Amaury de Sévérac facts for kids

Sévérac coat of arms

Amaury de Sévérac was an important French knight and soldier. He was the lord of Sévérac-le-Château and Beaucaire of Chaudes-Aigues. From 1422 to 1427, he held the high military rank of Marshal of France. This means he was one of the most senior commanders in the French army.

Amaury was the last person to hold the title of baron of Sévérac from the first family line. He started his military career in a region called Flanders. There, he served under a powerful noble, Count John III of Armagnac. In 1389, Amaury followed Count John to Aragon. John was trying to claim the title of king of Majorca. During this time, Amaury was captured at the Battle of Navata.

Amaury's Military Adventures

Fighting in Italy

After being captured, Amaury had to pay a ransom to be set free. He paid it in 1390. After that, he rejoined Count John III of Armagnac. Amaury, along with another leader named Francois d'Albret, led groups of soldiers. These groups were part of the "Grandes Compagnies de France." These were large bands of mercenary soldiers. They fought in a region of Italy called Lombardy.

In July 1391, Amaury was with John III at the Battle of Alessandria. They fought alongside John's brother-in-law, Carlo Visconti. They were fighting against an army from Milan. This army was sent by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, a powerful duke. Amaury and his allies did not win this battle.

Staying in Northern Italy

Even though John III died in the battle, Amaury stayed in northern Italy. He continued to fight for Parma and Florentines. These cities were against the Duke of Milan. In 1395, the Duke of Milan decided to pay Amaury to leave. This shows how skilled and feared Amaury was as a soldier.

Returning to France

When Amaury returned to France, he joined a new army. This army was put together by several important leaders. Their goal was to get rid of groups called Écorcheurs. These were former soldiers who had become bandits. They lived by stealing and robbing.

Life in Rouergue

Chateau de severac.

After his time as a soldier, Amaury went back to his home region of Rouergue. He tried to help the local economy grow. He started an iron mine in a place called Espeyrac. He also started new fairs, which were like markets where people could trade goods.

At the same time, Amaury was involved in the conflicts between two powerful French families. These were the Armagnac and the Burgundians. These families were often fighting each other for power.

Battle of Cravant

In 1423, Amaury led the royal French army at the Battle of Cravant. However, his army was defeated by a combined force of English and Burgundians soldiers.

Becoming a Marshal

Despite this defeat, Amaury was given a very important role. In 1424, he was made a Marshal of France. This was a great honor. He was also put in charge of the military in several regions. These included Lyon, Mâcon, and Charolais. In 1425, he made his will, leaving his possessions to the Count of Armagnac.

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