Eleanor had been warned, just in time, of Arthur’s invasion of Poitou. Her grandson had joined forces at Tours with the Lusignan rebels and their men, who told him that the queen mother was travelling from Fontevrault to Poitiers, where she intended to take refuge. She would be a bargaining counter of unparalleled value, so – without waiting for the greater part of his troops, who were still on their way from Brittany, and against the advice of the French knights – the young duke led his little army to capture her. He learned that she had stopped with her small escort at the town of Mirebeau on the borders of Anjou and Poitou. He soon reached it and his men speedily stormed the walls.
The fierce old queen retreated into the small keep, probably scarcely more than a tower, which served as the town’s citadel. She manned the ramparts with her few troops and refused to surrender, although there was only a thin wall between her and her grandson’s men. Resourceful as ever, she then asked for a parley and began to bargain. Her besiegers did not know that she had secretly sent two messengers for help: one to William of Les Roches, the seneschal of Anjou, at Chinon, and one to king John at Le Mans.
Unsuspectingly, Arthur’s soldiers made no attempt to storm the keep but waited for Eleanor to surrender. They had barred all the gates in the town twills to prevent anyone escaping from the keep, but had left a single gate open in order to admit their own food.
As soon as the queen’s messenger reached Le Mans, John started on the one gallant enterprise of his life. He came at once, covering eighty miles in forty-eight hours, riding through the night as well as the day. William of Les Roches and the garrison of Chinon joined him en route. They reached Mirebeau at dawn on 1 August.
[…]
Then the royal army attacked, pouring into Mirebeau through the open gate.
It was a hot night and, with no thought of danger, Arthur’s men had not bothered to sleep in their armour. When Geoffrey of Lusignan was interrupted during a hearty breakfast of roast pigeon and told that the king of England was attacking, he laughed and said that he would finish his breakfast.
Source:
Seward, Desmond. “The Murder of Arthur.” Eleanor of Aquitaine. New York: Times , 1979. 243-44. Print.
Further Reading:
Aliénor d'Aquitaine / Alienora (Eleanor of Aquitaine)
Arzhur Iañ / Arthur Ier de Bretagne (Arthur I, Duke of Brittany)
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