Battle of Varey
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| Battle of Varey | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_2014-06-28_13.40.57.jpg) Chateau Varey | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Dauphiné | Savoy | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Guigues VIII | Edward, Count of Savoy | ||||||
The Battle of Varey took place on 7 August 1325 in what is now the commune of Saint-Jean-le-Vieux, in the French department of Ain. It was between troops of the Count of Savoy and the Dauphin of Viennois as part of an ongoing war between the two neighbouring provinces.[1]
The Counts of Savoy and the Dauphins of Viennois had been almost consistently engaged in disputes and hostilities for some 50 years. When Guigues VIII became Dauphin in 1318 at the age of only 9, Edward, Count of Savoy, took the opportunity to attempt the capture of the castle of Varey with the help of Guichard VI, Sire of Beaujeu, who claimed its ownership.
Prelude
Edward, supported by Robert of Burgundy, Count of Tonnerre assembled a large force equipped with siege engines, besieged the castle, and proceeded to bombard it. The defenders eventually negotiated a ceasefire, promising to surrender in 10 days time, and meanwhile sent an urgent message to the Dauphin Guigues asking for help.