The Rise of La Rochelle as a Major Port and the Legacy of Alexandre Auffredi (10th–12th Century CE)

Located on the Bay of Biscay, La Rochelle emerged as a significant port city in the 12th century, shaped by the political ambitions of the Dukes of Aquitaine and later the Plantagenet rulers of England. Its strategic maritime position fostered its economic and commercial expansion, attracting merchants and adventurers seeking to capitalize on the riches of the sea trade.

The Establishment of La Rochelle as a Free Port

• Founded in the 10th century, La Rochelle gained importance after William X, Duke of Aquitaine, defeated Isambert de Châtelaillon in 1130 and destroyed Châtelaillon’s harbor, shifting regional trade to La Rochelle.
• In 1137, William X granted La Rochelle a communal charter, making it a free port, allowing the city to govern itself and regulate its commerce.
• Eleanor of Aquitaine, William X’s daughter, upheld the charter after inheriting Aquitaine and, in 1187, established the first appointed mayor in France, Guillaume de Montmirail.

La Rochelle Under Plantagenet Rule (1152–1204)

• After Eleanor’s marriage to Henry Plantagenet in 1152, La Rochelle fell under Plantagenet control when Henry became King of England in 1154.
• Henry II built Vauclair Castle in 1185 to strengthen the city’s defenses; its remains still exist in Place de Verdun.
• Under Plantagenet rule, La Rochelle became a center of maritime commerce, trading with England, the Netherlands, and Spain.
• The city gained privileges under its communal charter, including:
  • The right to mint its own coins.
  • Exemption from certain royal taxes, encouraging entrepreneurial growth.

This favorable economic environment helped develop the bourgeoisie (merchant middle class), a social group that would shape La Rochelle’s prosperity for centuries.

The Expedition of Alexandre Auffredi (1196–1203)

• In 1196, Alexandre Auffredi, a wealthy merchant from La Rochelle, financed a fleet of seven ships bound for Africa, hoping to tap into the riches of the continent.
• However, as years passed without word from his fleet, Auffredi fell into financial ruin, becoming bankrupt and destitute.
• Finally, in 1203, after seven years, the fleet returned, laden with riches, vindicating his risky commercial venture.
• Having regained wealth, Auffredi dedicated his remaining years to philanthropy, founding the Saint-Barthélemy Hospital and helping the poor.
• A central district in La Rochelle would later be named in his honor.

Legacy of La Rochelle in the 12th Century

• A key maritime hub under Plantagenet rule, La Rochelle laid the foundation for its long-standing commercial significance.
• The establishment of self-governance and economic privileges helped develop one of the first bourgeois-dominated urban economies in medieval France.
• Auffredi’s voyage exemplified the risks and rewards of medieval commerce, reflecting La Rochelle’s ambition to expand beyond Europe.

By the end of the 12th century, La Rochelle stood as one of the most dynamic trading centers in Western Europe, a status it would maintain for centuries to come.

Further Tax Exemptions in 1204: La Rochelle and Poitou

• In 1204, as Philip II continued his conquest of Angevin lands, John extended similar tax exemptions to:

  • La Rochelle, an important Atlantic port.
  • Poitou, a contested region with historical ties to the Angevin dynasty.

• By granting tax relief to these territories, John attempted to retain their allegiance and fortify his remaining power in Aquitaine.

John’s Failed Invasion of France and the Lack of Coordination with Otto IV (1214 CE)

In 1214, John of England launched his long-planned offensive to reclaim his lost Angevin territories in France. His strategy relied on a two-front assault, with:

• John advancing from the Loire, having landed at La Rochelle in February 1214.
• Otto IV of Germany attacking from Flanders, supported by Count Ferdinand of Flanders and Renaud of Boulogne.

However, the campaign was plagued by poor coordination, leading to Philip II’s decisive victory at Bouvines later that year.

John’s Delayed Landing at La Rochelle (February 1214)

• John’s delayed arrival in France meant that Philip II had time to prepare defenses.
• He sought to march north from the Loire Valley, drawing Philip’s forces away from the Flemish-German offensive in the north.

