From Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th of September 1474 (2013) two vanguards of German and Burgundian troops met in the borderland Saarland near the village of Bexbach. The Ducal Burgundian soldiers and the Imperial German troops did not confront each other right out but each set up their camp a mile apart. Sentries were posted, small rudimentary fortifications made, and reconnaissance troops sent out. In preparation of the main armies on their way, the two vanguards already issued small skirmishing parties to test the defenses of the enemy camp over the course of these days.
The knights of Foundation HEI and its English sister group Destrier supplied the cavalry contingent of some ten men at arms, who were enlisted in the Ducal army. The knights scouted the area, individually visited relatives in the enemy camp for which safe conduct was obtained, helped fend off an enemy attack on the Ducal camp and raided the enemy camp a few times. Alas in the end some among them suffered from low moral standards and were bribed by the Imperials, who won the day.
Our most sincere thanks go to the Neuvieme group who organised this great event which was a successful mixture between role play and living history. It enabled us to reenact a full blown cavalry charge, have a taste of the life of the Burgundian men at arms on campaign and see old and new friends while camping and riding in a lovely landscape.
During these four days the group of knights was followed by a film-crew from the English ‘Channel Four’ for a new project of theirs. Which we are, of course, not at liberty to disclose but which will be a very interesting documentary.
