Jean de Grouchy facts for kids
Jean de Grouchy (born 1354 – died 4 November 1435) was a brave Norman knight. He was the lord of Montérolier from 1395. People called him "the bravest of the brave" and "Father of the Cauchois." This meant he was a hero to the people of the Pays de Caux region. Jean de Grouchy is remembered for fighting against the English in Normandy during the Hundred Years War.
Jean might have fought in the famous Battle of Agincourt. He also supported the French prince, called the Dauphin, who later became King Charles VII of France. Because Jean and his brother Louis fought against England, King Henry V of England took away their lands in 1419. These lands were then given to an Englishman.
Taking Back Harfleur
The town of Harfleur had been controlled by the English since 1415. By 1435, it was the last place they still held in Normandy. Jean de Grouchy learned that many people in Harfleur wanted to help fight the English. So, he worked with other French leaders like Floquet, Carnier, and Lahire. They made a plan with 104 people living inside Harfleur.
On the night of November 3rd and 4th, 1435, Jean de Grouchy and his troops got ready. Another leader, John de Rieux, distracted the English with 4,000 soldiers on horseback. This allowed de Grouchy and his Cauchois troops to get close to the town. A fire lit by the 104 French residents in the suburbs near the Porte d'Eure was the signal to attack.
At dawn, the English guards saw the high walls of the suburb on fire. They quickly warned everyone, and the English soldiers rushed out to put out the flames. This was the moment Jean de Grouchy and his men had been waiting for. They quickly moved up a slope to a weak spot in the walls. This was the same place where the English had broken through in 1415. The French soldiers took over the town, fighting bravely against their enemies. Sadly, Jean de Grouchy was 81 years old. While climbing the slope, he was one of 40 attackers who died in the battle. Ten years later, the English returned to Normandy and took back the de Grouchy family's land.
His Legacy Today
In 1875, a bronze statue of Jean de Grouchy was put up in Harfleur. The statue shows him wearing armor and holding a sword. It reminds everyone of his bravery and his fight for France.
