The Battle of Val-de-Saire in 1001, saw the victory of Neel I of Saint-Sauveur, Viscount of Cotentin, over the army of Anglo-Saxon king Æthelred II.

Background

Early in the 11th century, the Vikings launched numerous looting raids into England, killing, burning and collecting a huge loot. Knowing that the Normans of France open their ports to longships to enter, Vikings can more easily raid England. The King of England, Æthelred wants to get rid of accomplices (easier to reach) by launching a major naval expedition in Normandy. The English military campaign has two objectives. First, to punish the Normans for assisting in and profiting from the Viking raids, the Anglo-Saxon troops plan to plunder the fields and villages and massacre many Norman villagers to reduce the resources the Norman elite have at their disposal. Second, the king wishes to progress to the capture Rouen, the capital of Normandy, and capture the young Duke Richard to add the Duchy of Normandy to his crown. Æthelred knows that the Duke of Normandy, Richard II is very young and probably unable to organize resistance. He believes the invasion of Normandy will be straightforward. Besides, the concept of a retribution campaign was popular with his nobles and commoners; to not prosecute an invasion of some sort would have decreased his popularity.

For the campaign, Æthelred recruited all the greatest warriors in England. This inevitably meant that the Normans knew an invasion would be imminent. The Anglo-Saxons were a very important and powerful army which could rely on the ability of the nobles to call upon the service of their men at arms. The Val de Saire is a coastal part of Normandy on the Cotentin Peninsula that was the least protected by sea because it was far from the home port of the Norman fleet. It was planned that the English conduct the landing of their troops on the gently sloping beach near Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue. Arriving in the Cotentin in 1001, Normandy (in present Lower Normandy), the English soldiers realized the first objective that was assigned to them, namely to massacre and pillage in retaliation for assistance to the Vikings.[1] This first objective achieved, the Anglo-Saxon army began to move towards Rouen, preparing to reduce the Duchy and possibly capture the young Duke of Normandy.

While the situation looks promising for the English, Æthelred has underestimated the capabilities of his foe entirely and decisively: the Viscount of Cotentin, Neel. Originally, the Neel has only a relatively thin band of Norman knights, at least not enough to face the English army. However, the Norman peasants of Cotentin regrouped following the looting and violence, and they had previously been organized into hundreds and tithes so had rudimentary organization and training. Since Brittany was nearby and England across the sea, the inhabitants took their military roles seriously. Neel immediately recruited the villagers of the Cotentin into his army. The peasant fighters were furious but poorly equipped and inexperienced, facing a seasoned troupe, meaning that Neel's men pay dearly as the Anglo-Saxons campaigned. But is it not his only chance to win? In fact Neel had the advantage because he knew the terrain. The Cotentin Peninsula was almost an island, with just one land bridge capable of crossing an army into the heart of the Duchy of Normandy. So a defensive trap could be set and Neel was drawing them toward it since both sides knew the inevitable path.

Neel's army exterminated the invaders at the Battle of Val-de-Saire.

Battle

With his army in a majority of militarized peasants, the Viscount Neel prefers to battle logically and attack the Anglo-Saxons by a surprise. At dawn, the knights and Norman peasants therefore launch a surprise attack to the English camp. Even if the English do not have time to form into "battle", the English can still take their weapons and defend themselves. However, clearly wanting to avenge the atrocities they suffered, the Norman peasants approach the English with such fury that they conduct substantially complete massacre. The defeat of the Saxon expeditionary force is total. Few English manage to re-embark. Soon made aware of the disaster of his army in the Cotentin, the English king Æthelred is completely disappointed and ashamed. Wanting to know the reasons for this cruel failure, Æthelred brought a rare survivor and questions him. Showing good faith, the English warrior admitted to his monarch that in Normandy, he met belligerent and strong warriors, but he was even more surprised when he saw the Norman women violently break down the English blow pitchers on their head.

Aftermath

By winning the Saire Valley, Neel, Viscount of Cotentin, broke an English invasion in Normandy yet the Channel rivalries continued. In 1066, on the English side of the Channel at the Hastings, the next Duke of Normandy led an attack upon the English throne and won a remarkable place in history.

References

↑ François Neveux, La Normandie des ducs aux rois (Xe-XIIe siècle), Ouest-France, Rennes, 1998, p.68.