David de Rambures (c. 1364 – October 25, 1415, at the battle of Agincourt) was a French knight, member of the king's council and Grand Master of Crossbowmen. He died at the

Battle of Agincourt The Battle of Agincourt ( ; ) was an English victory in the Hundred Years' War. It took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day) near Azincourt, in northern France. The unexpected victory of the vastly outnumbered English troops agains ...

along with his three youngest sons: Jean, Hugues and Philippe.

Life and marriage

David de Rambures was the son of André (nicknamed Andrieux) de Rambures (d. 1405), knight, lord of Rambures, captain of Boulogne and Gravelines, governor of the West-West Flanders province, chamberlain of King Charles VI and Jeanne de Brégny. He married Catherine d'Auxy, Dame de Dompiere and Escouy, daughter of Enguerrand d'Auxy (? - 1374) and Isabelle de Goulons. They had four sons. In 1412 he started the construction of the current ''

Château de Rambures Le Château de Rambures is a castle situated in the ''Communes of France, commune'' of Rambures in the Somme (department), Somme ''Departments of France, département'' of France. It was constructed in the Middle Ages in the style of a military ...

'', which was interrupted at his death.

Military career

Squire, he served at the Hotel du Roi Charles VI (1386) and in Germany. He was placed, thanks to his father, very early in the Hotel of the king and began his military career as a squire in the company of his father in 1387. He served in Germany in 1388 and fought on many battlefields at the beginning of the 15th century, which led him to the highest offices. He served in Picardy in 1404, under the Comte de Saint-Pol, with four knights and twenty squires. He was taken prisoner at Mercq near Calais with

Jean V de Hangest Jean V d'Hangest et d'Avesnecourt (c. 1350 - 25 October 1415) was a consular to the Grand Chamberlain of France and Governor of Brittany. He died at the Battle of Agincourt The Battle of Agincourt ( ; ) was an English victory in the Hundr ...

. His father Andreux and brother Jean died in this

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

. He served in Guyenne in 1408 and became captain of the castle of Airaines, the same year. Then, in 1410, he set out for Genoa to strengthen Marshal de Boucicaut with Raoul de Gaucourt. He served in Orleans with James II of Bourbon-La Marche in 1411. He became great master of the French Crossbowmen in 1411 with a salary of £2,000 a year and a bonus of £600. He defended Ponthieu and Artois, captain of Boulogne (1415), he commanded Dieppe against the English.

Political career

Familiar of the Court of Burgundy, he attended the marriage of Marguerite of Burgundy with Guillaume de Hainaut in 1385, that of

John the Fearless John I (; ; 28 May 1371 – 10 September 1419) was a scion of the French royal family who ruled the Burgundian State from 1404 until his assassination in 1419. He played a key role in French national affairs during the early 15th century, part ...

with

Margaret of Bavaria Margaret of Bavaria (1363 – 23 January 1424, Dijon) was List of Burgundian royal consorts, Duchess of Burgundy by marriage to John the Fearless. She was the regent of the Burgundian Low Countries during the absence of her spouse in 1404–1419 ...

and that of Antoine of Burgundy with Jeanne of Luxembourg in

Arras Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...

, in 1402. He was chamberlain of the Duke of Burgundy

Philip the Bold Philip II the Bold (; ; 17 January 1342 – 27 April 1404) was Duke of Burgundy and ''jure uxoris'' Count of Flanders, Artois and Burgundy. He was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg. Philip was th ...

in 1401-1402. He was a member of the king's council in 1402 and in 1410 became chamberlain to the Duke of Guyenne. After the Treaty of Bicetre of December 10, 1410, he was one of the twelve knights who were members of the Council of Regency, in charge of the government during the madness of Charles VI. His attachment to the Duke of Burgundy caused his dismissal in 1413. He then served the Duke of Burgundy, John the Fearless, in 1413, and then the Dauphin, for whom he became the commissioner for the execution of the on September 4, 1414.

Literature

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, in his play ''Henry V'', called him Lord Rambures, the master of the French crossbows.

Bibliography

* Philippe Seydoux, The Castle of Rambures, in Picardy, Editions de La Morande, 1974

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rambures, David de 1360s births 1415 deaths Medieval French knights People of the Hundred Years' War French military personnel killed in action