Navarrese

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Historical Overview Section

The kingdom of Navarre was formed when a local Basque leader Íñigo Arista was declared King in Pamplona (traditionally in 824) and led a revolt against the regional Frankish authority. This list covers the period during the 100YW when Charles The Bad intrigued with and against the Medieval French, who eventually annexed him and his kingdom.

In 1305 Navarre had fallen under the guardianship of King Philip IV of France, where it remained until the death of Charles IV of France at 1328 who left no male heirs - always a messy situation in Medieval times. When Philip of Valois became king of France, the Navarrese took the opportunity to declare themselves independent and called to the throne Joanna II and her husband Philip of Evreux (Philip the Wise - or Philip the man with good PR agents). As part of the deal Joanna waived all claim to the throne of France and gave up Champagne and Brie (the regions, not the foodstuffs) in exchange Angoulême, Longueville, and Mortain.

They were succeeded by their son, Charles II of Navarre, who assumed the reins of government from 1349–87. Chalrles was very French, and he regarded Navarre principally as a source of manpower with which to advance his designs to become a major power in France and harboured aspirations to claim the Medieval French throne for himself. As a result he played an important part in the Hundred Years' War and in the French civil unrest of the time, marrying the daughter of the King of France but fighting her father and conspiring to form an alliances against France with the 100-yrs War English -Continental, leading to the French King signing a treaty with him - which in turn left the 100-yrs War English -Continental feeling somwhat stiffed. Several other botched and brokeeen alliances followed, as well as a rumoured involvement in a possible Coup d'etat in France - much of it driven by issues involving the lands his kingdom of Navarre controlled in Northern France in and around Normandy which were pivotal in the landscape of 100YW. He also had a punt at claiming the Medieval Burgundian Dukedom and although this cost him much in money and reputation, and by 1365 he was mostly back in Navarre full time. On account of his deceit and cruelty he received the surname of the Wicked and, later in his reign, the Navarrese Company acquired island possessions in Greece (no connection).

Using the army in FoG

  • Lots of standard medieval knights plus some cheap rough terrain troops to pad out the army form the core of the Navarrese.
  • Its about knights. Take foot as filler, use some to guard the camp, and then attack with a wall of knights across the table
  • The optional 12 English longbowmen seem an almost mandatory addition, but are only numerous enough to act in support of the knights, not as a force in their own right so might be dropped for more knights
  • Average Knights are the wrong choice in 99 out of 100 possible situations - don;t penny pinch, buy Superior.
  • The Navarrese foot are pretty rubbish, so take them as LF filler units - don't try and use them as MF unless they can dig trenches and sit up a mountain.

UK Tournament Results with this army

User-contributed links about this army:

Allies

Surprisingly no allies for the Navarrese despite their intriguing role in the 100YW

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures suitable for Late Medieval Armies

You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site

Image Image Image Image Image Image

Core Troops


Which troops are absolutely needed for this army, and what are your thoughts on how to organise, paint and buy them.

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army

Name of Army / Date

  • Using asterisks inthe edit mode creates a bulleted list in the actual site
  • This is a lot easier to do than easier than setting up tables
  • For FoG I suggest listing your army in order or march
  • with troop desctiptions on each line, for example
  • 4 HF Armoured Average Drilled Impact Foot Swordsmen
  • 8 LG Undrilled Unarmoured Poor Bowen
  • Dont forget to include your Generals !!!

Include any notes you want here, including comments on how to use - or play against - the army.

Remember to leave a line before you copy the above section as a template for your own list

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