The battle of Bouvines according to the Minstrel of Reims
This account of the battle, written around 1260, comes from the anonymous Minstrel of Reims, who composed this version for an audience of nobles, and makes his own embellishments to the the events of that day.
And then the King has all his villages and communes called up
and they all assembled on a Saturday in front of Tournai with tents and
pavilions. When Ferrand and his party found out the King was in Tournai, they
were overjoyed because they believed that they had them in their net. They asked
for a battle the next day. When the King heard this, he felt pained because it
was Sunday and asked through Brother Guerin that they wait till Monday. The
count refused him as he believed that the King wanted to run away. Upon this,
Brother Guerin went back and Count Renaud accompanied him for a while. When
Count Renaud came back, Messire Hugh of Boves said in front of Emperor Otto and
the Count of Flanders: "Hah! Count of Boulogne, what sort of treason have
you concocted with Brother Guerin!" "Obviously," said the count,
"you are lying like the wicked traitor that you are, and your words show
well that you are Ganelon's kin. You must know that in case of battle, I will
wither be killed or taken but you, you will run away like a vile coward and
liar!"
The dispute remained thus and Brother
Guerin came back to the King and told him: "Sire, may God help you! You
will have the battle tomorrow without fail. It is necessary that you call up
your battalions." Then the King called up his battalions and put them under
the command of the ten most valorous men he had. And the Emperor Otto and the
Count of Flanders and Count Renaud and Count William Longsword who was the
brother of the King of England - who had sent him as he himself was in Poitou at
La Ruche fighting against My Lord Louis who was giving him a very hard time -
these aforementioned great lords were parceling France out and were each
reserving part for themselves. Count Ferrand Wanted Paris, Count Renaud wanted
Normandy, and the Emperor wanted Orleans and Chartres and Estampes, and Hugh of
Boves wanted Amiens, and in this way they each picked their share.
It takes but a few hours for God to do his work
And he who laughs in the morning
Will cry in the evening.
Thus was Saturday, and when Sunday morning came, the King got up
and had all his people at Tournai assembled fully armed with their banners
unfurled and their trumpets sounding and
all their echelons in formation. They
marched till they came into view of a bridge called Bouvines. There was a chapel
there and the King had mass held as it was still morning. The mass was sung for
the King by the Bishop of Tournai and the King listened to it fully armed. And
when mass was over, the King had bread and wine brought to him and had the bread
sliced into pieces. He took one and ate it. And then he said to all those around
him: "I beg my loyal friends who are here to eat with me in memory of the
twelve apostles who drank and ate with our Lord. And if one of you is thinking
of wickedness and treachery, let him stay away." Then Messire Enguerrand of
Coucy came forward and took the first slice, and the Count Gaucher of Saint-Pol
took the second and said to the King: "Sire, today will show who is going
to be your traitor!" And he said these words because he well knew the King
suspected him on account of evil gossip. Then, the Count of Sancerre took the
third slice and all the other barons followed; there was such a press that they
could not get to the hanap. And when the King saw this, he was gladdened and
told them: "Lords, you are all my men and I am your Sire, regardless of
whomever I might be. I have much
loved you and brought you great honor and given you largely of what was mine. I
have never wronged or failed you but I have always led you rightfully. For God's
sake, I beg you all today to protect my body and my honor, and yours as well.
And if you think that the crown would be better served by one of you, I agree to
it and want it with good heart and good will." Upon hearing this, the
barons all cried for pity and said: "Sire, for God's sake, we do not want
any King but you. Ride bravely against your enemies, we are ready to die with
you." Then the King climbed on a horse and all the barons, strong and
confident, did too, with their banners unfurled and each in his conroi.
Then you could see the Flemings arriving in a disorderly manner, [stepping] in
front of each other and carrying ropes to bind the French. And the King had
pulled back toward the side of the hill so that the sun would face the enemy.
When the Flemings saw him turn toward the hill, they said to each other that
they must be running away. They vied to throw themselves first against the
French and the French received them vigorously, and soon they were the first to
be defeated. This was because the Count of Saint-Pol went around the host,
attacked them in the rear, and threw himself at them like a lion, and it was a
marvel how much he accomplished with his weapons and his body. All the other
barons were proving themselves so well, that they were all above reproach.
Oudarz of Reson, who carried the banner of Champagne and by right led its
battalion, had gone so far ahead that he came upon Count Renaud. These were the
two men on earth who hated each other the most and who had caused the
aggravation of the present conflict. When Count Renaud saw him, he was so elated
that not even God could have held down his feet and he charged him while the
Count of Saint-Pol charged him [Renaud] in turn. They were all tangled up in a
large melee and they injured each other severely so long they were fighting.
But the King's strength grew as that of
the Flemings diminished because they were in the wrong and were there by a
wicked agreement. Then the hosts engaged each other everywhere and many were
killed. The Count of Saint-Pol did not relent and persevered till he took Count
Renaud by force. When he was taken, the Flemings all lost heart. Then the French
rejoiced and charged Ferrand's echelon; he was taken along with the Count of
Ponthieu and Messire William Longsword and many great lords not named in the
accounts. When Emperor Otto saw that all was lost, he turned his horse around
and took flight along with Hugh of Roves. And the Emperor went away to Germany
and died some time later in a mean house, poor and miserable. And Hugh of Roves
went on a boat to go to the King in England. But God who gives protection to
good and none to evil, took his protection away from him and caused a great
storm over the sea and he was drowned. And all of what was left of the host was
captured and defeated. The King was told that Ferrand was taken along with Count
Renaud and the Count of Ponthieu and his brother and William Longsword and many
other great men. Then the King asked: "Why have we not captured the
Emperor?" And you must know that no one had mentioned the Emperor but he
brought the matter up because he wanted a greater victory as there is more honor
in defeating an Emperor than a vassal.
In this way the battle ended and the
King with great rejoicing returned to Tournai with all his prisoners while the
Flemings were in great mourning. This defeat occurred in the year of Our Lord 1214, in the month of July, on the second Sunday. And on that day My
Lord Louis well and truly defeated King John at La Roche-aux-Moines in Poitou.
The next day, the King went to Lille and had it burned and had all the good
towns of Flanders fortified and garrisoned. The King came back to France with
all his prisoners and put Ferrand in the Louvres in Paris, which he had wanted,
and the Count Renaud in the Goulet, since he had wanted Normandy, and the other
prisoners were put where he wished. King Philip loved in peace ever after and
was feared and respected all over the land.
This translation was originally published in The Legend of Bouvines: War, Religion and Culture in the Middle Ages, by Georges Duby, translated by Catherine Tihanyi (University of California Press, 1990). We thank Catherine Tihanyi for allowing to republish this material.