Illustration du siège du château de Derval au XIVème siècle

This illumination titled “Illustration of the Siege of Derval Castle in the 14th Century” depicts the siege of Derval Castle during the fourteenth century. The scene shows a medieval fortress under attack in a narrative and heraldic composition typical of late medieval illuminated manuscripts. In the foreground on the right, Bertrand du Guesclin can be identified by his coat of arms; he is shown having hostages executed before the castle, while, according to the caption associated with the image, Knolles has his prisoners beheaded from the left tower above the drawbridge in retaliation. The illustration also represents the castle as it stood toward the late fifteenth century, with residential buildings, a chapel, and defensive features adapted to gunpowder artillery. Produced between 1401 and 1500, this illumination on parchment is preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Department of Manuscripts, under shelfmark Français 8266, folio 281 recto.