Bertrand du Guesclin

Not a nice guy.

The, the, no, but the best known, and S- uh, Bertrand Du Guesclin, sorry, my pronunciation is horrible, but that's just the way it goes.

[laughs]

The French, not equivalent, but he's effectively a mercenary that becomes quite a successful leader and helps King Charles, when he comes to power, to regain land from the English.

In the war, the king was ably assisted by one of the greatest soldiers of the age, who introduced into the French army some of the discipline and subordination which had been so lacking in the earlier campaigns.

Bertrand du Guesclin came of a good Breton stock, though his was a younger branch of the family and in rather humble circumstances.

As a child he was so ugly, so rough, and so intractable that though the eldest son, he was disliked by his parents.

His mother used to make him sit at a table by himself that she might not be annoyed by his odd face and awkward manners, and the younger brothers were served before him.

In the war, the king was ably assisted by one of the greatest soldiers of the age, who introduced into the French army some of the discipline and subordination which had been so lacking in the earlier campaigns.

Bertrand du Guesclin came of a good Breton stock, though his was a younger branch of the family, and in rather humble circumstances.

As a child he was so ugly, so rough, and so intractable, that though the eldest son, he was disliked by his parents.

His mother used to make him sit at a table by himself that she might not be annoyed by his odd face and awkward manners, and the younger brothers were served before him.

The story of Orthon is almost verbally copied from him and bears a curious resemblance to various German legends, such as that of Heinzelmann, to be found in Keightley's Fairy Mythology, and to Tiga the Lee, as related in Croker's Irish Fairy Legends.

The old French Vie des Bertrand du Guesclin has likewise been drawn upon for materials and would have supplied much more of great interest, such as Henrique of Trosta-Mer's arrival in the disguise of a palmer to consult with him during his captivity at Bordeaux, and many most curious anecdotes of his early childhood and youth.

To Breton tradition, his excellent wife, Epiphany Raguinel, owes her title of Tiffan la Fée, meaning that she was endowed with magic power, which enabled her to predict what would be lucky or unlucky days for her husband.

His disregard of them was thought to have twice cost him the loss of a battle.

So fared it with the two young squires, whilst the army began to enter the dominions of the King of Castile.

Here a want of provisions was severely felt, for such was the hatred borne to Pedro the Cruel that every inhabitant of the country fled at his approach, carrying off or destroying all that could be used as food.

It was the intention of Bertrand du Guesclin, the ally of Enrique of Trastamare, to remain quietly in his camp of Navarreta and allow hunger to do its work with the invading force.

But this prudent plan was prevented by the folly of Don Tello, brother of Enrique, who, accusing Bertrand of cowardice, so stung his fiery spirit that he resolved on instant combat, though knowing how little dependence could be placed on his Spanish allies.