Eustace d’Aubrichecourt

Eustace d'Aubrichecourt or d'Abrichecourt or d'Auberchicourt, of the Auberchicourt family, (c. 1334 in Bugnicourt - c. 1373 in Normandy) was a knight from Hainaut who enlisted in the service of the English during the Hundred Years' War. His knightly exploits were recorded by Froissart.

Family He was the younger brother of Sanchet D'Abrichecourt (1330 in Bugnicourt-1349), one of the founding members of the Order of the Garter in 1348, the most senior knighthood order in England. Sanchet was its 25th member.

Service in the Hundred Years War He was under the command of Edward the Black Prince, the eldest son of king Edward III of England, during the Black Prince's chevauchée of 1355. He took part in the Battle of Poitiers in 1356, where he was for some time taken prisoner. He then commanded the Anglo-Gascon troops at the siege of Carcassonne.

Between 1356 and 1359, with the Hundred Years War then experiencing a quieter period, Eustache d'Auberchicourt was found in Champagne, where he waged war both for his own account and in the interest of the English, holding ten to twelve fortresses or cities (Nogent-sur-Seine, Arcis-sur-Aube, etc.) with his "headquarters" in Pont-sur-Seine. During this quiet period Eustace also fought in the service of Charles II of Navarre. He enriched himself by conquering villages and cities, as well as by ransoming prisoners, and thus acquired glory and profit. In this battle a French infantry attack overcame his archers leaving the field open for the French knights to win the day on horseback.

After 1359 Eustace d'Auberchicourt again became a captain of routiers. He settled in the county of Rethel in Attigny, and from there roamed and plundered Champagne going to the vicinity of Laon (Épernay, Vertus, Château-Thierry, La Ferté-Milon, etc.). The Treaty of Brétigny in May 1360 put an end to these expeditions, the English and their allies had to leave Champagne. Eustace succeeded in selling several of his possessions to the Louis de Male, Count of Rethel and to Robert I, Count of Bar.