Navarrese Company
Encyclopedia
The Navarrese Company was a company of mercenaries
, mostly from Navarre
and Gascony
, which fought in Greece
during the late 14th century and early 15th century, in the twilight of Frankish power in the dwindling remnant of the Latin Empire
. "Navarrese Company" is an informal, modern, somewhat inaccurate, term for these soldiers.
against Charles V of France
. In 1366, after peace was made, the mercenaries were organised into a coherent company of soldiers under Louis, Count of Beaumont-le-Roger
in his own right and Duke of Durazzo in right of his wife, Joanna
. Louis was a brother of Charles of Navarre, who supported his endeavour to recapture lost Durazzo and the regnum Albaniae
. Charles of France likewise aided him with 50,000 ducats.
In 1372, the Navarrese ranks began to swell through the recruiting techniques of Enguerrand VII de Coucy
, who was hired to form a force of 500 lance
s and 500 cavalry archers, mostly from Gascony. Though these soldiers were recruited for service in Albania, they were first organised in Naples
. In 1375 and 1376, many men from Navarre began enlisting and travelled directly to Albania to join their countrymen. The enrollment lists for those years have been preserved in Pamplona
and reveal the important presence of many engineers. The total number of men which left Tortosa
between February 1375 and June 1376 was in the thousands. They were paid thirty gold Aragonese florins a month.
In 1376, Louis and the Navarrese captured Durazzo, thus reestablishing the regnum Albaniae. Louis died that same year, leaving the Navarrese unemployed. They put themselves under at the command of the Peter IV of Aragon
early in 1377 and were formed as four companies, commanded by four captains: the Gascon Mahiot of Coquerel and Pedro de la Saga and the Navarrese Juan de Urtubia
and Guarro.
in the spring or early summer of 1378, some coming at the invitation of Gaucher of La Bastide, the Hospitaller prior
of Toulouse
and commandant
in the Principality of Achaea
and others probably at the bequest of Nerio I Acciaioli
. Gaucher hired Mahiot and the remnant of the company for eight months during the captivity of the Grand Master Juan Fernández de Heredia
. Meanwhile, Juan de Urtubia was in Corinth
with a following of more than 100 soldiers.
After leaving the service of the Hospital, the Company took up with James of Baux
, the latest claimant to Achaea. Indeed, Mahiot and the Navarrese governed the entire Morea under the auspices of James of Baux. In 1379, Urtubia with a large force invaded Boeotia
and sacked Thebes
—then under the control of the Catalan Company
—with the assistance of the archbishop of the city, Simon Atumano
. At this point, the Navarrese Company takes on a different character. Some men who had served under Urtubia are with Mahiot in the Morea again. The Company organised itself as a viceregal power in Achaea under three captains: Mahiot, Pedro Bordo de San Superano
, and Berard de Varvassa. For the next two years, the Navarrese governed Achaea and often hired itself out to the Hospital.
When James of Baux succeeded to the imperial title of Constantinople
, the Navarrese leaders received imperial titles for upholding his rights in Achaea. When James died in 1383, the Navarrese were the reigning power in Frankish Greece and it fell to them the responsibility of reorganising the state and securing a new prince. While the Navarrese refused to recognise the heirs of James without proof which was too costly to provide, they remained in power in Achaea and were licensed by the barons of the realm to negotiate the treaty of 26 July 1387 with the Republic of Venice
. In 1386, Pedro de San Superano succeeded Mahiot as the Company's leader.
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, mostly from Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
and Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
, which fought in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
during the late 14th century and early 15th century, in the twilight of Frankish power in the dwindling remnant of the Latin Empire
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
. "Navarrese Company" is an informal, modern, somewhat inaccurate, term for these soldiers.
Origins
The first Navarrese Company was formed to fight for Charles II of NavarreCharles II of Navarre
Charles II , called "Charles the Bad", was King of Navarre 1349-1387 and Count of Évreux 1343-1387....
against Charles V of France
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
. In 1366, after peace was made, the mercenaries were organised into a coherent company of soldiers under Louis, Count of Beaumont-le-Roger
Beaumont-le-Roger
Beaumont-le-Roger is a commune in the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:The commune is located in the valley of the Risle on the edge of the forest with which it shares its name. It is crossed by the Paris-Cherbourg railway line...
in his own right and Duke of Durazzo in right of his wife, Joanna
Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
Joanna of Durazzo was the eldest daughter and eldest surviving child of Charles, Duke of Durazzo and his wife Maria of Calabria. She succeeded as Duchess on the death of her father in 1348 when she was only a child of four years old. Joanna was a member of the House of Anjou-Durazzo.She reigned as...
. Louis was a brother of Charles of Navarre, who supported his endeavour to recapture lost Durazzo and the regnum Albaniae
Kingdom of Albania
The Kingdom of Albania, or Regnum Albaniae, was established by Charles of Anjou in the Albanian territory he conquered from the Despotate of Epirus in 1271. He took the title of "King of Albania" in February 1272. The kingdom extended from the region of Durrës south along the coast to Butrint...
