Charles d'Albret
Encyclopedia
Charles d'Albret was Constable of France
from 1402 until 1411, and again from 1413 until 1415. He was also the co-commander of the French
army at the Battle of Agincourt
where he was killed by the English forces led by King Henry V
.
, Lord of Albret, and Margaret de Bourbon
. He fought under Bertrand du Guesclin
as a young man. He was made the constable of France by Charles VI
in 1402, but dismissed when the Burgundian
faction gained power at court. He was restored to his office in 1413 when the Armagnac
faction regained power.
Although nominal commander of the French army in the Agincourt campaign together with Marshal
Boucicaut
, the two professional soldiers could not exercise effective control over the higher-ranking French nobles on the day of the battle. Constable d'Albret was killed at Agincourt during the celebrated battle on 25 October 1415, against the numerically-smaller English troops led by King Henry V
.
in Henry V
, the 1989 film adaptation of William Shakespeare
's play of the same name. Constable d'Albret's death at Agincourt is vividly depicted in the film which starred Irish actor Kenneth Branagh
in the title role.
Constable of France
The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
from 1402 until 1411, and again from 1413 until 1415. He was also the co-commander of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
army at the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
where he was killed by the English forces led by King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
.
Biography
He was born into an old Gascon family, the son of ArnaudArnaud Amanieu, Lord of Albret
Arnaud Amanieu was the Lord of Albret from 1358. Arnaud Amanieu was the son of Bernard Ezi IV and Mathe of Armagnac.In 1330, Edward III of England sent men to Gascony to negotiate with the nobles...
, Lord of Albret, and Margaret de Bourbon
Margaret of Bourbon (1344- 1416)
Marguerite de Bourbon, Lady of Albret was a daughter of Peter I, Duke of Bourbon and his wife Isabella of France, who was a daughter of Charles of France. Margaret was a member of the House of Bourbon....
. He fought under Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin , known as the Eagle of Brittany or the Black Dog of Brocéliande, was a Breton knight and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was Constable of France from 1370 to his death...
as a young man. He was made the constable of France by Charles VI
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
in 1402, but dismissed when the Burgundian
Burgundian (party)
The Burgundian party was a political allegiance in France that formed during the reign of Charles VI during the latter half of the Hundred Years' War...
faction gained power at court. He was restored to his office in 1413 when the Armagnac
Armagnac (party)
The Armagnac party was prominent in French politics and warfare during the Hundred Years' War. It was allied with the supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans against John the Fearless after Charles' father Louis of Orléans was killed at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407...
faction regained power.
Although nominal commander of the French army in the Agincourt campaign together with Marshal
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
Boucicaut
Jean Le Maingre
Jean II Le Maingre , called Boucicaut was marshal of France and a knight renowned for his military skill.He was the son of marshal Jean I Le Maingre, also called Boucicaut...
, the two professional soldiers could not exercise effective control over the higher-ranking French nobles on the day of the battle. Constable d'Albret was killed at Agincourt during the celebrated battle on 25 October 1415, against the numerically-smaller English troops led by King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
.
Family
He married, as her third husband, Marie de Sully, daughter of Louis de Sully and Isabel de Craon, on 27 January 1400 and had issue:- Jeanne d'Albret (1403–1433), married in 1422 John IJohn I, Count of FoixJohn I, Count of Foix also known as Jean de Foix-Grailly was Count of Foix from 1428 until his death in 1436. He succeeded his mother Isabella, Countess of Foix...
, Count of Foix. She was his second wife; the only one of his three wives who bore him issue. Gaston IV of Foix was the eldest of their two sons. - Charles II d'Albret (1407–1471), married Anne of ArmagnacAnne of ArmagnacAnne of Armagnac, Dame d'Albret, Countess of Dreux was a French noblewoman and a member of the powerful Gascon Armagnac family which played a prominent role in French politics during the Hundred Years War and were the principal adversaries of the Burgundians throughout the Armagnac-Burgundian...
(born 1402), the daughter of Bernard VII of Armagnac, Count of Charolais and Bonne of Berry, by whom he had seven children. Queen Jeanne III of NavarreJeanne III of NavarreJeanne d'Albret , also known as Jeanne III or Joan III, was the queen regnant of Navarre from 1555 to 1572. She married Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, and was the mother of Henry of Bourbon, who became King of Navarre and of France as Henry IV, the first Bourbon king...
was a notable descendant. - Guillaume d'Albret (d. 1429), Lord of Orval
- Jean d'Albret
- Catherine d'Albret, married Jean de Montagu (1363–1409), vidameVidameVidame, a French corruption of the official Latin term vicedominus , was a feudal title in France...
of LaonLaonLaon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
and illegitimate son of Charles V of FranceCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
.
In film
The character of Constable Charles d'Albret was portrayed by Canadian actor, Richard EastonRichard Easton
Richard Easton is a Canadian actor. He is best known in for his portrayal of Brian Hammond in the 1970s BBC serial The Brothers.-Biography:...
in Henry V
Henry V (1989 film)
Henry V is a 1989 film directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on William Shakespeare's play The Life of Henry the Fifth about the famous English king. Branagh stars in the title role, and wrote the screenplay. The film was highly acclaimed on its release....
, the 1989 film adaptation of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's play of the same name. Constable d'Albret's death at Agincourt is vividly depicted in the film which starred Irish actor Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...
in the title role.