Bataille de Restellou/Resthellou
9 June 1346
Charles de Blois v 
Sir Thomas Dagworth (Anglo-Breton)War of Breton Succession
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Charles had coinage but Thomas Dagworth did not.
Charles of Blois (1345-64)
Billon Gros au Lion,
26mm, 2.99gr. Obv: CHA ROL LVS DVX inner ring,
+BNDICTV:SIT:NOME:DNI:NRI:HV:XPI, central cross. Rev: +MONETA BRITAN, central
lion. Bigot 425, Jez.159. Image from
monnaiesdantan.com, Alexis Bigot sale 11/2010.
Jean IV (1364-99)
AR Gros, 28mm, 3.61gr. Obv: + IOHANNE DEI GRACIA DVX
BRITANIE, central lion and shield. Rev: + XPC VINCIT XPC REGNAT XPC IPERAT V,
central cross. Bigot 770; Jez 254. Image from monnaiesdantan.com, Alexis Bigot
sale 11/2010.
Background
Jean III, duke
of Brittany, died in 1341 without a clear male heir.
His intended heir, brother Gui de Penthievre, predeceased him. This
left claimants to the duchy his sister, Jeanne de Penthievre, who
married Charles de Blois, and his
half brother, Jean de Montfort. Through the marriage of Jeanne and
Charles de
Blois, Blois became a claimant to the duchy. The contention between
Blois and
Montfort set up a civil war in Brittany, commonly called the War of
Breton
Succession. In this conflict, Blois became a client of the French while
Montfort became a client of the English, hence this war was a part of
the
larger Hundred Years War, the conflict over succession to the French
crown.
Jean de Montfort married (Jeanne) and they had a son. Jean de Montfort died in 1345. His wife carried on the conflict for their son, who was initially too young to take an active part in the fighting. He was only six when his father died. He was protected in England.
These relationships can be seen on the war of Breton Succession genealogy page.
The Montfort faction had its strength in the south and west of Brittany while Blois had his strength in the north and east. Restellou (spelled Resthellou on IGN Carte Randonee 0717 O) is a very small community in Brittany, south of Perros-Guirec. It is not noted on the larger scale (1:250,000) IGN map. In 1346 Sir Thomas Dagworth was the English commander in Brittany. Charles of Blois led his own forces. Map 1 shows Restellou's location. It is in the circled area just south of Callac. The purple semi-circle top right is La Roche Derrien, where Charles lost his life in 1347.
Map 1
The description of the this battle relies heavily on Clifford Rogers' article cited below. It is his scholarship that places the fight here rather than at previously suggested locations. The first and easier question is when did this battle occur. Rogers, citing the St. Omer Chronicle, argues for the 9 June 1346 date, rather than several other dates that have been offered for the conflict. In this he finds himself in agreement with Sumption (1999, p 496) and Burne (1999 p 88). However, there are several candidates for the location of the battle. Sumption and Burne place it at St. Pol de Leon, which is north of Morlaix on the Breton coast. It is not on Map 1, but further west (left of places shown on Map 1). Rogers (130), relying on the St. Omer Chronicle, says "we can now further conclude that it took place in the very center of Brittany, near Restellou, rather than near Cadoret, St. Pol de Leon or La Roche-Derrein."
Since this is a new interpretation of the placement of the combat, I want to cite several other passages from Rogers' article. He goes on to further quote the St. Omer Chronicle as saying the fight was "in a very strong passage behind (or next to or near) a town called Restellaiu." He also cites cites a version of the Historia aurea as saying that Dagworth was traveling "towards a certain place called Leon" when he encountered Blois, not that he was at Leon. Yet another version of the Historia aurea he cites says the Dagworth was "about half way" on a provisioning expedition to unnamed English held towns. Given St. Pol de Leon's location on the coast, it is hard to see it as a spot 'half way' to an town in need of provisioning. From his reading of the historical record, Rogers concludes that his hypothesis that the conflict occurred at Restellou is a sound. I will follow this interpretation.
