Battle of Othée

Battle of Othée
Monument of the Battle of Othée
Date 23 September 1408 Location Othée, sub-municipality of Awans (present-day Belgium) Result Burgundian victory
Belligerents
Duchy of Burgundy County of Hainaut County of Namur	People of Liège
Commanders and leaders
John the Fearless William VI of Hainaut William II of Namur	Henry of Horne
Strength
5,000 - 6,500	6,000 - 8,500
Casualties and losses
low	3,000 - 4,000 on the battlefield

The Battle of Othée was fought between the citizens of the Liège and a professional army under command of John the Fearless on 23 September 1408. The militia of Liège suffered a heavy defeat.

Cause

In 1390, John of Bavaria, youngest son of Duke Albert I, Duke of Bavaria only aged 17, had become Prince-Bishop of Liège, with the support of Pope Boniface IX. His rule was a disaster. His authoritarian style clashed with the nobles and burghers of the Prince-Bishopric, who had acquired a certain degree of liberty over the years. He had already been expelled several times, when a new conflict in 1408 made him flee to Maastricht. Henry of Horne, Lord of Perwez was proclaimed Mambour and his son Prince-Bishop. John of Bavaria turned for help to his powerful family.

John's brother was William VI of Hainaut and his brother-in-law John the Fearless of Burgundy. Together with William II, Marquis of Namur, they raised an army and marched against the citizens of Liège.

Henri of Horne was aware that his troops were no match for the professional army heading his way, and therefore proposed to leave the city and start a guerilla war from the countryside. This was refused by the hait-droits, the most radical part of the rebels.

The battle

The rebels marched towards the enemy and took up position on a little hill in open field between the villages of Othée, Rutten and Herstappe. Despite the braveness of the rebels, they were surrounded by the reserve troops of the Duke and cut to pieces. On the orders of the Duke, no mercy was given. Henri of Horne, his son and most of the nobles were amongst the dead.
The exact number of casualties will never be known, but the much-used figure of 35,000 is most probably an exaggeration.

Aftermath

John of Bavaria returned from Maastricht and started a brutal repression on the city. The ensuing executions of leading insurgents and their families, including the widow of Henry of Horne, led to John of Bavarian's nickname "the Pitiless".
Burgundian influence was extended over the city and over the bishopric of Liège.

References

• Jean-Louis Kupper, Philippe George, Charles le Téméraire, de la violence et du sacré, éditions du Perron, juin 2007, p. 13.
• La bataille d'Othée
• Si vera est fama
• Medieval II

Valois Burgundy Dukes Family tree Philip the Bold John the Fearless Philip the Good Charles the Bold Mary the Rich Events Battle of Roosebeke, 1382 Crusade of Nicopolis, 1396 Battle of Othée, 1408 Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War, 1407-35 Assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, 1407 Cabochien Revolt, 1413 Assassination of John the Fearless, 1419 Treaty of Troyes, 1420 Congress of Arras, 1435 Hook and Cod wars, 1417-90 Battle of Brouwershaven, 1426 Siege of Deventer, 1456 Revolt of Ghent, 1449–53 Siege of Oudenaarde 1452 Battle of Bazel, 1452 Battle of Gavere, 1453 Feast of the Pheasant, 1454 War of the Common Weal, 1465 Battle of Montlhéry, 1465 Treaty of Conflans, 1465 Wars of Liège, 1465-68 Battle of Montenaken, 1465 Battle of Brustem, 1467 Treaty of Péronne, 1468 First Utrecht Civil War, 1470-74 Burgundian Wars, 1474–77 Battle of Héricourt, 1474 Siege of Neuss, 1474-75 Battle on the Planta, 1475 Battle of Grandson, 1476 Battle of Morat, 1476 Battle of Nancy, 1477 War of the Burgundian Succession, 1477-82 Battle of Guinegate, 1479 Treaty of Arras, 1482 Second Utrecht Civil War, 1481-83 Battle of Westbroek, 1481 Siege of Utrecht, 1483 Treaty of Senlis, 1493 Domains Margraviate of Antwerp County of Artois Duchy of Bavaria-Straubing Duchy of Brabant Duchy of Burgundy County of Burgundy County of Charolais County of Eu County of Flanders Frisian freedom Duchy of Guelders County of Hainaut County of Holland Bishopric of Liège Duchy of Limburg Duchy of Lothier Duchy of Luxembourg County of Namur County of Nevers Duchy of Rethel Bishopric of Utrecht County of Zeeland County of Zutphen Institutions Cross of Burgundy Burgundian School Great Privilege Estates-General Order of the Golden Fleece