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At the Castle Bayard in 1476 a son, Pierre, was born to Aymon and Helene Terrail. The Terrails had for 200 years valiantly served the throne of France, many of their number perishing in battle. The lord, Aymon, being retired from active service nursed his many battle wounds and worried about training his son to follow in the family tradition of serving the crown in the profession of arms.
Pierre’s mother Helene was the sister of the Bishop of Grenoble, and the Bishop was able to secure a place for Pierre as a Squire with the Duke of Savoy. So adept a student at the martial arts and so engaging a young man was Pierre, the Duke of Savoy ceded his training to the King of France, Charles VIII, much to the king’s pleasure. Upon reaching ‘young gentleman’ status at 18 years, Bayard became a great champion in tournaments of arms, defeating all challengers. While these contests displayed his valor and skill with weapons, Bayard knew that only on the field of battle would he earn his spurs as a knight of the realm.
When Charles VIII in 1494 decided to pursue his claim to the kingdom of Naples by invading Italy, he was opposed by the Alliance of Italian States and Spain. Bayard joined the King’s host and fought brilliantly at the great Battle of Fornovo in 1495. Bayard fought hard and well during the battle, capturing one of the Naples’ battle flags, and he was subsequently knighted by the King.
Bayard fought an almost endless stream of battles in the long and costly “Italian Wars”, reinforcing his reputation as the extraordinary warrior of his day. Along with his reputation as a fierce and gallant knight, Bayard became famous for his generosity. Given all the rewards that he received from his deeds of courage, valor and chivalrousness, he should have been a wealthy man. Instead, Bayard shared most of what he won with others.
In the course of the campaigns in Apulia and Calabria, there was a period in 1503 when both French and Spanish armies were located on either side of the Carigliano River, one of the broadest in Southern Italy flowing into the Gulf of Gaeta. The French had possession of the right bank close to rising ground, therefore a more favorable position. The Spanish occupied the left bank which was swampier and less habitable. The Spanish forces occupied this area for almost two months and were most anxious to remove the French threat on the right bank.
There existed a carefully guarded French-held bridge across the Carigliano. The Spanish commander Don Pedro de Pas developed a plan to take the bridge from the French. Assembling a group of 100 cavalry men, each with a foot soldier carrying an arquebusier, mounted behind each of the cavalry men, he projected that he was about to ford the river some distance from the bridge. The French bridge scouts located at intervals along the bridge banks spotted the Spanish unit which appeared to be planning to cross the river. The large contingent guarding the bridge was called away from the bridge to prevent the fording.
Bayard was posted close to the bridge and was preparing to inspect the bridge installation with his companion Le Basco. When they approached the bridge and heard from the few remaining guards what had transpired, Bayard immediately guessed that this was a ruse to lure the company of guards away from the bridge; it was indeed the Spanish plan. Bayard instructed Le Basco to ride with haste to the main French camp and bring back a full force. Bayard with lance and sword in hand galloped onto the bridge where on the opposite shore 200 Spanish cavalry approached the bridge with intent to cross.
As the first group of Spanish cavalry met Bayard mid bridge, it was at his lance point and three men were immediately dispatched off the bridge. Bayard then positioned his horse with its back to the bridge rail and with his falchion in both hands, swung this great sword in a deadly arch at all comers on the narrow overpass. The Spanish troops at first amused at the sight of the single knight riding toward them on the bridge ceased smiling as their losses mounted to this fierce and formidable adversary.
As the deadly contest continued, the sounds of the French cavalry from the main camp riding to Bayard’s rescue could be heard. The Spanish, seeing the approaching French lance tips, retired from the bridge. If they had managed to be successful in their ruse, the French camp would have been overrun and another defeat for the French would have been a certainty. Bayard had once more saved the day!
The third and final monarch Bayard would serve was Francis I. King Francis, along with most of the populace, valued the heroism of the Chevalier de Bayard. This perception by the King was reinforced when Bayard fought alongside the King against the Swiss mercenaries at Marignano. At the end of a day of battle the French emerged victorious. Bestowing a singular honor to the great French knight, King Francis asked Bayard to knight him in a ceremony at the French army camp. In a solemn ceremony in the King’s tent surrounded by the King’s retinue, Bayard knighted King Francis.