Taking a closer look at the area ,we can see Dagworth's position. Map 2 shows Callac, the nearby town, and Restellou, just south of it. Map 3 is Rogers' representation of the area. On his map the contour lines show the elevations rising to Restellou.
Blois planned a two front attack. One group of about 500 men at arms and supported by crossbow men was to attack from the south (the shorter blue arrow). They were supposed to wait until the second group circled around and attacked from the opposite flank, putting Dagworth in a pincer. The first group was led by Guillaume de la Heuse. He was so confident of his success that he attacked before the second group got in position. Their route to their position is greater than I indicated with the curving blue line. The attack was on foot. Dagworth had to defend only one front and his archers were able to concentrate their fire on Heuse's group. His attack was ultimately repulsed. The second group finally got into position and they attacked, and were also repulsed. Dagworth was able to fight each group separately rather than simultaneously. French casualties were heavy and while many of Dagworth's men were wounded, there were few fatalities. At the end of this first phase, Dagworth still held the Restellou summit. Blois might have sat out the first phase with his large reserve, anticipating success without having to commit all his forces
Here are several views of the land today. The first is the view Blois would have had approaching from the south. Blois would have had to descend one hill to launch the attack on Dagworth.
Jean de Montfort married (Jeanne) and they had a son. Jean de Montfort died in 1345. His wife carried on the conflict for their son, who was initially too young to take an active part in the fighting. He was only six when his father died. He was protected in England.
These relationships can be seen on the war of Breton Succession genealogy page.
The Montfort faction had its strength in the south and west of Brittany while Blois had his strength in the north and east. Restellou (spelled Resthellou on IGN Carte Randonee 0717 O) is a very small community in Brittany, south of Perros-Guirec. It is not noted on the larger scale (1:250,000) IGN map. In 1346 Sir Thomas Dagworth was the English commander in Brittany. Charles of Blois led his own forces. Map 1 shows Restellou's location. It is in the circled area just south of Callac. The purple semi-circle top right is La Roche Derrien, where Charles lost his life in 1347.
Map 1
The description of the this battle relies heavily on Clifford Rogers' article cited below. It is his scholarship that places the fight here rather than at previously suggested locations. The first and easier question is when did this battle occur. Rogers, citing the St. Omer Chronicle, argues for the 9 June 1346 date, rather than several other dates that have been offered for the conflict. In this he finds himself in agreement with Sumption (1999, p 496) and Burne (1999 p 88). However, there are several candidates for the location of the battle. Sumption and Burne place it at St. Pol de Leon, which is north of Morlaix on the Breton coast. It is not on Map 1, but further west (left of places shown on Map 1). Rogers (130), relying on the St. Omer Chronicle, says "we can now further conclude that it took place in the very center of Brittany, near Restellou, rather than near Cadoret, St. Pol de Leon or La Roche-Derrein."
Since this is a new interpretation of the placement of the combat, I want to cite several other passages from Rogers' article. He goes on to further quote the St. Omer Chronicle as saying the fight was "in a very strong passage behind (or next to or near) a town called Restellaiu." He also cites cites a version of the Historia aurea as saying that Dagworth was traveling "towards a certain place called Leon" when he encountered Blois, not that he was at Leon. Yet another version of the Historia aurea he cites says the Dagworth was "about half way" on a provisioning expedition to unnamed English held towns. Given St. Pol de Leon's location on the coast, it is hard to see it as a spot 'half way' to an town in need of provisioning. From his reading of the historical record, Rogers concludes that his hypothesis that the conflict occurred at Restellou is a sound. I will follow this interpretation.
Taking a closer look at the area ,we can see Dagworth's position. Map 2 shows Callac, the nearby town, and Restellou, just south of it. Map 3 is Rogers' representation of the area. On his map the contour lines show the elevations rising to Restellou.
Map 2
Map 3
Map 3Restellou is
actually two small communities, Restellou Tanguy to the west and
Restellou Braz to the east. Today they are effectively merged but in
1346 they were separated by about 100 meters. Restellou is on a hill
that slopes down in all directions. Dagworth was seriously outnumbered
in this fight. He had only about 180 men with him, 80 men at arms and
100 archers. He faced Charles de Blois' force of over 3500 troop,
including more than 1000 men at arms and 2000 crossbow men. His choice
of the terrain to defend and the effectiveness of his archers was the
key to his success.
