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Single combat to settle a battle and save two armies from having to murder the fuck out of each other is how all battles should be fought. The Breton War of Succession did it a bit differently, featuring dozens of selected champions making war upon each other to determine victory. It was called The Combat of the Thirty.
--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: March 26, 1351--
The war was fought over who would rule the sovereign Duchy of Brittany on the west coast of France. Part of the larger Hundred Years War between Britain and France, succession became an issue in 1341 when Duke John III died without an heir. His final words on the succession, uttered on his deathbed, were, “For God's sake leave me alone and do not trouble my spirit with such things.” The hostile parties fought between John’s younger brother’s daughter being heir (and her husband Charles of Blois becoming duke) and John’s father’s second wife’s son, John of Montford.
Charles was backed by the French, and John was preferred by the English. The war lasted 24 years and ended with a victory by John IV (Montford’s son because his dad died only four years into the war) when Charles died in battle and his army was defeated. The Combat of the Thirty came in the middle of that war, but it was actually 60. Each side put 30 knights and squires into the field.
The war had devolved into a stalemate. Each side had its own strongholds and every once in a while, one side would launch an assault into the other’s territory, but not much was being accomplished. Robert Bemborough was a knight on the British side, and Jean de Beaumanoir was on the French side. Jean said to Rob hey mofo me and you let’s get it on. But then someone said actually let’s make it a tournament.
It took place on March 26, 1351. Some chroniclers say it was to honor their leaders or some shit like that. Others say it was just good fun to test their skills. Others say John’s side was committing atrocities among the local populace and Charles’s side was coming to their rescue. Whatever the motivation, a bunch of selected dudes got together and slew the shit out of each other.
Then there was half time, but without Snoop Dog. They fought for several hours and men died but they got tired and said hey can we break for lunch? So they did that and got back to the killin’ and Bemborough died and apparently one totally badass squire on French side said fuck this I’m tired and charged the English line and started stabbing the fuck out of people left and right and they said ah shit we give up. Nine on the English side died, and six on the French. The rest were pretty fucked up. Their wounds were treated, and the prisoners exchanged for a small ransom.
The battle had no effect on the outcome of the overall war, but songs were sung by balladeers cuz chivalry or some bullshit.
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