Will's Wargames Blog: Pictures from Phalanx

18/06/2017

Pictures from Phalanx

We were fortunate to have Jan and Peter from the "Alde Garde" in the Netherlands to provide the Lance & Longbow game at the show this year.

The attack on Venlo, 1372 (from the First Guelders War of Succession)

During the 14th century the Duchy of Guelders is one of the prominent regions of the Netherlands, then still referred to as the Low Countries. Duke Reinald II is married to Eleonora, sister of King Edward III of England and he is also member of the Imperial Reichtag. As he dies in 1343 his two sons both claim the throne. As they are too young of age, noblemen who want to profit form supporting parties. The supporters of Eduard are led by the Lord of Bronckhorst and those of Reinald III by the Lord of Heeckeren and rivalries culminate into a Civil War. It ends with the imprisoning of Reinald III. In August 1371 Duke Eduard I is killed in the aftermath of the battle at Baesweiler near Aachen, where Guelders break the supremacy of the Duchy Brabant in the Maas-Rhine region. In December 1371 Duke Reinald III dies of bad health.

Eduard and Reinald have 2 half-sisters from the first marriage of Duke Reinald II: Maria, who is married to Duke Willem II of Jülich and Mechteld, widow of both the Count of Chiny and the Count of Kleve.
Old rivalries flare up and the Heeckeren party sympathize with Mechteld and the Bronckhorst party with Maria.
Maria claims the Duchy for her son as the legal male heir. As a counterstroke Mechteld in February 1572 marries very quickly with the older but very rich Count of Blois, from the hous of Châtillon.

Venlo is one of the important towns in Guelders, along with Arnheim, Nijmegen and Roermond. At the start of the War Jülich bribes Venlo to join Maria. In late Summer 1572 the Heeckeren party lay siege to Venlo with an army, that probably includes contingents from the Bishopric of Utrecht and several noblemen and retinues from Holland and Zeeland under the Count of Blois. Details are scarce and we only know that in November 1572 the Heeckerens occupied Venlo.
Both English and French mercenaries are in support during a lull in the 100 Years War activities.

In our partly fictious scenario the Heeckerens are laying siege to Venlo and a Bronckhorst relief army surprises the besiegers, who have to fight the enemy mostly on foot.
The demo game displays a broad selection of Low Countries Heraldry and 25-28mm wargame figures ranging from good old Lammings to the latest outstanding Claymore figures.
Rules used are Hail Ceasar.

The view of the beseigers of Venlo (Heeckerens)