July 13th, 1465 - The Battle of Montlhery

Conflict: War of the Public Weal

Combatants: French Royalty vs. League of Public Weal

Location: France

Outcome: Inconclusive (arguable League victory)

In 1465 a league of nobles led by Charles the Bold of Burgundy rebelled against the authority of the French throne in a conflict known as the War of the Public Weal. On July 13th, the two armies met in confused cavalry engagement. While neither side could claim a clear victory in the battle, the League of Public Weal emerged in a position to force Louis XI to sign the Treaty of Conflans.

Bataille de Montlhéry by an unknown artist

Points of Interest:

• Charles the Bold and many of his fellow nobles were granted land concessions in the treaties signed by Louis XI.

• Yet, despite signing the treaties, Louis XI divided the League through clever manipulation and later declared them void.

Louis XI by Jean-Léonard Lugardon

Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy by an unknown artist

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sources:

Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.