What battle in 1364 ended the Breton War of Succession?

The Battle of Auray ended the Breton War of Succession in 1364. Fought on 29 September near Auray in Brittany, it settled the rival claims of the houses of Montfort and Blois.

John de Montfort led the Anglo-Breton side, supported by the English commander John Chandos. Their opponents supported Charles of Blois and included the famous French captain Bertrand du Guesclin. The confrontation began in the context of a siege: Montfort’s forces had attacked Auray and its castle, then moved to meet the relief army commanded by Charles of Blois.

The battle became decisive when the Franco-Breton army’s wings collapsed. Charles of Blois was killed, while du Guesclin was captured and later ransomed. Montfort’s victory enabled his family to prevail, although the political settlement still required diplomacy.

The First Treaty of Guérande in 1365 recognized John IV, son of John de Montfort, as Duke of Brittany. Auray was therefore more than a battlefield victory: it ended a dynastic civil war that had been entangled with the wider Hundred Years’ War.