Map 4 offers a closer look at the terrain as well as the nature of the first attack. There is a small dip in the ground between the two Restellou's, and this, argues Rogers, likely funneled the attack into this avenue of approach. Dagworth split his archers so that there were groups on each flank, in the Restellou's. They were able to take some shelter among the existing buildings. His men at arms filled the gap between the two hameaus. He had no reserve.
Map 4 offers a closer look at the terrain as well as the nature of the first attack. There is a small dip in the ground between the two Restellou's, and this, argues Rogers, likely funneled the attack into this avenue of approach. Dagworth split his archers so that there were groups on each flank, in the Restellou's. They were able to take some shelter among the existing buildings. His men at arms filled the gap between the two hameaus. He had no reserve.
Map 4 
Blois planned a two front attack. One group of about 500 men at arms and supported by crossbow men was to attack from the south (the shorter blue arrow). They were supposed to wait until the second group circled around and attacked from the opposite flank, putting Dagworth in a pincer. The first group was led by Guillaume de la Heuse. He was so confident of his success that he attacked before the second group got in position. Their route to their position is greater than I indicated with the curving blue line. The attack was on foot. Dagworth had to defend only one front and his archers were able to concentrate their fire on Heuse's group. His attack was ultimately repulsed. The second group finally got into position and they attacked, and were also repulsed. Dagworth was able to fight each group separately rather than simultaneously. French casualties were heavy and while many of Dagworth's men were wounded, there were few fatalities. At the end of this first phase, Dagworth still held the Restellou summit. Blois might have sat out the first phase with his large reserve, anticipating success without having to commit all his forces
Here are several views of the land today. The first is the view Blois would have had approaching from the south. Blois would have had to descend one hill to launch the attack on Dagworth.
When we visited I
walked into a farmer's yard to take a picture of the English view from
the their right flank. He came out and as we got to talking and I told
him I was interested in 'la bataille de Restellou' he offered to take
me through the villages and show me various vantage points. He was
familiar with the battle, offering an on site confirmation to the
hypothesis the fight occurred here. The first photo is from the English
right flank. The second is closer to the English left flank, in
Restellou Braz. Both reflect the steepness of the hill Blois' assault
faced. The hill in the distance in both photos is that from which
Blois' view was taken.
It is unclear if
any of the buildings still there date from the 14th C. One farmhouse
has a ruined fireplace from an earlier building in its courtyard and
was using an abandoned church as a barn. I don't know if these date
from the time of the fight.
Blois regrouped
his scattered forces and planned another assault on Dagworth. Map 5
shows his plan of attack for phase two of the combat. Blois divided his
army into three divisions and he took command of the center division,
the one attacking from the east. This made it possible to communicate
with the north and south divisions and should have offered an
unbeatable attack. Against this overwhelming force, Dagworth once again
prevailed. Rogers offers several explanations for his success. He had
chosen his ground very well and held the high points, forcing an uphill
attack. The buildings on both flanks offered some shelter for his
archers against the French crossbow men. And after failing on two
previous attempts, it would not be a surprise if the French were
hesitant and somewhat unenthused about trying once again.
This fight didn't
change the outcome of the war of Breton Succession in itself but it was
none the less a remarkable English victory. A small force of about 180
men held off an army likely to be 25 times its size. In the battles
discussed on this site, none come close to the odds Dagworth faced.
This is truly a magnificent English victory. The English archer played
a critical role in its success.
Sources
Burne, A.H., The Crecy War, Wordsworth Editions, 1999.
Rogers, C., “Sir Thomas Dagworth in Brittany, 1346-7:
Restellou and La Roche Derrien,” in The Journal of Medieval Military History,
vol. III, The Boydell Press, 2005
Sumption, J. Trial by Battle, U of Penn Press, Philadelphia, 1999