A.D. 1365. gueville (which had been granted to Du Guesclin), Mantes, and Meulan.

66

Nevertheless the pacification of Brittany and Normandy, however advantageous to France in general, did not put an end to the "Companies;" but, on the contrary, rather increased their numbers. These were now estimated at 50,000 or 60,000. The soldiers who had been employed in those parts of France, found themselves without occupation; they had too long led a wild life to betake themselves to any peaceful pursuit, and therefore joined the Companies." Even the soldiers of Du Guesclin could not be restrained from pillage, and he himself was not free from suspicion of encouraging them.1 Some of the freebooters invaded Aquitaine, but the Prince of Wales drove them back into the centre of France, which they called their "chamber." King Charles tried in vain to engage them in the crusade against the Turks, which the King of Cyprus had undertaken; but the Archpriest, Arnaud de Cervolles, was killed by the Germans while attempting to cross the Rhine, and the "Companies" then refused to have anything to do with it. At length Du Guesclin managed to employ them in Spain. The history of their doings in that country is so intimately connected with those of the Prince of Wales, that, in order to understand them, it is necessary now to give an account of the events in Spain which led to the unfortunate interference of the Prince of Wales in its affairs.

See Martin, tome v. p. 254.

CHAP. VII.

PEDRO THE CRUEL.

107

CHAPTER VII.

THE CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN.

Cruel:

PEDRO, known in history as The Cruel, and-if re- A.D.1365. morseless murders repeatedly perpetrated without a Pedro the shadow of pretext furnish a ground for such an epithet justly so called, ascended the throne of Castile, at the early age of sixteen, on the death of his father Alphonso the Eleventh in 1350. It was not long before he began to earn his characteristic epithet. He commenced his reign with three murders: the first, done in the name of his mother, Princess Maria of Portugal, but doubtless with his privity, was that of his father's mistress Leonora de Guzman; his second victim, was Garcilasso de la Vega, CaptainGeneral of Castile; his next, his own wife.

Blanche of

trigues

with Maria

de Padilla,

In 1353 he married Blanche of Bourbon, daughter marries of Peter, Duke of Bourbon, who was killed at Poitiers, Bourbon, and younger sister of Jane, wife of Charles the Fifth but inof France. Previously to this marriage, he had fallen in love with Maria de Padilla, who became his mistress; two days after it, he left his wife, never to return to her, and lived with Padilla. In 1361 he and murcaused his wife to be put to death; in the following Blanche. year, when his mistress died, he declared she had been his lawful wife, that it was for that reason he had refused to live with Blanche; and he demanded that Maria's son should be recognised as his suc

ders

A.D. 1865. cessor. It is obvious that no weight could be attached to the declaration of such a monster; but, even if true, the crime committed against Blanche of Bourbon became only so much the more enormous, as it added heartless treachery to adultery. The indignation of her brother-in-law the King of France was justly great, and decided him to support a rival to the throne of Castile whom Pedro's crimes had The King raised up. This was Henry of Trastamare, son of supports a Alphonso the Eleventh by his mistress Leonora de rival to the Guzman, whom Pedro had murdered on his accession to the throne. Henry had already made Pedro his enemy, by taking the part of the nobles in resisting his tyranny; on their defeat in 1356, he had taken refuge in France.1

of France

throne,

and the Pope also supports Henry of Trasta

mare.

Pedro had made another enemy beside the King of France. In addition to his other crimes he was accused of oppressing the Church, and allying himself with the Mohammedan Kings of Granada. This was thought a heinous sin. For these offences, Pope Urban summoned Pedro to appear before him. Pedro treated the summons with contempt; the Pope consequently excommunicated him, and encouraged Henry to aspire to the throne. The Pope now legitimised Henry in order to give him a show of legal claim to the throne; and, in conjunction with the King of France, resolved to make use of the "Companies" to drive Pedro from his kingdom. It was no difficult matter to induce the King of France to espouse the cause of Henry of Trastamare; for, independently of the opportunity thus afforded him of getting rid of the "Companies," he thereby struck a blow at England. 1 Buchon's Froissart, vol. i. p. 503, note.