Folding fast

The Chateau Lézian at Castelnau-Riviere-Basse in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwest France. This 16th century chateau may (or may not) stand on the site of the medieval castle of Riviere-Basse, once held by the Plantagenet dukes of Gascony. It is difficult to trace the location of medieval castles and fortified manors in the old duchy of Gascony: there were hundreds of them, dotted all over the place. Many have either vanished or been renovated into country houses.

In autumn 1305 the Count of Foix re-ignited his family feud with the neighbouring Count of Armagnc. He took an army into the latter's territory, burning and ravaging, and seized the castle of Riviere-Basse, among others. This was unwise, since the castles were held direct of the king, and such action was interpreted as an assault on the crown.

Foix's invasion was also badly timed, since the new pope, Clement V, happened to be present in Gascony. He and the seneschal, Othon Grandson, agreed it was necessary to 'act with energy and speed' to prevent the conflict spreading further. A troop of cavalry – 5 barons, 16 knights and 358 squires – were hurriedly assembled at Mézin in late August. Othon took command of these men and rode out to whip Foix to heel.

The count folded like a cheap suit. Before any engagement could take place, he got his mother and sister-in-law to visit the pope at Bordeaux and beg for mercy. This was granted, on condition that Foix paid damages and submitted entirely to the will of the pope and seneschal.

War had been averted, but only temporarily. One of the major threats to the peace in Gascony was internal wars, especially the custom of single combat and blood-feuds between rival houses. Whoever ruled Gascony inherited these problems, which were insurmountable. 

The situation was almost ridiculous: when the Foix-Armagnac feud started in the 1280s, it was the responsibility of Edward I. When Gascony was overrun by the French in 1294, it passed to Philip the Fair. Unlike Edward, Philip did not prohibit single combats, and agreed to preside over a duel between the rival counts. He then changed his mind – shades of Richard II – and threw down his baton to stop the fight soon after it began. This was lucky for Foix, since he had already fallen off his horse.

When the English recovered Gascony in 1303, the tiresome feud once again became their problem. Edward's very capable seneschal, Othon, managed to keep a lid on it, but the thing would rumble on into the reigns of the next two Edwards and the Hundred Years War. 
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