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The battle of Orthez was fought during the
French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion were a series of civil wars between French Catholic Church, Catholics and Protestantism, Protestants (called Huguenots) from 1562 to 1598. Between two and four million people died from violence, famine or disease di ...
, between August 11 and 14, 1569.
Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
forces under the leadership of Gabriel de Montgomery defeated Royalist forces under Antoine de Lomagne, vicomte de Terride in French Navarre. Following the battle, Huguenot forces killed many of their Catholic prisoners.


Background

In the later half of the sixteenth century, all
Aquitaine Aquitaine (, ; ; ; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former Regions of France, administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administ ...
above the
Garonne The Garonne ( , ; Catalan language, Catalan, Basque language, Basque and , ; or ) is a river that flows in southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux � ...
except for
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...
was in
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
hands. At that time,
Orthez Orthez (; ; , ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sai ...
was the largest and most dynamic city of
Béarn Béarn (; ; or ''Biarn''; or ''Biarno''; or ''Bearnia'') is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in Southwestern France. Along with the three Northern Basque Country, ...
. It was a market town which served as the main funnel for products making their way to
Bayonne Bayonne () is a city in southwestern France near the France–Spain border, Spanish border. It is a communes of France, commune and one of two subprefectures in France, subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques departments of France, departm ...
for export. Orthez was therefore quite wealthy. One wealthy Protestant, Adrien-Arnaud de Gachassin, had gifted his mansion in Orthez to Jeanne d' Albret in 1555 (today, it is called Maison of Jeanne d' Albret and has become a museum of how wealthy Protestants lived). The Huguenots were therefore desirous of capturing the important and wealthy town of
Orthez Orthez (; ; , ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sai ...
.


Forces

The Huguenot army of Gabriel de Lorges, comte de Montgomery was a highly mobile force of 2,500, with a large proportion of cavalry.


En route to Orthez

The
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
forces of Montgomery and Montamat had left
Castres Castres (; ''Castras'' in the Languedocian dialect, Languedocian dialect of Occitan language, Occitan) is the sole Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department in the Occitania (adminis ...
around noon on July 27, 1569. They pillaged along the way, passing through Mazères in
Foix Foix ( , ; ; ) is a commune, the former capital of the County of Foix. It is the capital of the department of Ariège as it is the seat of the prefecture of that department. Foix is located in the Occitanie region of southwestern France ...
. The troops crossed the
Garonne The Garonne ( , ; Catalan language, Catalan, Basque language, Basque and , ; or ) is a river that flows in southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux � ...
and the Gave at Coarreze and by August 9, they reached Queen Jeanne d' Albret’s castle at
Navarrenx Navarrenx (; ; , ) is a town and commune in the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The demonym is Navarre. Since 2014, the town has been in the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. It is ...
, which had been placed under siege two and a half months ago by the Catholic army of Antoine de Lomagne, vicomte de Terride. Terride, who had lifted the siege the previous day, withdrew his forces to Orthez. On August 11, Montgomery crossed the Gave de Pau under fire and routed Terride's troops on the right bank. Isolated in Orthez and despairing of relief, Terride opened negotiations on August 14. In the following days the Huguenots killed many of their prisoners. A special death was contrived for the clergy - they were thrown to their deaths from the heights of Orthez's Le Pont-Vieux over the
Gave de Pau The Gave de Pau () is a river of south-western France. It takes its name from the city of Pau, through which it flows. The river is long ( including the Gaves réunis), and although its source is considered to be on the Cirque de Gavarnie in t ...
. In addition, the local Moncade castle was destroyed as well as the town’s churches and many homes.


Aftermath

Massacre of religious opponents characterised much of the Wars of Religion. Montgomery’s Huguenot troops committed subsequent massacres of Catholics in Artix,
Tarbes Tarbes (; Gascon language, Gascon: ''Tarba'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of southwestern France. It is ...
, and elsewhere, Based on correspondence and the memoirs of Jeanne III d'Albret, as well as the fact that the war was taken specifically to
Orthez Orthez (; ; , ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sai ...
and
Navarrenx Navarrenx (; ; , ) is a town and commune in the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The demonym is Navarre. Since 2014, the town has been in the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. It is ...
by her direct orders, the historian
Communay Communay () is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. It is around 15 km south of the centre of Lyon. Population See also *Communes of the Rhône department The following is a list of the 208 communes of the Rhône de ...
posits that she herself may have ordered the slaughter of the Catholic prisoners. Doubtless, however, the Huguenots were so enraged from the persecution inflicted on them by the Catholics that they could not be restrained from the massacre. Montgomery's victory at Orthez gave the Huguenots the ability to recover after, in October, their main field army was destroyed at Moncontour.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orthez, Battle of History of Catholicism in France Battles of the French Wars of Religion Military history of Nouvelle-Aquitaine History of Pyrénées-Atlantiques 1569 in France Conflicts in 1569