Battle of Launac facts for kids

The Battle of Launac happened on December 5, 1362. It was the big ending to a long-running fight between two powerful French noble families: the D'Armagnacs and the Foix-Béarns. The main leaders were Jean, Count of Armagnac, and Gaston Fébus of Foix. Gaston Fébus won a huge victory in this battle.

Who Fought in the Battle of Launac?

The Armagnac Army

Jean D'Armagnac's army had soldiers from his own lands. It also included fighters from strong Gascon noble families, like the D'Albrets. Many of his troops were also free companies. These were groups of paid soldiers, like mercenaries, who fought for whoever hired them. Most of D'Armagnac's forces were men-at-arms who fought on horseback.

The Foix Army

Gaston Fébus of Foix had soldiers who were loyal to him, called vassals. He also had a larger number of free company mercenaries. These paid soldiers came from different places, including Germany, Gascony, and England. Foix's army also had men-at-arms. But importantly, he had more infantry, which means foot soldiers. This included a group of skilled English longbowmen. These archers used very powerful bows.

Army Sizes

D'Armagnac's army was bigger than Foix's. However, we don't know the exact number of soldiers on each side.

How the Battle Unfolded

Details about the battle are not very complete. The fight started in the morning and was finished by midday.

The Charge

D'Armagnac's army began by launching a mounted charge. This means his knights on horseback rode quickly towards the Foix army.

Foix's Clever Plan

At first, Foix's army held their ground against the charge. Then, Foix's archers made a surprise move. They had been hidden in a small group of trees behind the enemy. They came out and fired many arrows. These arrows hit many of the Armagnac horses, causing them to fall.

The Retreat

After their horses were hit, the Armagnac soldiers became disorganized. They quickly fled the battlefield.

What Happened After the Battle?

The Battle of Launac is famous because Gaston Fébus captured most of the D'Armagnac leaders. These captured leaders were then held for ransom. This means they had to pay a large sum of money to Gaston Fébus to be set free. This brought Gaston Fébus a huge amount of wealth.

Huge Ransoms

Just Jean D'Armagnac's ransom was 300,000 florins. A florin was a type of gold coin. Records show that the total ransom collected was at least 600,000 florins. This amount of gold weighed more than 2,000 kilograms (over 2 tons)! Some writers at the time thought the amount was even higher.

For example, D'Armagnac's nephew, the Lord of Albret, was ransomed for 100,000 florins. The Count of Comminges paid 50,000 florins. An average knight was ransomed for about 1,500 florins. The D'Armagnac family mostly paid off their debt by selling two important areas of land. These lands were located between Bigorre and Comminges.

A Yearly Celebration

Gaston Fébus was so proud of his victory that he ordered the battle's anniversary to be celebrated every year. These celebrations took place across all his lands. The famous writer Jean Froissart attended the 28th anniversary celebration. He wrote about the religious parades and special feasts that took place.