Harelle

The Harelle (French pronunciation: [aʁɛl]; from haro) was a revolt that occurred in the French city of Rouen in 1382 and followed by the Maillotins uprising a few days later in Paris, as well as numerous other revolts across France in the subsequent week.^[1] France was in the midst of the Hundred Years' War, and had seen decades of warfare, widespread destruction, high taxation, and economic decline, made worse by bouts of plague. In Rouen, the second largest city in the kingdom, the effects of the war were particularly felt.

Tensions had been building nationally for nearly a year following the death of

crisis of the Late Middle Ages

.

Background

plague and war had ravaged the kingdom, and the heavy taxation increased poverty in many parts of the country. The cities were particularly affected, as people abandoned the countryside for the security of the larger walled cities.^[4] England was having similar financial difficulties, and the high taxation led to the Peasants' Revolt there in 1381.^[5]

By 1382 an agreement for managing the country had been agreed to, with

tax farmers to collect the tax.^[6]

Rouen

The first violence to break out as a result of the re-imposition of the taxes occurred in Rouen, the second largest city in the kingdom. On February 24, a group of men led by draper Jean le Gras, began sounding the great bells of the city's commune. Another group of men seized and closed the gates of the city, and a large mob quickly filled the streets. The mob was drawn largely from the poorest section of the city and was referred to as "la merdaille" (meaning approximately "shit-stinking rabble"^[7]) by a local chronicler.^[8] The initial target of the mob was the wealthy, the town's councillors, the churches, and the tax farmers. Few people were killed, but there was widespread destruction. The mob looted every major building in the city. As the day progressed, the leaders of the mob directed the attack against any building thought to contain public records. All records containing evidence of rents, lawsuits, debts, rights and privileges were destroyed.^[1]

A mob left the city and attacked the nearby

feudal rights over the city, was captured and forced to renounce his claims to the city.^[1]

The Duke of Burgundy recruited a small army from the garrisons in and around Paris and set out for Rouen accompanied by Charles VI and several other high officials. After being gone from the city only two days, they learnt that a far more violent revolt had broken out in Paris, and quickly turned the army to return to the capital.[1]

Paris

On March 3, the tax farmers began to collect the new tax in Paris. Violence began in the market of

forcibly baptized.^[9]

The city's royal captain, Maurise de Treseguidy, led his small contingent in an attempt to stem the violence. The mob quickly ran chains across the streets and began to attack the soldiers, who were forced to flee. The government of the city fled along with most of the royal administration and met with the King and the returning army. What military forces remained held onto the Grand Châtelet, a fortified royal building in the city.^[9]

When the king arrived at the gates of Paris on March 5, the Duke of Burgundy negotiated with leaders of the mob from the city walls. They offered to submit and allow the king to reenter the city if he met three conditions: abolish all royal taxes, release certain individuals imprisoned by the Duke in recent months, and grant amnesty to everyone who had been involved in the Parisian revolt. The Duke replied that the King would release the prisoners, but not meet their other demands. Fresh violence immediately erupted in the city. The mob attacked the Chatelet and killed several soldiers who were unable to escape. The prisons of the city were opened and everyone released. During the night, however, the mob faded away and leaders of the city's guilds took control of the situation. They too refused to open the gates and offered to negotiate with the King. The King and his army seized posts overlooking the city and stopped river traffic into the city, cutting off its primary source of food. The Duke of Burgundy summoned a large army of retainers from his domains, and the Dukes of Brittany and Anjou sent forces to assist in suppressing the rebellion.^[10]

Resolution

News of the revolts in Rouen and Paris spread across France, and many other places followed suit.

Burgundy, where the royal government had no taxing authority, were the only parts of the country to avoid a revolt.^[12] Tax collection became impossible which in turn made raising a substantial army to deal with the revolution nearly impossible, forcing the royal council to compromise. The King agreed to repeal the taxes and offered amnesty to all those involved, but they were required to submit to mediation. After regaining admittance to Paris, the leaders of the Parisian revolt were rounded up and executed.^[11]

With control of Paris reestablished, the King and the Duke took the army and again set out for Rouen. The city put up no resistance and opened the gates when the king arrived on March 29. Their leaders feared execution, but most were spared. Only twelve leaders of the revolt were executed, the city's bells were confiscated, the gates of the city symbolically thrown down, a 100,000 franc fine imposed, the city charter was revoked and Rouen was put under the administration of a royal governor.^[11]

The government was unable to reimpose the taxes needed to continue the war effort in the short term, and considerable effort had to be put forth to reassert authority in all the cities were revolts had occurred. The king refused to call a meeting of the

Estates General, but numerous local councils were summoned to meet in Compiègne, where minor taxation concessions were made to partially fund the war effort. Over the course of the next year the Duke of Burgundy set forth a plan to strengthen the government's position and gradually arrested and executed their opponents. It was not until 1387 that the last of the issue of taxation was finally resolved, in favor of the king.^[13] The collapse of government revenues hastened the government to negotiate the Truce of Leulinghem, a long truce lasting several years with the English while they attempted to reassert their power.^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Sumption, p. 444
^ Sumption, p. 440
^ Sumption, p. 441.
^ Sumption. p. 439
^ Sumption, p. 429–434
^ Sumption, p. 442
^ Cotgrave, Randle (1611). "Merdaille". A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues. London: Adam Islip. Merdaille: f. A crue [crew] of shitten knaues [knaves], of filthie scowndrells, of stinking fellowes.
^ Sumption, p. 443
^ ^a ^b ^c Sumption, p. 445
^ Sumption. p. 446
^ ^a ^b ^c Sumption, p. 447
^ Sumption, p. 463
^ Sumption, p. 448
^ Sumption, p. 459

Sources

Sumption, Jonathan (2009). The Hundred Years War: Divided Houses.
ISBN 978-0-8122-4223-2
.

External links

The Harelle Revolt

[s444-1] Sumption, p. 444

[2] Sumption, p. 440

[3] Sumption, p. 441.

[4] Sumption. p. 439

[5] Sumption, p. 429–434

[6] Sumption, p. 442

[7] Cotgrave, Randle (1611). "Merdaille". A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues. London: Adam Islip. Merdaille: f. A crue [crew] of shitten knaues [knaves], of filthie scowndrells, of stinking fellowes.

[8] Sumption, p. 443

[s445-9] Sumption, p. 445

[10] Sumption. p. 446

[s447-11] Sumption, p. 447

[12] Sumption, p. 463

[13] Sumption, p. 448

[14] Sumption, p. 459

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