Failure to Coordinate the Two-Pronged Attack

1. John’s Offensive from the Loire

   • John launched successful attacks in Poitou and Anjou, defeating Prince Louis (future Louis VIII) at La Roche-aux-Moines in June 1214.
   • However, his Poitevin barons refused to continue the campaign, forcing John to retreat without striking at Philip’s main army.

2. Otto IV and the Flanders Offensive

   • Otto IV, Count Ferdinand of Flanders, and Renaud of Boulogne assembled their forces in northern France, planning to engage Philip’s main army.
   • However, with John’s southern offensive collapsing, Philip was able to concentrate his forces in the north, leading to the decisive Battle of Bouvines on July 27, 1214.

Consequences of the Failed Coordination

• Philip II decisively defeated Otto IV and the Anglo-Flemish coalition at Bouvines, securing French dominance over northern France.
• John’s failure in the Loire meant that the campaign collapsed, forcing him to abandon hopes of regaining Normandy, Anjou, or Poitou.
• This military disaster fueled baronial discontent in England, leading to the First Barons’ War (1215–1217) and the signing of Magna Carta.

The 1214 campaign demonstrated Philip II’s superior strategic positioning, as John’s inability to coordinate with his northern allies allowed the French to achieve their greatest military triumph at Bouvines.

The Fall of La Rochelle and Olivier de Clisson’s Brutal Reputation (1372)

In 1372, as the French continued their reconquest of English-held territories, the strategically important port city of La Rochelle defected to the French cause. Rather than resisting French forces, the citizens themselves opened the gates, marking another significant loss for the English.

The People of La Rochelle Turn Against England

• La Rochelle, a major Atlantic port, was vital for English trade and military supply routes.
• Unlike other sieges, the city’s population revolted against English rule, preferring to submit to King Charles V and French forces.
• The city’s surrender without a fight ensured its protection, avoiding the destruction and bloodshed that had befallen other towns during the war.

English Brutality and Clisson’s Vengeance

• The English had a reputation for executing prisoners, especially those unable to pay ransom.
• At Moncontour and other locations, they had massacred captured soldiers instead of ransoming them.
• Olivier de Clisson’s own squire, captured in Benon, Saintonge, was tortured and killed by the English, fueling Clisson’s personal vendetta.

Clisson’s Reputation for Ruthlessness

• In retaliation, Clisson ordered the execution of fifteen English prisoners.
• He gained a fearsome reputation for mutilating enemy captives, reportedly cutting off arms and legs.
• This brutality led the English to nickname him "The Butcher", a title that even his ally Bertrand du Guesclin acknowledged, exclaiming:
  • "God! The body of St. Benedict, the English are not wrong when they call you the Butcher!"

Impact and Consequences

• The fall of La Rochelle was a turning point, giving France control over a key Atlantic port and cutting off English supply lines to Aquitaine.
• Olivier de Clisson’s violent reprisals cemented his reputation as one of France’s most ruthless commanders, later leading to his appointment as Constable of France in 1380.
• The French counteroffensive continued, further pushing English forces into retreat and setting the stage for Charles V’s reconquest of western France.

The fall of La Rochelle in 1372 marked another devastating English loss, while Olivier de Clisson’s brutal methods reinforced the growing reputation of the French army as it steadily reclaimed territory.

The History and Formation of Aunis as a Separate Province (6th–14th Century)

The province of Aunis, a small but strategically important coastal region, is bordered by the Sèvre Niortaise River (north), the Charente River (south), and the Atlantic Ocean (west), with its islands Île de Ré and Île d'Aix. To the east, it is framed by the valleys of the Mignon, Trézence, and Boutonne Rivers and the hills of Saintonge. Over the centuries, Aunis underwent numerous territorial changes, from an unstable Frankish region to a separate province under King Charles V in 1374.

Early History: Frankish Settlement and Carolingian Rule (6th–9th Century)

• Power in Aunis was unstable and autarchic from the time of Frankish settlement in the 6th century until the Carolingian dynasty in the 9th century.
• The region is first recorded in 785 as Pagus Alnensis, under the control of the Counts of Poitou.
• Repeated Viking raids, carried out by way of the region’s rivers and streams, made Aunis a high-risk frontier zone.
• In response to the Viking threat, the Counts of Poitou fortified the coast in the 9th and 10th centuries, constructing a four-tower fortress at Châtelaillon.

