century.
Museum Lorrain.
Lying Philip of Gelderland, the second wife of René II (died 1547)
implementation of Ligier Richier
Nancy - Church of the Cordeliers
Rene II, a humanist notified.
The new ducal palace rebuilt shortly after the Battle of Nancy was not only his residence, he sometimes stayed at Bar-le-Duc, Pont à Mousson, or Gondrecourt Luneville ... The ducal court followed him wherever he went and consisted primarily of the ducal family of nobles, squires, apothecaries, doctors, nurses, servants, fools and musicians.
Like the royal court of France, that of Rene II offered a certain sophistication. From 1480, unreleased performances were offered assistance with the staging of exotic animals from Africa, such as lions. Fighting between bulls and wild beasts were thus offered to the ducal court. The court was also part of an artistic and literary development. The ducal patronage enabled including painters express themselves fully; George Trubert in mind. Collector and humanist advised the duke of Lorraine and the Renaissance ushered in Lorraine.
A hunting party decisively.
From July 21, 1482, Rene II had a first draft will at the time he went to Italy. The second will who intervened May 25, 1506, stipulated that the duchies of Lorraine and Bar and the marquis of Pont-à-Mousson would be forever united under one government and that only a man can exercise power.
During autumn 1508, Rene II participated in a hunt near the castle Fain, in the Barrois. Who was not sufficiently covered, the Duke of Lorraine took cold. Returning to the castle, the prince was assumed discomfort and gradually his condition worsened. On 10 December he was found lifeless in his bed. A great prince had died.
Detailed enfeu the Duke René II of Lorraine
Mansuy Gauvin by sculptor (died 1542)
made in 1509
Mansuy Gauvin by sculptor (died 1542)
made in 1509
Nancy - Church of the Cordeliers
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Nancy - The nave of the Church of Cordeliers
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MARICHAL Paul, Rene II, Duke of Lorraine and possessions of the House of Anjou, Maine, 1909.
MARICHAL Paul, Rene II, Duke of Lorraine and the field of Jeanne de Laval, in Memoirs of the Society of Letters, Arts and Sciences from Bar-le-Duc, 3rd Series, Volume III, pp. 65-96.
Michel Parisse, Nobility and Chivalry in Medieval Lorraine, PUN, 1982.
Poulle Georges, the ducal house of Lorraine, PUN, 1991. VIENNA
Rene, Rene II and Venice 1480-1483, in Le Pays Lorrain, No. 3, 1977, pp. 135-139.
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René II defies Charles the Bold
May 9, 1475, the herald Lorraine came to the Duke of Burgundy, who was besieging the city of Neuss, located in the electorate of Cologne to furnish a letter of challenge to his master.
The meeting between the Herald and the Prince was reported by a columnist in these terms:
"First, the entry and obeisance made in the form of supplication, as it suyt:
very high, very good and very illustrious prince, hello, very humble reverence and honor a wonderful Vostre haultesse of parte de hault very, very puyssant and my souveraing seignor the Duke of Lorrayne, Regnier second of that name. I sent her as very humble and very obedient herald of arms, to the end to tell you and explain what it enjoins and ordered me to do.
And for what I presume n'oseroye do not ingest voldroye me to declare my said office, without first giving me beg you hearing and license to do what I ordered, non-Protestant proceed further than your good will wish this wish was granted. Response
not made duke Charles
Hérault, you sayings that you load aves Vostre Maystre, and that according to memory by ayes certiffier, as it is the degree of Your Office.
exposure burden that herald his cap affoyble come with him who spoke in his mouth Maystre, clad in his arms coste:
Toy, Charles, Duke of Bourgoygne on the part of very hault, tres puyssant very feared Prince and the Duke of Lorrayne, and my very redoubtable souveraing seignor, I'll nuncio deffiance aufeuet has blood against thee, thy apyes, subjects and allies, and another charge I proceed any further until I have neither of
Response by Charles the duke said herald, as has its enparlant Maystre:
Herault I have heard and understood the exposure of your office, for which you gave me matter of joy. And for thee, and give a demonstration that the case is such, you invest it with my dress this gift, and tell your Maystre that I trouveray of brief in his country. And the biggest fear I have is not to find. And in order that you were not afraid of your back, I ordered the marreschault my oste at Golden Fleece, King of Arms of my order, they had good seurté convoyent you. Seroys sy sorry because I do not you carry your faisaois Devers Maystre tone, as he OWNED a good and loyal officer of arms.
The fist that this Duke Charles the herald of arms
At despesche weapons officer said the dress was delivered in cloth of gold that then had vestu, and with this ungne silver cup gold in which there were five hundred lions of gold. "
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The Arms of René II of Lorraine in detail
The Duke of Lorraine had the title of Kings of Jerusalem, Naples, Hungary and Aragon, Duke of Anjou, Bar, Gelderland and Jülich. Found on his arms:
- In the middle three eagles: eagles without beak or legs, with outstretched wings, representing the House of Lorraine.
- Above the Kings Cross of Jerusalem.
- The flowers of Lily of Naples.
- left the arms of Hungary.
- Right those of Aragon.
- At the bottom of the lilies of Anjou.
- The 2 lions Gelderland and Jülich.
René II added the double cross of Lorraine cross and the thistle after the battle of NANCY.
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Useful Web Links:
On wikipedia
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren% C3% A9_II_de_Lorraine
The article on Citadel
http:/ / www.citadelle.org/magazine.cfm?mag_id=16&doc_id=995
Descendants of Rene II
René II the Victorious on La Lorraine yesterday and today
Copyright - Olivier PETIT - 2011
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