Écorcheurs facts for kids
The écorcheurs (pronounced "eh-kor-SHUR") were groups of armed men who caused a lot of trouble in France during the time of King Charles VII. Their name means "flayers" because they would take everything from people, even their clothes.
These men were mercenaries, which means they were soldiers who fought for money. But after the Treaty of Arras in 1435, which ended fights between two big groups called the Armagnacs and Burgundians, many of these soldiers lost their jobs. One famous écorcheur was Rodrigo de Villandrando, who was known as the "Emperor of Pillagers."
Contents
The Écorcheurs: A Story of Unemployed Soldiers
How Soldiers Changed in the Middle Ages
From the mid-1300s, the French king's army started to change. Soldiers became more like full-time professionals. They were paid by the king or by powerful nobles. This was different from earlier times when soldiers might only fight when called upon.
Why Écorcheurs Appeared
The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) was a very long conflict between France and England. It meant that many men became career soldiers. But when there were periods of peace or truces, these soldiers suddenly had no work. Sometimes, they didn't even get their last pay.
Many of these unemployed soldiers didn't have money to go home. Others liked the exciting and profitable life of a fighter. So, they decided to stick together. They formed their own groups, often called "bands of the road." These groups would travel around France, stealing goods and demanding money from people to survive.
For example, after the Peace of Brétigny-Calais in 1360, many large groups of mercenaries were disbanded. Those who didn't want to stop fighting or couldn't afford to go home became these independent bands. They caused a lot of problems for ordinary people in the countryside.
See also
- Routiers
- White Company
- Free company
