Olivier de Clisson’s Campaigns for Charles V…

October 1370 CE

Olivier de Clisson’s Campaigns for Charles V and the Battle of Pontvallain (1370)

By 1370, King Charles V of France had turned to Olivier de Clisson to lead French forces against English-held territories in southwestern France, marking Clisson’s full commitment to the Valois cause. In the same year, Clisson and Bertrand du Guesclin cemented their military alliance, defeating the English at the Battle of Pontvallain (October 23, 1370) and successfully repelling an English raid on Paris.

Clisson’s Role in French Offensives (1370)

Charles V tasked Olivier de Clisson with raiding and weakening English-controlled southwest France, as part of a broader strategy to reclaim lost territory.
Clisson, now fully aligned with the Valois monarchy, had effectively abandoned his former English and Montfortist ties, despite his father’s execution by the Valois decades earlier.

The Oath of Pontorson and the Battle of Pontvallain (October 23, 1370)

Olivier de Clisson and Bertrand du Guesclin swore the Oath of Pontorson, agreeing that the spoils of war would be equally shared between them.
This alliance reflected the complex and fluid loyalties of medieval vassalage, where personal military bonds—the "brotherhood of arms"—became stronger than traditional feudal ties.
Their forces engaged and decisively defeated the English at Pontvallain (October 23, 1370), marking an important French victory in the war’s shifting momentum.

Clisson’s Defense of Paris Against Robert Knolles’ English Raid

In the same year, the English general Robert Knolles led a large chevauchée (scorched-earth raid) toward Paris, seeking to terrorize the countryside and weaken Charles V’s authority.
Clisson advised the king to avoid a pitched battle, knowing that the French army was not yet fully preparedto face Knolles’ veteran forces.
Instead, the French adopted a defensive strategy, allowing the English raiders to exhaust their supplies and retreat without a major engagement.
Knolles was eventually forced to turn away from Paris, further reinforcing Clisson’s reputation as a skilled strategist.

Impact and Legacy

The Battle of Pontvallain (1370) helped turn the tide against English forces in France, as Charles V’s tactical reforms began to pay off.
Clisson’s alliance with du Guesclin formalized his complete loyalty to the Valois monarchy, despite his family’s past conflicts with the French Crown.
His success in defending Paris demonstrated his growing influence, setting the stage for his eventual appointment as Constable of France in 1380.

The events of 1370 solidified Olivier de Clisson’s role as one of France’s most capable military commanders, strengthening the Valois counteroffensive in the Hundred Years’ War.