When the Spaniards ships came... The other Armada...

[Kurt_Steiner]

I have found this curious chapter of history, so unknown by me that I cannot resist sharing it with you. It's so... curious. I hope you don't mind the rash translation...

When the Spaniards ships came... The other Armada...

“While Enrique III was king of Castille, once he managed to make peace in their states and to exercise some kind of influence upon France and England, countries that were plagued by internal fights in those days. Henry IV of England declared the war to France due to the old feud that those countries had and the English corsairs began to plunder Britain and Normady in 1.405. France lacked naval power strong enough to handel this, but they had the Castilian help. So, the Castilian king send them 40 ships and 3 galleys.

The chronicle of the campaign is very curious, indeed. Gutierres de Games wrote it, and explains us how the better soldiers and sailors were chosen. This armada was commanded by don Martin Ruiz de Avendaño and don Pero Niño of the galleys. Niño, who was to be count of Buelna latero n, was a well-bred gentleman, and of the liking of the king of Castile and distinguished in the wars of Barbary, Tolón and Marseilles. The two commanders, according to the orders that they received, should arrange their movements.

But each one of them wanted to go on their own, as good Spanish, -or perhaps the winds or fate separated them-. The truth is that they did not meet. Niño passed to the island of Rez and immediately to La Rochelle, where he was given a splendid reception. Here he waited for Martin Ruiz for some days, and, fianlly went alone to the hunt the English seashore. Charles d’Albret reinforced him with tho more ships with French crossbowmen. With this reinforcement Niño set in motion. As he did not find neither English nor Gascon ships, he raided the coast, and carried the oxen and rams that he found in the coast, took prisoners, set on fire to the cornfields and 115 houses and returned immediately to La Rochelle. This action, that is, to have attacked an inaccessible place and to have plundered it was looked at as a feat of arms that did a lot of honor to the Spaniards.

A storm scattered the galleys of Niño and Albret in the English Channel. The chronicle, when it describes the white cliffs of Dover, dedicates to the English a chapter called "How are the English so different from all the other nations of Christians".

Finally the winds were appeased, and the expedition could land in Cornwall. After rushing some fishermen they obtained the necessary information. Howevre, Niño landed to attack city that their chronicle calls Chira –Anklebone?-, situated near a mountain with all their streets tending at the sea. It had around 300 houses inhabited by merchants and fishermen. The French and Spaniards raiders killed or took prisoners those who resisted and then they plundered and they burnt the village. But Niño, followed by Albret, went on, and knowing that was not far from certain called place Pool, wanted to take advantage from the situation and to take revenge from those English gentlemen that had been the terror of French and Spanish merchants "Arripay" was the name of this personage, that may be Henry Paye, corsair that had attacked in his travels the coasts of Spain. It had set on fire Finisterre and Gijón.

Don Pero Niño, according to his habits, only disembarked part of his troops. The inhabitants fled, but they returned with a body of English soldiers that launched a cloud of arrows against the Spaniards. When Don Pero Niño saw that they were in danger, he landed with all the remainder of his troops, carrying himself the flag and shouting "¡Santiago!"," ¡Santiago!". The French joined with the Spaniards and together they defeated the English, who left the field sown by corpses, among which a brother of Paye. The Spaniards, on their turn, lost brave official, Juan de Murcia.

Niño knew from the prisoners that the people of Wales had raised themselves against the king of England. He thought to take advantage from such a favorable occasion to raid the country and to collect many wealth. So, he went to London by the Thames, and seems that arrived to Greenwich [Here the translator must admit that it is quite curious that Niño wanted to go to Wales through London, but, anyway...]. Once he had enjoyed with the view of London, he wneto to Isle of Wight, where he disembarked, fought some battles and returned to France.

He was honoured, once he arrived to Rouan by the once admiral of France, Arganault of Trie, already elderly. Trie had him in his mansion, so refined and sumptuous, amisdt pf sounds of harp, whispers of silk, and songs of troubadors, while the lady of the house, young, beautiful and dreamy, took care of Don Pero. Barely they had begun to cross their looks of the beautiful one and the Spaniard, when the admiral died. The widow no longer refreined her passion, and Don Pero proclaimed this loving flame, so they they were promised and, to keep some kind of mourning, they agreed to wait a bit while the Spaniard went again to visit the English. Thus he attacked their enemies with success, beating the English fleet in Calais and landing later on at Jersey. He was ready to turn it all into blood and fire, when the Englsih called for a parliament. Then, asking for mercy and recalling, among others arguments ad hoc, that the queen of Castile was Catharine of Lancaster. Don Pero Niño asked them for an annual tribute, and his soldierse and the French allies plundered all that they were able to raid."

From “Historia inaudita de España”, by Pedro Voltes.

[Aryaman]

IIRC Pero Nino wrote a chronicle about the events called "El Victorial" ( a collection of victories)

[Kurt_Steiner]

I'm still wondering how he managed to go to London in order to reach Wales...

[HJ Tulp]

Originally Posted by Kurt_Steiner

I'm still wondering how he managed to go to London in order to reach Wales...

Doesn't it say that he wanted to take advantage of the Welsh revolt? If Wales was in arms that would be the place where the Royal forces would be. Therefor the London area would be a nice place of England to loot.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Originally Posted by HJ Tulp

Doesn't it say that he wanted to take advantage of the Welsh revolt? If Wales was in arms that would be the place where the Royal forces would be. Therefor the London area would be a nice place of England to loot.

Indeed! I didn't think about it, my Goodness!!! Heavens... I'm getting old

[HJ Tulp]

Originally Posted by Kurt_Steiner

Indeed! I didn't think about it, my Goodness!!! Heavens... I'm getting old

No probs pops

Very interesting article anyways.

Do you know what happened to the Spanish Admiral afterwards?

[Martim Silva]

Castillian raids on England (often at Frances' pay) happened often in the Middle Ages.

IIRC, there was also a Genoese raid done with War Galleys...

[Kurt_Steiner]

Originally Posted by HJ Tulp

No probs pops

Very interesting article anyways.

Do you know what happened to the Spanish Admiral afterwards?

Apparently, after fighting the Moors in 1404 and England later on, he fought in Granada in 1407, and he found time to have some love affaire with Beatriz de Portugal, and quarrelling a bit with Juan II of Castille. Niño died in 1453, being 75 yo.

There is a Chronicle about his life, The Victorial (h.1436) o "Crónica de Pero Niño", written by one of his officer, Gutierre Díez de Games.

[Martim Silva]

Originally Posted by Kurt_Steiner

There is a Chronicle about his life, The Victorial (h.1436) o "Crónica de Pero Niño", written by one of his officer, Gutierre Díez de Games.

Pero Niño? The Undefeated? He's hugely famous! There are people who don't know about one of the great models of medieval adventure and chivalry?

EDIT: I've noticed you hail from Catalunya. Maybe Pero is just not very well known outside of the Peninsula? But I bet the moros remember him... we certainly do, and he also defeated us.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Originally Posted by Martim Silva

Pero Niño? The Undefeated? He's hugely famous! There are people who don't know about one of the great models of medieval adventure and chivalry?

EDIT: I've noticed you hail from Catalunya. Maybe Pero is just not very well known outside of the Peninsula? But I bet the moros remember him... we certainly do, and he also defeated us.

Yes, I come from Catalunya. I discovered Pero Niño buy sheer chance and I must admit that he was a man "for all seasons"