Some days later King Francis, fearing a major assault by the Spanish and needing to assemble a larger force than he currently had, dispatched Bayard to hold the City of Mezieres, buying him time to assemble his forces. The Spanish and their German allies, not knowing that Bayard and some of his companions were engaged in improving the rundown condition of the bulwarks of this city, expected an easy battle and early capitulation of the city. Bayard seemed to the defenders to be everywhere at the same time cajoling them to greater defensive efforts. Through his inspired leadership and resourceful rebuilding techniques, the city under siege held with the besiegers, eventually giving up and retiring when King Francis’ and his reinforced army approached.
At a dinner gathering in Vienna several weeks after the aborted siege of Mezieres attended by several of the besiegers, Mary of Hungary asked the Count of Nassau who had commanded the siege, in disdain, how it was that with a host of troops and guns he could not take that crazy pigeon house (Mezieres). “Because,” replied the Count, “there was an eagle in it.”
It had always been Bayard’s expressed wish that when he died, it would be in battle. In 1524 at the Battle of Sesia, Bayard’s wish at age 48 would regrettably be granted. Under command of Admiral Lord Bonnivet, the battle was going poorly for the French, and the Lord Admiral ordered a retreat. Bayard customarily guarded the retreat of the French forces, for Bayard was always in the front line in attack and the last man facing the enemy in retreat.
On both sides of the road being used by the French retreat were Spanish arquebusiers. The arquebusier was a weapon despised by Bayard who felt that skill and courage were required to face an adversary with sword or lance but any fool or coward could pull the trigger on the arquebusier. Bayard was struck by a ball from the Spanish weapon, and he uttered, “Great God! I am killed!” His Squire helped him off his horse and placed him on the ground under a tree where he died of his wound.
The Spanish under General Pescara respected him in death as if he were one of their own noblemen. The General had Bayard carried to his personal tent and required that the body be handled with utmost respect and honor.
He would forever be known by the appellation “The Good Knight Without Fear and Without Reproach.”
Pierre’s mother Helene was the sister of the Bishop of Grenoble, and the Bishop was able to secure a place for Pierre as a Squire with the Duke of Savoy. So adept a student at the martial arts and so engaging a young man was Pierre, the Duke of Savoy ceded his training to the King of France, Charles VIII, much to the king’s pleasure. Upon reaching ‘young gentleman’ status at 18 years, Bayard became a great champion in tournaments of arms, defeating all challengers. While these contests displayed his valor and skill with weapons, Bayard knew that only on the field of battle would he earn his spurs as a knight of the realm.
When Charles VIII in 1494 decided to pursue his claim to the kingdom of Naples by invading Italy, he was opposed by the Alliance of Italian States and Spain. Bayard joined the King’s host and fought brilliantly at the great Battle of Fornovo in 1495. Bayard fought hard and well during the battle, capturing one of the Naples’ battle flags, and he was subsequently knighted by the King.
Bayard fought an almost endless stream of battles in the long and costly “Italian Wars”, reinforcing his reputation as the extraordinary warrior of his day. Along with his reputation as a fierce and gallant knight, Bayard became famous for his generosity. Given all the rewards that he received from his deeds of courage, valor and chivalrousness, he should have been a wealthy man. Instead, Bayard shared most of what he won with others.
In the course of the campaigns in Apulia and Calabria, there was a period in 1503 when both French and Spanish armies were located on either side of the Carigliano River, one of the broadest in Southern Italy flowing into the Gulf of Gaeta. The French had possession of the right bank close to rising ground, therefore a more favorable position. The Spanish occupied the left bank which was swampier and less habitable. The Spanish forces occupied this area for almost two months and were most anxious to remove the French threat on the right bank.
There existed a carefully guarded French-held bridge across the Carigliano. The Spanish commander Don Pedro de Pas developed a plan to take the bridge from the French. Assembling a group of 100 cavalry men, each with a foot soldier carrying an arquebusier, mounted behind each of the cavalry men, he projected that he was about to ford the river some distance from the bridge. The French bridge scouts located at intervals along the bridge banks spotted the Spanish unit which appeared to be planning to cross the river. The large contingent guarding the bridge was called away from the bridge to prevent the fording.
