Battle of Nancy
Outside the walls of Nancy, Lorraine, France
What happened
Duke René II of Lorraine, with Swiss pikemen and allies, fought Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy. Charles the Bold, ruler of the rich state of Burgundy, was besieging Nancy, the capital of Lorraine. On a snowy January day, the Swiss-led army made a long march through the woods around his flank and charged downhill. The Burgundian line broke, and Charles fell during the retreat.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the last and decisive battle of the Burgundian Wars. The powerful Burgundian state broke apart.
What came next
René II ruled Lorraine. The thistle, a symbol of the people of Lorraine during the wars against Burgundy, later became the emblem of Nancy.
Did you know?
Charles the Bold is said to have complained that the Swiss were like 'a spider who is everywhere at once'.
Timeline
- 5 January 1477René II and the Swiss win at Nancy.
- 7 January 1477Charles's body is found.
- 1575The thistle officially becomes Nancy's emblem.