DU Hecla (Du Guesclin) Bertrand

(about 1320, . Castle Mott Broon, . Brittany July 13, 1380, . Chateauneuf-de-Randon, . South France), . the largest French military leader since the Hundred Years voyny.Dyu Hecla was born in the small Breton knight, . not received any education, . could not read, . or write,
. During the struggle for the Breton duchy in 1341-64 fought on the side supported by France of Charles of Blois, led a small detachment was conducting a guerrilla war with the British and their puppet, Jean de Montfort. In 1356-57 defended Mr.. Rennes in Brittany from the British. C 1364 in the service of French king Charles V, defeated the British at the Battle of Kosherele (Normandy) and became the royal governor of Normandy. In the same year at the Battle of WEM in Brittany Du Hecla was captured by the British and was purchased for 100 thousand. livres; money gave Dad, King of France and some other sovereigns.

. In 1367 Du Hecla led a detachment of mercenaries, sent by Charles V of Castile to the aid of an ally of France, Count Henry Trastamarskomu who tried to overthrow his half-brother, King of Castile, Pedro the Cruel IV, is supported by the British
. In the same year, Du Hecla was defeated at the Battle of Najera (Northern Spain), captured and then ransomed. In 1369 he defeated the troops of Pedro the Cruel IV at the battle of Montiel, allowing Enrique Trastamarsky became king of Castile Henry II.

In 1370 Charles V bestowed the title of Geklenu du Comte de Longueville, and appointed him Constable of France. For nearly a decade of uninterrupted campaign Messire Bernard managed to clear most of the south of France from the English.

Killed at the siege of Mr.. Chateauneuf-de-Randon. He was given the highest posthumous honor: he was buried in the Tomb of the French kings in the church of Saint-Denis at the feet of Charles V.

. Du Hecla went down in history not only as a great commander, but also as a model of chivalry, despite the fact that the latter does not correspond in any way
. The short, . ugly, . gruff, . illiterate, . disliked pomp, . possessing a peculiar piety (he once made a vow to start the battle not earlier, . than eat three bowls of wine soup in honor of the Blessed Trinity, . next time do not take into the mouth meat and not get charged, . not yet mastered the city), . Du Hecla is not seeking to wage war on the canons of chivalric,
. He preferred to fight the forces of mercenaries, . not a knight militia, . introduced in their squads disciplined, . did not like the big battles, . preferring small clashes and methods of guerrilla warfare, . and that is what has made improving the situation of France in the Hundred Years War to the end of the XIV century.,
. In XIV century
. in Western Europe, spread to a particular secular cult t. n. 'nine heroes', the ideal of chivalry samples: three Pagan (Hector, Alexander of Macedon, Julius Caesar), three Jews (Joshua, King David, Judas Maccabeus), and three Christian (King Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon). In France, the 1-st half of the XV century., In times of heavy defeats in the Hundred Years War to them was equal tenth grand constable of France, Bertrand du Breton Hecla.