Du Guesclin

DU GUESCLIN

In August 1405, Jean-sans-peur and his mercenaries from.

Burgundy are marching on Paris. At Saint-Denis, the

terrified people have taken shelter in the basilica where.

Bertrand Du Guesclin is buried among the French kings.

Look, Mom, the White Soldier.

He's Bertrand Du Guesclin, lad. May he protect us.

We lost everything when he died.

He was the best of the best.

I fought with him for 30 years.

We parted only when death took him away.

Now all I desire,

is that one day I can rest at his feet.

Here.

I met him when he was a kid.

He was not a kind boy.

His family lived in a manor.

A manor near our village, in Brittany.

It was the feast of the Ascension.

Lady Jeanne De Mallesmains, mother of our Bertrand, was presiding over dinner,

while his father, Sir Robert Du Guesclin, was traveling.

A table had been set for the sharecroppers of the estate. They were good masters.

I was sitting at the end of the table with my father.

The lady of the house sat with her two youngest.

Olivier and Guillaume.

Mom!

Why isn't Bertrand with us?

He was fighting again and is being punished.

If his father were here, he'd be imprisoned.

He is so wicked!

He's a bad one, for sure!

Look, he almost tore his ear off.

Are you talking about Bertrand, Jagu? What did he do this time?

You have to tell me! - He tore my son's ear.

And he beat mine.

Bertrand!

Taking your elder's place?

Do you think I'm a servant?

Bertrand, I order you to leave or I'll have you beaten like a dog!

Tell God he died and dishonored us.

Take him!

Mom!

You are my children. But he...

I disown him as my son.

You have come just in time, sister.

Heaven has damned us with our eldest son.

His soul is as cunning as his face.

A fruit that takes time to ripen is even better.

I swear to God this boy will surpass all his ancestors.

He will be renowned as far as Jerusalem.

He will be the Savior of the French Kingdom.

No knight of his time will match him.

May God will it. But what a difficult boy.

Go home, dear friends.

Renaud, bring the children.

Come to me, sister.

Have a seat, my friend.

I had you called so that you could explain to me a dream I had last night.

I saw in a dream a golden marriage chest.

Sparkling with jewels.

But on top of it was a black gem.

Awful, offensive.

I was so saddened

when a mysterious hand appeared

holding a stonecutter's hammer.

Then it began to cut the raw gem.

It became the purest, most magnificent of all diamonds!

At that moment I awoke. - This is very clear.

Here is the explanation.

The jewels are your children.

The raw gem

is your eldest son, Bertrand, whom you curse today.

Seven years passed, and Bertrand grew strong,

but lacked wisdom and courtesy.

But it happened that the Barons of Brittany

organized in Rennes a grand joust in honor of the Countess of Penthiévre,

and Monseigneur Charles De Blots.

Bertrand's father was about to attend.

Isn't Bertrand with you? That's where an eldest son should be.

He was seen leaving at dawn, riding sharecropper Martin's mare.

Wandering the countryside again.

He likes horses and weapons. Don't blame him for that.

You're excusing him again.

Yet, we cannot be proud of his cavalcades.

God willing, we will be proud of him.

More than one good knight had already been defeated

when the unknown horseman appeared.

My lord, whom should I announce? You bear no distinctive heraldry.

Just announce the Adventurous Horseman.

Braving the Knight of Painerette, the Adventurous Horseman!

Lord Louis Malténe, Count of Henri.

Ladies first!

My lord, do you know this horseman's name?

He's defeated two of Brittany's finest knights.

Monseigneur, if he hasn't given his name, he intends to do even better.

Alright, but it's already the name of a daring companion.

Braving the Baron of Chesnay, the Adventurous Horseman!

Braving the Count of Belliére, the Adventurous Horseman!

Braving Sir Ogden, knight of England, the Adventurous Horseman!

Braving the Count of Loya, the Adventurous Horseman!

Braving the Count of La Houssay, the Adventurous Horseman!

Facing his lance, all his opponents would fall to the ground.

