Battle of St. Mathieu
Encyclopedia
The naval Battle of Saint-Mathieu took place on 10 August 1512 during the War of the League of Cambrai
, near Brest
, France, between an English fleet of 25 ships commanded by Sir Edward Howard
and a Franco-Breton fleet of 22 ships commanded by René de Clermont. It is possibly the first battle between ships using cannon through ports, although this played a minor role in the fighting.
The two main ships (Marie la Cordelière and Louise) faced the enemy to cover the retreat of the rest of the fleet to the port of Brest
. Under English fire, Marie-la-Cordelière sailed towards the most powerful English ship, the Regent. The Sovereign and the Mary James rushed to rescue the Regent and surrounded the Cordelière, while the superior fire of the Mary Rose
badly damaged the Louise which was forced to retreat. The Cordelière remained alone among the English fleet, with the exception of the small Nef-de-Dieppe which harassed the English ships. The Cordelières canons dismasted both Sovereign and Mary-James which, being ungovernable, drifted in the Iroise Sea
.
Hervé de PortzMoguer
, the Breton captain of the Cordelière ordered the assault of the Regent. Grappling hooks were thrown and the two ships were tied together. The seamen of the Marie-la-Cordelière rushed on the Regent's deck which was constantly being reinforced by English ships transfering their crews on the Regent. The little Nef-de-Dieppe manoeuvered skillfully to bombard these new assailants. The deck of the Regent was covered by blood when, suddenly, the Cordelière exploded, inflaming the Regent and draging it to the bottom of the sea. The crews of both ships were almost entirely annihilated. Only 20 wounded Breton sailors out of 1.250 were saved from the Cordelière and 60 English from the Regent.
The destruction of the Breton ship Marie la Cordelière, the day of Saint Lawrence
(10 August), was portrayed as a deliberate act of self-sacrificing heroism on the part of the commander Hervé de Portzmoguer. He is supposed to have said «Nous allons fêter saint Laurent qui périt par le feu!». ("we will celebrate the feast of Saint Lawrence, who died by fire") before blowing up the ship to avoid its capture. In fact, there is no evidence that the explosion was intentional.
Over the next two days, with the French fleet in Brest, the English fleet destroyed thirty two French vessels and recovered the valuable French anchors before returning to England. As a result of the engagement Sir Edward Howard was made Lord High Admiral
by King Henry VIII
.
to king Louis XII of France
. The combination of the French and Breton fleets was thus the first significant military action in which the two countries fought together, twenty four years after the Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier (1488)
, the last battle between them. It thus became symbolic within Brittany of the unity between Brittany and France. The Breton poet Théodore Botrel
wrote a heroic poem about the incident, and an equally heroic version is portrayed Alan Simon
in the song Marie la Cordelière from Anne de Bretagne (2008).
France°N conflict=yes°W
War of the League of Cambrai
The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names, was a major conflict in the Italian Wars...
, near Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, France, between an English fleet of 25 ships commanded by Sir Edward Howard
Edward Howard (admiral)
Sir Edward Howard, KG , son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Surrey and his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney, and a younger brother of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. He was the first of the Howards to win fame as an admiral, participating in his first naval battle while in his teens...
and a Franco-Breton fleet of 22 ships commanded by René de Clermont. It is possibly the first battle between ships using cannon through ports, although this played a minor role in the fighting.
Battle
Well informed about the Franco-Breton manoeuvres, the English surprised them at anchor. Unprepared, all the French and Breton ships cut their anchor cables and spread their sails.The two main ships (Marie la Cordelière and Louise) faced the enemy to cover the retreat of the rest of the fleet to the port of Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
. Under English fire, Marie-la-Cordelière sailed towards the most powerful English ship, the Regent. The Sovereign and the Mary James rushed to rescue the Regent and surrounded the Cordelière, while the superior fire of the Mary Rose
Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a...
badly damaged the Louise which was forced to retreat. The Cordelière remained alone among the English fleet, with the exception of the small Nef-de-Dieppe which harassed the English ships. The Cordelières canons dismasted both Sovereign and Mary-James which, being ungovernable, drifted in the Iroise Sea
Iroise Sea
The Iroise Sea or Mer d'Iroise is the part of the Atlantic Ocean which stretches from the Ile de Sein to Ushant off the coast of Brittany in north-western France. It borders on the English Channel to the north, the Celtic Sea to the west and the Bay of Biscay to the south. The origin of the name is...
