Alain Blanchard

Alain Blanchard (born 14th century, executed in Rouen in 1419) was a commander of the crossbowmen of Rouen during the Hundred Years' War.

He was active in the defence of the city during its siege by king Henry V of England. His habit of hanging English captives from the walls of the city incurred the wrath of the English.^{[citation needed]} When the city capitulated on 20 January 1419 Henry demanded that three notable inhabitants be surrendered to be decapitated. One of them was Alain Blanchard.

In literature

As a symbol of resistance to English power in France, Blanchard became a heroic figure in French literature. He is the hero of a tragedy by Antoine Viellard presented in 1793, of another play by Alexandre Dupias, presented in 1826 and of a musical drama by Ruféville with music by Adrien Boïeldieu, son of the better-known composer François-Adrien Boïeldieu. He is also presented in two poems by Auguste Thorel de Saint-Martin (1815) and Émile Coquatrix (1847) and of a story by P. Dumesnil (1849).

Bibliography

• Théodore Licquet, Dissertation sur Alain Blanchard, Rouen, Précis de l'Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Rouen|Académie de Rouen, 1828.
• Alexandre Dupias, Réfutation du discours contre Alain Blanchard prononcé par M. Th. Licquet, président de l'Académie royale des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Rouen en la séance publique du 26 août 1828, Rouen, N. Périaux le jeune, 1828.
• Théodore-Éloi Lebreton, Biographie rouennaise, Rouen, Le Brument, 1865.