Battle of Dormans

1575 battle in the French Wars of Religion
Battle of Dormans
Part of the 5th War of Religion in France
Date10 October 1575[1]
Location
Near the village of Dormans, on the Marne[1]
Result Catholic victory
Belligerents
Catholics Huguenots / Protestants
Commanders and leaders
Henry I, Duke of Guise John Casimir of the Palatinate-Simmern
Strength
10,000 4,500 - 6,000
Casualties and losses
50 50
  • v
  • t
  • e
French Wars of Religion
First; 1562–1563
Conflict in the provinces; Rouen; Vergt; Dreux; Orléans

Second; 1567–1568
Saint-Denis; Chartres

Third; 1568–1570
Jarnac; La Roche-l'Abeille; Poitiers; Orthez; Moncontour; Saint-Jean d'Angély; Arney-le-Duc

Fourth; 1572–1573
Mons; Sommières; Sancerre; La Rochelle

Fifth; 1574–1576
Dormans

Sixth; 1577
La Charité-sur-Loire; Issoire; Brouage

Seventh; 1580
La Fère

War of the Three Henrys (1585–1589)
Coutras; Vimory; Auneau; Day of the Barricades

Succession of Henry IV of France (1589–1594)
Arques; Ivry; Paris; Château-Laudran; Rouen; Caudebec; Craon; 1st Luxembourg; Blaye; Morlaix; Fort Crozon

Franco-Spanish War (1595–1598)
2nd Luxembourg; Fontaine-Française; Ham; Le Catelet; Doullens; Cambrai; Calais; La Fère; Ardres; Amiens

The Battle of Dormans was fought on 10 October 1575, during the 5th War of Religion in France, between the armies of Henry I, Duke of Guise (i.e. Catholics) and the Huguenot-recruited German army of John Casimir of the Palatinate-Simmern (i.e. Protestants).[1]

Guise brought about 10,000 men to the battle, facing 4,500[2] - 6,000 Huguenots and Germans.[3][4]

During the battle, the Duke of Guise was wounded in his face, which gave him the nickname "Le Balafré".[5] According to Penny Richards: "This scar and this name, with which he was thereafter frequently depicted, contributed to his legendary reputation".[5] Both sides lost no more than 50 men.[2]

Though the Duke of Guise achieved a victory at Dormans, in its aftermath, he was unable to break through the defences of François de Montmorency.[1][5] The 5th war concluded with the Edict of Beaulieu in May 1576.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Campbell 2003.
  2. ^ a b Thompson 1909, p. 506.
  3. ^ Konnert, Mark W. (2006). Local Politics in the French Wars of Religion: The Towns of Champagne, the Duc de Guise, and the Catholic League, 1560-95. London: Routledge. pp. 122–123.
  4. ^ d'Aubigné, Agrippa. Histoire Universelle, volume 4 (Alphonse de Ruble ed.). pp. 380–381.
  5. ^ a b c Richards 2016, p. 177.

Sources

  • Campbell, Gordon, ed. (2003). "Wars of Religion or (French) Guerres de Religion". The Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press.
  • Richards, Penny (2016). "Warriors of God: History, Heritage and the Reputation of the Guise". In Munns, Jessica; Richards, Penny; Sprangler, Jonathan (eds.). Aspiration, Representation and Memory: The Guise in Europe, 1506–1688. Routledge. ISBN 978-1317178033.
  • Thompson, James Westfall (1909). The Wars of Religion in France, 1559-1576: The Huguenots, Catherine de Medici, and Philip II. The University of Chicago Press.506