Battle of Ivry

Part of the French War of Religion (1587–1594) and the Anglo–Spanish War

Henry IV at the Battle of Ivry, by Peter Paul Rubens (Uffizi)

Date	14 March 1590
Location	Ivry, Eure, France
Result	Decisive Royalist victory

Belligerents

Kingdom of France

England

Catholic League

Spain

Commanders and leaders

Henry IV of France

Marshal de Biron

Duc de Mayenne

Duke of Aumale (POW)

Count of Egmont †

Strength

12,000 infantry,
3,000 cavalry

13,000 infantry,
4,000 cavalry

Casualties and losses

500

6,000 killed or wounded
4,000 prisoners

The Battle of Ivry was fought on 14 March 1590, during the French Wars of Religion. The battle was a decisive victory for Henry IV of France, leading Huguenot and English forces against the Catholic League by the Duc de Mayenne and Spanish forces under the Count of Egmont. Henry's forces were victorious and he went on to lay siege to Paris.

The battle occurred on the plain of Épieds, Eure near Ivry (later renamed Ivry-la-Bataille), Normandy. Ivry-la-Bataille is located on the Eure River and about thirty miles west of Paris, at the boundary between the Île-de-France and the Beauce regions.

Henry IV had moved rapidly to besiege Dreux, a town controlled by the League. As Mayenne followed intending to raise the siege, Henry withdrew but stayed within sight. He deployed his army on the plain of Saint André between the towns of Nonancourt and Ivry. Henry had been reinforced by English troops sent in support by Queen Elizabeth I.

At first light on 14 March 1590, the two armies engaged.

Before the battle, the king famously spurred his troops:

"Companions! If you today run at risk with me, I will also run at risk with you; I will be victorious or die. God is with us. Look at his and our enemies. Look at your king. Hold your ranks, I beg of you; and if the heat of battle makes you leave them, think also of rallying back: therein lies the key to victory. You will find it among those three trees that you can see over there on your right side. If you lose your ensigns, cornets or flags, do never lose sight of my panache; you will always find it on the road to honour and victory."

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Wikipedia