. Charles of France likewise aided him with 50,000 ducats.
In 1372, the Navarrese ranks began to swell through the recruiting techniques of Enguerrand VII de Coucy
Enguerrand VII de Coucy
Enguerrand VII de Coucy, KG , also known as Ingelram de Coucy, was a 14th century French nobleman, the last Sieur de Coucy, and the son-in-law of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, who was hired to form a force of 500 lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
s and 500 cavalry archers, mostly from Gascony. Though these soldiers were recruited for service in Albania, they were first organised in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. In 1375 and 1376, many men from Navarre began enlisting and travelled directly to Albania to join their countrymen. The enrollment lists for those years have been preserved in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
and reveal the important presence of many engineers. The total number of men which left Tortosa
Tortosa
-External links:* *** * * *...
between February 1375 and June 1376 was in the thousands. They were paid thirty gold Aragonese florins a month.
In 1376, Louis and the Navarrese captured Durazzo, thus reestablishing the regnum Albaniae. Louis died that same year, leaving the Navarrese unemployed. They put themselves under at the command of the Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
early in 1377 and were formed as four companies, commanded by four captains: the Gascon Mahiot of Coquerel and Pedro de la Saga and the Navarrese Juan de Urtubia
Juan de Urtubia
Juan de Urtubia was a Navarrese royal squire who led first a contingent of fifty men-at-arms on an expedition...
and Guarro.
Morea
The Navarrese entered MoreaMorea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
in the spring or early summer of 1378, some coming at the invitation of Gaucher of La Bastide, the Hospitaller prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
in the Principality of Achaea
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
and others probably at the bequest of Nerio I Acciaioli
Nerio I Acciaioli
Nerio I Acciaioli was as Italian aristocrat from Florence who rose to power in Frankish Greece during the last decades of the fourteenth century, eventually becoming Duke of Athens....
. Gaucher hired Mahiot and the remnant of the company for eight months during the captivity of the Grand Master Juan Fernández de Heredia
Juan Fernández de Heredia
Juan Fernández de Heredia was the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 24 September 1377 to his death. His tenure was occupied by the "affair of Achaea." He was also a great patron of the translation and composition of historiographical works in the Aragonese language and a counsellor to...
. Meanwhile, Juan de Urtubia was in Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
with a following of more than 100 soldiers.
After leaving the service of the Hospital, the Company took up with James of Baux
James of Baux
James of Baux , Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383....
, the latest claimant to Achaea. Indeed, Mahiot and the Navarrese governed the entire Morea under the auspices of James of Baux. In 1379, Urtubia with a large force invaded Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
and sacked Thebes
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
—then under the control of the Catalan Company
Catalan Company
The Catalan Company of the East , officially the Magnas Societas Catalanorum, sometimes called the Grand Company and widely known as the Catalan Company, was a free company of mercenaries founded by Roger de Flor in the early 14th-century...
—with the assistance of the archbishop of the city, Simon Atumano
Simon Atumano
Simon Atumano was the Bishop of Gerace in Calabria from 23 June 1348 until 1366 and the Latin Archbishop of Thebes thereafter until 1380. Born in Constantinople, Atumano was of Greco-Turkish stock, his surname deriving from the word "Ottoman." He was a famous humanist and an influential Greek...
. At this point, the Navarrese Company takes on a different character. Some men who had served under Urtubia are with Mahiot in the Morea again. The Company organised itself as a viceregal power in Achaea under three captains: Mahiot, Pedro Bordo de San Superano
Pedro Bordo de San Superano
Pedro Bordo de San Superano was one of the captains of the Navarrese Company in the Morea from 1379 until he was made Prince of Achaea in 1396, a post he held to his death.After the remnants of the first Navarrese company moved from Durazzo to the Morea,...
, and Berard de Varvassa. For the next two years, the Navarrese governed Achaea and often hired itself out to the Hospital.
When James of Baux succeeded to the imperial title of Constantinople
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
, the Navarrese leaders received imperial titles for upholding his rights in Achaea. When James died in 1383, the Navarrese were the reigning power in Frankish Greece and it fell to them the responsibility of reorganising the state and securing a new prince. While the Navarrese refused to recognise the heirs of James without proof which was too costly to provide, they remained in power in Achaea and were licensed by the barons of the realm to negotiate the treaty of 26 July 1387 with the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. In 1386, Pedro de San Superano succeeded Mahiot as the Company's leader.
Sources
- Setton, Kenneth M. (general editor) A History of the Crusades: Volume III — The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. Harry W. Hazard, editor. University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, 1975.
- Setton, Kenneth M. Catalan Domination of Athens 1311–1380. Revised edition. Variorum: London, 1975.