The Battle of Saint-Mathieu (The Battle of the Cordelière)
1. Context: A Clash of Giants This takes place during the War of the League of Cambrai. The young King of England, Henry VIII, has allied with Spain against Louis XII's France. An immense English fleet (approximately 25 ships) surprises the Franco-Breton fleet (22 ships) while at anchor in the Brest roadstead, preparing for a celebration of the Feast of Saint Lawrence.
2. The Two Protagonists The fate of the battle is decided between the two largest vessels of each fleet:
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La Marie-la-Cordelière (Breton/French Side): The pride of the Breton navy and the flagship of Queen Anne of Brittany. It was a massive ship for the era, armed with 200 cannons. It was commanded by Hervé de Portzmoguer (often referred to as "Primauguet" due to a French corruption of the name).
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The Regent (English Side): The largest ship in the English fleet, commanded by Admiral Thomas Knyvett.
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3. The Sequence of Events: A Heroic Sacrifice Caught by surprise at anchor, the French and Breton ships attempt to break out of the roadstead to avoid being trapped.
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The Sacrifice: To cover the retreat of the rest of the civilian and military fleet fleeing toward Brest, the Cordelière (the only ship capable of rivaling the large English vessels) confronts the enemy.
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The Boarding: The Regent manages to board the Cordelière. Grappling hooks are launched, and the two ships are locked together. Furious hand-to-hand combat breaks out on the decks.
4. The Final Explosion Here, history verges on legend. As the Cordelière is overrun and on the verge of capture, a fire breaks out.
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The Romantic Version: It is said that Portzmoguer, seeing all was lost, shouted, "We will celebrate Saint Lawrence all together!" before throwing himself with a torch into the magazine (the gunpowder store).
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The Probable Reality: The fire was likely triggered by artillery fire or an accidental grenade.
Regardless, the result is terrifying: the Cordelière explodes. As the Regent was lashed to her, she also catches fire and explodes moments later.
5. The Toll and Legacy
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Human Losses: It was a carnage. It is estimated that between 1,500 and 2,000 sailors perished in the explosion of the two ships. There were only a handful of survivors (fewer than 20 from the Cordelière).
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Military Consequence: Although technically a material loss for both sides, the sacrifice of the Cordelière saved the rest of the Breton fleet. The English, shocked by the loss of their admiral and their finest ship, withdrew.
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Symbol: Hervé de Portzmoguer became a national hero in France and Brittany. His name has been given to numerous ships in the French Navy (frigates, submarines) using the spelling "Primauguet".
