Battle of La Roche-Derrien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of La Roche-Derrien |
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| Part of the War of the Breton Succession | |||||||
 Charles de Blois, Duke of Brittany, is taken prisoner after the battle of La Roche-Derrien |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| House of Montfort, Brittany Kingdom of England |
House of Blois, Brittany Kingdom of France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Thomas Dagworth | Charles of Blois | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,000 | 4,000-5,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of La Roche-Derrien was an important fight during the Breton War of Succession. This battle happened on the night of June 20, 1347. It was fought between forces from England and Brittany (called Anglo-Breton) against forces from France and Brittany (called Franco-Breton).
About 4,000 to 5,000 French, Breton, and Genoese soldiers were involved. This was the largest army ever gathered by Charles of Blois. They surrounded the town of La Roche-Derrien. Their goal was to make Sir Thomas Dagworth come out and fight. Dagworth was the leader of the only English army in Brittany at that time. Charles hoped to defeat him in a big battle.
Why the Battle Happened
Charles of Blois wanted to beat the skilled English longbowmen. He ordered his men to set up four camps around the town's four gates. They built weak fences, called palisades, for cover. Charles believed that archers couldn't hit what they couldn't see. He gave strict orders for his soldiers to stay inside their camps. This would make them harder targets for the archers.
How the Battle Unfolded
When Dagworth's army arrived, they were much smaller. They had less than a fourth of the Franco-Breton forces. They attacked the main camp on the eastern side. But they fell right into Charles's trap.
Dagworth's main group was attacked from both the front and the back. Crossbow bolts rained down on them. After a short time, Dagworth himself had to give up.
Charles thought he had won the battle. He believed Brittany was now his. So, he became less careful. However, a group from inside the town suddenly attacked. These were mostly townspeople armed with axes and farm tools. They came from behind Charles's lines.
The archers and soldiers who were left from Dagworth's first attack joined with the town's defenders. Together, they fought against Charles's forces. Charles was forced to surrender and was captured. He was held for ransom.
Charles's strict orders for his commanders to stay in their camps ended up being his downfall. The Anglo-Breton forces were able to clear out each camp one by one.
The Battle in Stories
The Battle of La Roche-Derrien appears in some fictional works.
It is part of Bernard Cornwell's historical novel Vagabond. This book is in his Grail Quest series. These books are set during the Hundred Years' War.
The battle is also shown in Richard Donner’s 2003 film "Timeline". This movie is based on Michael Crichton’s 1999 novel of the same name. The film follows a group of archaeologists who travel through time. They get lost during the battle.