I have never seen a horseman launch such marvelous attacks!

No one will dare challenge him now.

There is at least one last knight who has the courage, Monseigneur.

Braving Sir Robert Du Guesclin, the Adventurous Horseman!

My goodness!

I wonder why he refuses to fight.

Who is he?

Monseigneur, we would need to see his face to know that.

Uncover your face! - Uncover your face!

Sir Robert Du Guesclin is a fine knight.

But how can he intimidate the one who has defeated so many of our good horsemen?

Who are you?

Don't you want to uncover your face?

Tanguy, reveal our unknown's face.

Bertrand? My son!

I beg you, Father. Do not be angry because of my disobedience.

In the name of the Countess of Penthiévre, queen of the tournament,

we proclaim the Adventurous Horseman,

Sir Bertrand Du Guesclin,

winner of the joust!

A prize for your virtue.

What a pity such bravery is used only for friendly contests.

The English hold the Duchy, Sir Bertrand.

Our freedom would like a champion such as you to defend it.

Madam, please tell me where the war is. I will fight there for my love of you.

You will know soon, Sir Bertrand.

Here are your new arms, a token of your exploits today.

He was a grown man when Brittany resumed fighting the English.

He was too poor to lead a troop of fighters.

But to serve Monseigneur De Blots, he went into the forest, and I went with him.

This forest was Brocéliande.

Low, deep, dense...

One evening, through the mist of a pond, I saw a fairy's dress.

The veils of Vivian and Morgan.

And in the depth of a bush I heard the groans of the wizard Merlin.

Coal-cutters and woodcutters were our friends. They never betrayed Bertrand.

But there were not many Englishmen in that place.

We loafed more than we fought, and our lads were in rough shape.

Even I, one day...

My lord. I'm fed up with this work.

Just do as the others do and leave.

I wish I could, but I can't. I love you too much.

Then don't annoy me.

Who are they?

Two criminals looting in the name of war.

We "branched" them when you went to Bescherelle.

One of them is wearing items that could be useful.

LOOK!

If I'm not dead soon, you will have good clothes and a fine horse.

Watch out! Watch out, my lord!

Englishmen know how to travel.

Why did you want me to leave their shins?

You will come back tonight and bury them in their clothes. They were soldiers.

We killed many of them, with or without shins, when Bertrand was in the forest.

Yet, he left one evening.

Only love can make him go so fast!

Goodness, he won't stop until he sees his girl.

Madam, I am too late.

Too late for you to love me.

As a child, I was mean and brutal. I often angered you.

Even today I'm still ashamed.

But please understand me.

I fought for the Duchy. I protected the weak, the poor, and the church.

I beg to sit in heaven with the Holy Mother,

and never curse me again.

Sir, stay with us and defend us.

We know you are good and brave.

I can defend you better from there.

Don't be sorrowful, Bertrand.

She is in heaven with the Holy Mother.

If my mother couldn't love me, how can any woman love me?

I know one, very beautiful and wise, who will always love you.

You once made a glorious prediction about my future.

But I merely lead a troop in a forest.

Don't be ungrateful to the forest, Bertrand.

Carrying you in its womb, like the one sleeping here did,

it gave you its strength. Its role is over. Your true life now begins.

You will be an armed knight.

At the end of your vigil, you will be more than the leader of a troop.

But the captain commanding the armies of Brittany and France.

So be it!

Our Lady in Heaven,

so you can be mine in our battles,

let me, for my battle cry,

join your name to mine.

Holy Mother of Guesclin!

Holy Mother of Guesclin! I've heard it's his battle cry.

It's a strong cry.

Holy Mother of Guesclin!

It's full of power!

Let's drink to Bertrand, who returned as a knight!

He'll be even fiercer now.

When we resume campaigning, there'll be countless ambushes and traps.

No!

No, guys. We're done with ambushes.

A knight fights openly. - Too bad.

I won't wait for the enemy. I will go find him.

Can a knight drink from a gourd?