.
Hervé de PortzMoguer
Hervé de Portzmoguer
Hervé de Portzmoguer , known as "Primauguet", was a Breton naval commander, renowned for his raids on the English and his death in the Battle of St. Mathieu.-Raids:...
, the Breton captain of the Cordelière ordered the assault of the Regent. Grappling hooks were thrown and the two ships were tied together. The seamen of the Marie-la-Cordelière rushed on the Regent's deck which was constantly being reinforced by English ships transfering their crews on the Regent. The little Nef-de-Dieppe manoeuvered skillfully to bombard these new assailants. The deck of the Regent was covered by blood when, suddenly, the Cordelière exploded, inflaming the Regent and draging it to the bottom of the sea. The crews of both ships were almost entirely annihilated. Only 20 wounded Breton sailors out of 1.250 were saved from the Cordelière and 60 English from the Regent.
The destruction of the Breton ship Marie la Cordelière, the day of Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence
Lawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.- Holy Chalice :...
(10 August), was portrayed as a deliberate act of self-sacrificing heroism on the part of the commander Hervé de Portzmoguer. He is supposed to have said «Nous allons fêter saint Laurent qui périt par le feu!». ("we will celebrate the feast of Saint Lawrence, who died by fire") before blowing up the ship to avoid its capture. In fact, there is no evidence that the explosion was intentional.
Over the next two days, with the French fleet in Brest, the English fleet destroyed thirty two French vessels and recovered the valuable French anchors before returning to England. As a result of the engagement Sir Edward Howard was made Lord High Admiral
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
Role in Breton culture
Brittany and France were still technically separate realms at the time, united only dynastically through the marriage of Duchess AnneAnne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
to king Louis XII of France
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
. The combination of the French and Breton fleets was thus the first significant military action in which the two countries fought together, twenty four years after the Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier (1488)
Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier (1488)
The Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier took place on July 28, 1488, between the forces of king Charles VIII of France, and those of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and his allies. The defeat of the latter signalled the end to the "guerre folle" , a feudal conflict in which French aristocrats revolted...
, the last battle between them. It thus became symbolic within Brittany of the unity between Brittany and France. The Breton poet Théodore Botrel
Théodore Botrel
Jean-Baptiste-Théodore-Marie Botrel was a French singer-songwriter, poet and playwright. He is best known for his popular songs about his native Brittany, of which the most famous is La Paimpolaise. During World War I he became France's official "Bard of the Armies".-Life:Born in Dinan, Botrel was...
wrote a heroic poem about the incident, and an equally heroic version is portrayed Alan Simon
Alan Simon (musician)
Alan Simon is a French folk-rock musician and composer best known for his rock operas which are performed with collaboration from other noted rock musicians. Simon is associated with Breton Celticism, and his most ambitious works are typically on themes linked to Celtic myth and history...
in the song Marie la Cordelière from Anne de Bretagne (2008).
England (Edward Howard)
(List is probable, not certain)- Regent (Thomas Knyvet) - Burnt
- Sovereign (Charles Brandon)
- Jenett
- Barbara
- Mary Barking
- Mary RoseMary RoseThe Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a...
(Thomas Wyndham) - Peter PomegranatePeter PomegranateThe Peter Pomegranate was a 16th-century warship completed for service in 1510. Its name most likely was in honour of Saint Peter, founder of the Christian church, and after the badge of Queen Catharine of Aragon, a pomegranate...
- John Hopton
- Mary John
- Anne of Greenwich
- Mary George
- Dragon
- Lion
- George of Falmouth
- Peter of Fowey
- Nicholas of Hampton
- Martinet
- Christopher Davy
- Sabyn
- Nicholas Reede
- Margaret of Topsham (James Knyvet)
- Mary James (Anthony Ughtred)
- Magdalene (J. Brigandyne)
- Henry of Hampton
- Catherine Pomegranate (Henry Gyldeford)
France and Brittany (René de Clermont)
(Marie la Cordelière probably refers to Nef de Morlaix, although it could have been Nef de Brest)- Nef de Rouen
- Nef d'Orléans
- Nef de Dieppe
- Nef de Bordeaux
- Petite Louise
- Nef de Morlaix (Marie la Cordelière) (Hervé de Porzmoguer aka Primauguet) - Burnt
- Nef de Brest
- Nef de Rochelle
- Nef de Bordeaux
- Saint Sauveur
- 12 others
External links
France°N conflict=yes°W