Separation from Saintonge and Fortification (10th–11th Century)

• Following the collapse of Carolingian power in the late 10th century, Aunis separated from Saintonge and established its first capital at Châtelaillon.
• To provide greater inland protection, the Duke of Poitou built Surgères (also called the castrum of Benon)as a fortified city.

Expansion and Economic Growth: 11th–13th Century

• The Counts of Poitou expanded inland in the late 11th century, encouraging the clearing of forests to develop settlements and agriculture.
• The first Cistercian abbey in Aunis, Grâce-Dieu Abbey, was founded in Benon, leading the forest-clearing movement that:
  • Created space for villages and farmland (growing wheat, oats, and barley).
  • Expanded vineyards, laying the foundation for Aunis' wine trade.
• By the end of the 11th century, Aunis had become prosperous due to its salt production, making it a major trading hub.

Rise of La Rochelle and Aunis' Shifting Allegiances (12th–14th Century)

• Châtelaillon became the most important port city in Aunis for salt and wine transport but was eclipsed by La Rochelle after its demise in 1130.
• In 1130, Aunis came under the control of William X, Duke of Aquitaine, whose daughter, Eleanor of Aquitaine, brought the region as part of her dowry first to Louis VII of France, and after their divorce, to King Henry II of England in 1152.
• Aunis was briefly returned to France in 1224 under Louis VIII, but was ceded back to England under the Treaty of Brétigny (1360), part of the Hundred Years’ War.
• By 1371, Aunis revolted against English rule, leading to its restoration to King Charles V of France.

Aunis Becomes an Independent Province (1374)

• In 1374, Charles V officially separated Saintonge and established Aunis as a distinct province, marking the culmination of its long and complex territorial history.

Significance and Legacy

• Aunis' geographic position made it a valuable maritime and trade region, fueling its economic and strategic importance.
• Its gradual separation from Saintonge and integration into France marked it as a contested territorythroughout the Middle Ages.
• La Rochelle remained its most significant city, growing into one of France’s leading ports in later centuries.

The formation of Aunis as an independent province in 1374 symbolized the final consolidation of French control over the region, bringing an end to centuries of territorial disputes and foreign domination.

Saintonge, the Praguerie rapidly collapsed. Its failure marked a decisive reaffirmation of Charles VII's authority, revealing both the effectiveness of his recent reforms—particularly the establishment of a standing army—and the declining political influence of the nobility. The swift suppression of this rebellion underscored the growing power of the central monarchy, reshaping political dynamics and consolidating royal power in northern and western France during the mid-15th century.

...in the south, a larger army under Claude d'Annebault and Francis's eldest son, the Dauphin Henry, unsuccessfully besiege the city of Perpignan in northern Spain.

Francis himself is meanwhile in La Rochelle, dealing with a revolt caused by popular discontent with a proposed reform of the gabelle tax.

More than one thousand people in the Netherlands have been executed in the several months following the beheadings of Hoorn and Egmont, leading the Court of Troubles to be nicknamed the "Blood Court" and adding to the unrest.

Orange, who has now openly placed himself at the head of the party of revolt, has granted letters of marque to a number of vessels manned by crews of desperadoes drawn from all nationalities.

Eighteen ships receive letters of marque, which are equipped by Louis of Nassau in the French Huguenot port of La Rochelle, which they continue to use as a base.

These fierce corsairs, who are to be led by a succession of daring and reckless commanders, are called Gueux de mer, or Sea Beggars.

Eighty-four Sea Beggars ships are already in service by the end of 1569.

The Fourth War of Religion between French Roman Catholics and Huguenots begins in the wake of the infamous St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, when the city of La Rochelle, the de facto Huguenot capital, refuses to pay taxes to the king because of the massacre and denies admittance to the royal governor.

King Charles IX declares war on the town in November 1572.

Charles finally assembles an army to besiege the Huguenot capital in February.

The royalist army, nominally led by Valois prince Henri, duc d'Anjou, includes his cousin Henri de Navarre as a hostage.