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Hugh was the son of Gilbert
Kennedy of Dunure and Agnes Maxwell, and was related to the Scottish royal
family. The Kennedys ruled the Carrick region of Scotland from their Castle
of Dunure.
He was a priest, known as
“Frier Hew”, who left the Blackfriars Monastery in Ayr and went to France as
a mercenary soldier with the Earl of Buchan to fight the English. He
distinguished himself at the Battle of Bauge in 1421 and at the Siege of
Montargis with Dunois and La Hire in 1427. In 1428, before Joan of Arc’s
coming, he forced his way into Orleans with food for the people. He was at
the Battle of the Herrings in 1429. He took part in the Council of War,
knelt with Joan of Arc at the Thanksgiving in Orleans Cathedral, was present
at the crowning of Charles VII, and held Lagny against the Duke of Bedford
in 1432.
In 1434-36 he was Squire of
the Stables in the household of King Charles, and was sent as French
Ambassador to his own home country of Scotland in a mission to fetch
Princess Margaret to marry the Dauphin Louis. He returned to Holy Orders as
a canon regular in the Monastery of St John of Sens, helped by King Charles
VII of France sending a petition to the pope. The Scottish king also
petitioned the pope, and Hugh was made Provost of the Chapel Royal in St
Andrews. Later he became Treasurer of Glasgow and Archdeacon of St Andrews.
Hugh was Counsellor to King
Charles, who gave him the Chatellenie of Gournay-sur-Marne for his lifetime…
and leave to wear one fleur-de-lys in his coat of arms.
Hugh was so wealthy that his
grandson or nephew (or maybe his son…?) was nicknamed “Come with the
penny”. Today, two schools near his Scottish home wear a uniform of blue
and yellow in honour of Hugh Kennedy's service to France.
Biography
supplied 2008 by Jean Brittain
I would like to give my sincere thanks to Jean for her kind contribution to
the
History page. Also for sending me her private photos from the castle in
Scotland,
home of Sir Alan Hugh Kennedy.
Information updated October 2010 by Jean Brittain
The friendship
between France and Scotland was well known; indeed there had long been an
alliance between them more popularly known as the Auld Alliance
French :Vielle Alliance. This
friendship was forged because the two countries were at war with England
though for different reasons. Charles V was the first king to employ
Scotsmen in his bodyguard, but it is principally with Charles VII that the
alliance was properly employed by the creation of the first elements of Scot Guards who were maintained
by tradition in the King’s Household until the 18th century and again under
the Restoration.
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The Scots |
Scottish
Archer |
The Scots
at the Siege
in Orléans |
9th February 1429, an English supply
convoy was sent from Paris towards Orléans under
the protection of John Fastolf. A messenger from the Orléans garrison informed Charles de Bourbon,
Count of Clermont, who commanded French troops in the region. It was decided
that French troops should be assembled to intercept the convoy. The
principle commander, Charles de Bourbon ordered that the French captains
leaving Orléans should not take independent action without his support. The
Bastard of Orléans, Xaintrailles and La Hire, but especially John Stuart,
impatient to cross swords, did not wait and hurled themselves on the
"goddamns". Behind the improvised defences of wagons and barrels full of
fish, the English bowmen awaited the enemy. Demoralized, Charles de Bourbon
retreated and resumed his responsibility in the lamentable check of this
battle.
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