Albéric Clément

Albéric Clément (c. 1165 – 3 July 1191) was the first Marshal of France (Marescallus Franciae), a position created for him by Philip Augustus in 1185.[1] He also inherited the seigneurie of Mez (later Mez-le-Maréchal) in Gâtinais after his father's death in 1182.

Albéric Clément
Albéric Clément, Marshal of France by Henri Decaisne, 1844
Bornc. 1165
DiedJuly 3, 1191(1191-07-03) (aged 25–26)
Acre
Allegiance Kingdom of France
RankMarshal of France
Battles/wars
RelationsRobert III Clément (father)
Hersende de Mez (mother)
Henry I Clément (brother)
Hugh Clément (brother)

Albéric was born sometime in the mid-1160s to Robert III Clément and Hersende de Mez, and thus came from a knightly family- the Cléments of Mez.[2][3][4] He accompanied Philip on the Third Crusade as Marshal, and distinguished himself at the Siege of Acre in particular, frequently leading the advanced guard into battle.[3][5][6]

Albéric is said to have died on 3 July 1191, during an attempted breach of the city's walls, with accounts by those such as contemporary poet Ambroise suggesting the Marshal led the charge himself and died on- or close to the Accursed Tower, after swearing that he would either die that day or enter Acre.[5][6][7] Some accounts describe Albéric charging the walls with Philip's standard in hand and a number of men with him, attempting to scale the walls with a ladder, being pulled up with a grappling hook by the Saracen defenders and isolated from his men by rocks thrown onto the climbing assault party.[7] Other accounts describe the ladder breaking under the weight of the Marshal's followers, leaving him alone on the wall.[6] Accounts also go on to describe a defending soldier parading the walls wearing Albéric's armour after his death, stopping only when Richard I of England shot the man down.[6]

Albéric had two siblings, one of whom- Henry I Clément- would go on to become Marshal of France himself.[2]

Duties as Marshal of France

The title of Marshal of France as awarded to Albéric Clément and his successors did not involve command responsibilities of large armies- Albéric held no official command even at Acre. While military in nature, the position was more concerned with management of the king's horses and stables.[5] It was not until the 15th century that the position would move away from managing stables to one with battlefield authority second only to the French sovereign.[5]

  • Coat of arms of the Cléments of Mez. The coat of arms represented on the work of Decaisne seem to be incorrect, the bend being given to cadet branches only
  • A map of Acre in 1291 (a century after Albéric's death), showing the position of the Accursed Tower
  • Death of Albéric Clément, by Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard

References
  1. Beck, Shari (2011). A Portrait In Black And White: Diane De Poitiers In Her Own Words. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse. p. 89. ISBN 978-1462029815.
  2. Baldwin, John (1986). The Government of Philip Augustus: Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. Oxford: University of California Press. pp. 33–34, 113. ISBN 0-520-07391-6.
  3. de Sainte-Marie, Anselme (1712). Histoire Genealogique et Chronologique de la Maison Royale de France, des Grands Officiers de la Couronne et de la Maison du Roy: Avec les Qualitez, l'origine, et le Progrés de leurs Familles. Ensemble les Statuts & le Catalogue des Chevaliers, Commandeurs, & Officiers de l'Ordre du Saint Esprit. le Tout Dressé sur les Titres Originaux, Registres des Chartes du Roy, du Parlement, de la Chambre des Comptes, & du Châtelet de Paris, Cartulaires d'Eglises, Manuscrits & Memoires de la Bibliotheque du Roy, & autres. Paris. pp. 490–491. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  4. "Albéric alias Aubri CLÉMENT". Geneanet. gw.geneanet.org. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  5. Fleming, George (1869). Horse-Shoes and Horse-Shoeing: their origin, history, uses and abuses. London: Chapman and Hall. pp. 375-376. Retrieved 31 December 2017. Albéric Clément.
  6. Ailes, Marianne; Barber, Malcolm (2003). The History of the Holy War: Ambroise's Estoire de la Guerre Sainte. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell & Brewer. p. 100. ISBN 9781843830016.
  7. Payne, Robert (2000). The Dream and the Tomb: A History of the Crusades. New York: Cooper Square Press. pp. 234–235. ISBN 9780812829457.


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