Bayard was posted close to the bridge and was preparing to inspect the bridge installation with his companion Le Basco. When they approached the bridge and heard from the few remaining guards what had transpired, Bayard immediately guessed that this was a ruse to lure the company of guards away from the bridge; it was indeed the Spanish plan. Bayard instructed Le Basco to ride with haste to the main French camp and bring back a full force. Bayard with lance and sword in hand galloped onto the bridge where on the opposite shore 200 Spanish cavalry approached the bridge with intent to cross.
As the first group of Spanish cavalry met Bayard mid bridge, it was at his lance point and three men were immediately dispatched off the bridge. Bayard then positioned his horse with its back to the bridge rail and with his falchion in both hands, swung this great sword in a deadly arch at all comers on the narrow overpass. The Spanish troops at first amused at the sight of the single knight riding toward them on the bridge ceased smiling as their losses mounted to this fierce and formidable adversary.
As the deadly contest continued, the sounds of the French cavalry from the main camp riding to Bayard’s rescue could be heard. The Spanish, seeing the approaching French lance tips, retired from the bridge. If they had managed to be successful in their ruse, the French camp would have been overrun and another defeat for the French would have been a certainty. Bayard had once more saved the day!
The third and final monarch Bayard would serve was Francis I. King Francis, along with most of the populace, valued the heroism of the Chevalier de Bayard. This perception by the King was reinforced when Bayard fought alongside the King against the Swiss mercenaries at Marignano. At the end of a day of battle the French emerged victorious. Bestowing a singular honor to the great French knight, King Francis asked Bayard to knight him in a ceremony at the French army camp. In a solemn ceremony in the King’s tent surrounded by the King’s retinue, Bayard knighted King Francis.
Some days later King Francis, fearing a major assault by the Spanish and needing to assemble a larger force than he currently had, dispatched Bayard to hold the City of Mezieres, buying him time to assemble his forces. The Spanish and their German allies, not knowing that Bayard and some of his companions were engaged in improving the rundown condition of the bulwarks of this city, expected an easy battle and early capitulation of the city. Bayard seemed to the defenders to be everywhere at the same time cajoling them to greater defensive efforts. Through his inspired leadership and resourceful rebuilding techniques, the city under siege held with the besiegers, eventually giving up and retiring when King Francis’ and his reinforced army approached.
At a dinner gathering in Vienna several weeks after the aborted siege of Mezieres attended by several of the besiegers, Mary of Hungary asked the Count of Nassau who had commanded the siege, in disdain, how it was that with a host of troops and guns he could not take that crazy pigeon house (Mezieres). “Because,” replied the Count, “there was an eagle in it.”
It had always been Bayard’s expressed wish that when he died, it would be in battle. In 1524 at the Battle of Sesia, Bayard’s wish at age 48 would regrettably be granted. Under command of Admiral Lord Bonnivet, the battle was going poorly for the French, and the Lord Admiral ordered a retreat. Bayard customarily guarded the retreat of the French forces, for Bayard was always in the front line in attack and the last man facing the enemy in retreat.
On both sides of the road being used by the French retreat were Spanish arquebusiers. The arquebusier was a weapon despised by Bayard who felt that skill and courage were required to face an adversary with sword or lance but any fool or coward could pull the trigger on the arquebusier. Bayard was struck by a ball from the Spanish weapon, and he uttered, “Great God! I am killed!” His Squire helped him off his horse and placed him on the ground under a tree where he died of his wound.
The Spanish under General Pescara respected him in death as if he were one of their own noblemen. The General had Bayard carried to his personal tent and required that the body be handled with utmost respect and honor.
He would forever be known by the appellation “The Good Knight Without Fear and Without Reproach.”
Additional Information
| Item Number | EW9 |
| Weight | 0.5625 |
| Inventory Type | 54mm |
| Limited Edition | Yes |
| Descriptor Cards | 2007-00041 |
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