Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence: Military Leadership and Political Divisions (1387–1421)

Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence (1387–1421), was the second son of King Henry IV of England and Mary de Bohun. He played a key role in English politics and military campaigns in France during the Hundred Years' War, particularly under his older brother, Henry V.

I. Early Life and Political Conflicts

• Thomas was born before November 25, 1387, as evidenced by a payment recorded in his father’s accounts to his nurse on that date.
• In November or December 1411, he married Lady Margaret Holland, widow of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, and daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent.
  • Although they had no children, Thomas became stepfather to Margaret’s six children from her first marriage.
  • He had one illegitimate son, Sir John Clarence ("the Bastard of Clarence"), who would fight alongside him in France.
• Thomas became politically involved during his father’s illness (1411), when conflicts arose between his elder brother Henry, Prince of Wales (the future Henry V), and their father, King Henry IV.
  • Henry, as Prince of Wales, sought to declare war on France, but his father opposed it.
  • When Henry defied the king and persuaded the royal council to declare war, he was removed from the council, and Thomas took his place, aligning with his father’s peace policy.

II. Military Role Under Henry V

• When Henry V launched his French campaign (1415), Thomas joined him in securing English dominance in Normandy.
• Siege of Rouen (July 1418 – January 1419)
  • Thomas commanded the besieging forces during the English capture of Rouen, one of the most crucial victories of the Hundred Years’ War.
  • The fall of Rouen solidified English control over Normandy, bringing Henry closer to his goal of securing the French throne.
• Treaty of Troyes (1420)
  • Thomas played a role in the negotiations of the Treaty of Troyes, in which Henry V was declared heir to the French throne and married Catherine of Valois, daughter of King Charles VI of France.

III. The French Resistance and the Role of the Scots

• The French Dauphin Charles (the future Charles VII), disinherited by the Treaty of Troyes, refused to accept English rule and continued to lead resistance in southern France.
• The French cause was strengthened by a Scottish army, led by John Stewart, Earl of Buchan, which provided critical reinforcements to the Dauphin’s forces.
• Thomas of Clarence, now one of England’s top commanders in France, would soon face his greatest challenge in battle against these combined forces.

IV. Legacy and the Continuing Conflict

• Thomas was one of England’s most experienced military leaders, but his impulsiveness in battle would ultimately lead to his downfall in 1421 at the Battle of Baugé.
• His rivalry with the Scottish forces, particularly under John Stewart, Earl of Buchan, played a key role in the next phase of the war.
• His death would be a major setback for the English, marking the first major French victory since Agincourt and shifting momentum toward the Dauphin’s forces.

By 1421, Thomas of Lancaster had risen to great prominence as an English military leader, but his impending fate in battle would mark a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War.

The Battle of Baugé (March 21, 1421): The English Defeat and the Death of the Duke of Clarence

The Battle of Baugé, fought on March 21, 1421 (Easter Saturday), was a decisive Franco-Scottish victory during the Hundred Years’ War, marking England’s first major defeat since Agincourt (1415). The battle was largely determined by the rash leadership of Thomas, Duke of Clarence, brother of King Henry V of England, who led a reckless charge with insufficient forces and was killed in battle.

I. The English Chevauchée and the Approach to Battle

• Clarence, following King Henry V’s orders, led 4,000 men in a devastating chevauchée through Anjou and Maine, encountering little resistance.
• By March 21, 1421 (Good Friday), his forces camped near the town of Vieil-Baugé.
• Meanwhile, a Franco-Scottish force of around 5,000 men, commanded by:
  • John Stewart, Earl of Buchan (leading the Scots).
  • Gilbert Motier de La Fayette, the new Constable of France.
• The Franco-Scottish force moved into the area to block further English advances.

II. The Dispersed English Forces and Clarence’s Rash Decision

• The English army was scattered, as many of the archers had ridden off in search of plunder and forage.
• On Easter Saturday, Clarence’s scouts captured a Scottish man-at-arms, revealing the presence of the Franco-Scottish army.
• Clarence faced a dilemma:
  • A battle on Easter Sunday was unthinkable due to its religious significance.
  • A two-day delay was also unacceptable, as it would allow the Franco-Scots time to strengthen their position.
• Walter Bower’s chronicles suggest that a brief truce was agreed upon, but battle nevertheless commenced that same day.

III. The Reckless Charge and the Battle at the Bridge

• Ignoring the advice of his lieutenants, Huntingdon and Gilbert Umfraville, Clarence ordered the Earl of Salisbury to round up the archers and follow as soon as possible.
• With only 1,500 men-at-arms and virtually no archers, Clarence charged the Franco-Scottish lines, underestimating their strength.
• A hundred Scottish archers, led by Sir Robert Stewart of Ralston, along with the retinue of Hugh Kennedy, held the bridge long enough for the Earl of Buchan to rally the main force.
• When Clarence finally forced his way across, he was confronted by the bulk of the Franco-Scottish army, whose men-at-arms had dismounted and were protected by archers.

IV. The Death of the Duke of Clarence

• In the melee, John Carmichael of Douglasdale broke his lance unhorsing Clarence.
• Several versions exist of how Clarence met his death:
  • Bower’s account: Scottish knight John Swinton wounded Clarence in the face, but Alexander Buchanan struck the fatal blow with a mace, then raised Clarence’s coronet on his lance in triumph.
  • Another tradition states Alexander Macausland of Lennox killed Clarence.
  • French chronicler Georges Chastellain attributes Clarence’s death to a Frenchman.

V. Salisbury’s Counterattack and the English Retreat

• Later that evening, the Earl of Salisbury regrouped the remaining English forces, using his archers to cover the retreat.
• He managed to rescue the surviving English troops and retrieve Clarence’s body.
• Despite this, the battle ended in a decisive Scottish-French victory.

VI. Consequences of the Battle

• First major English defeat since Agincourt (1415), shattering the illusion of English invincibility.
• Boosted Franco-Scottish morale, securing Charles VII’s resistance against English occupation.
• Clarence’s death weakened English leadership in France, as he had been one of Henry V’s most experienced commanders.
• Strengthened the reputation of the Scottish forces, who were crucial in defending the French Dauphin’s cause.

The Battle of Baugé (March 21, 1421) was a turning point, demonstrating that the English war machine was not invincible and that the Franco-Scottish alliance could effectively challenge English advances.