At Poitiers in 1356 it was Jean de Grailly, the Captal de Buch, who took a small mounted force wide around the French line and hit it from behind — the stroke that broke the army and ended with the king of France a prisoner. He was a Gascon, the fourth knight admitted to the Order of the Garter at its founding in 1348, and Froissart, who was not free with his praise, called him an ideal of chivalry. What followed was a life measured out in captivities. Bertrand du Guesclin beat and took him at Cocherel in 1364; released the following year, he served the French for a while, then went back to his English allegiance. In 1372 a force under Owain Lawgoch surprised him at Soubise and took him a second time, and Charles V decided he was too dangerous to let go at any price. Freedom was offered on terms, and the terms meant bearing arms against the king of England — so he declined them, and stayed in the Temple in Paris. When word reached him there that the Black Prince was dead, he stopped eating. He died on 7 September 1376.

The arms on this figure are recorded and Tradition of London have them right: or, on a cross sable five escallops argent — a gold field, a black cross, and five silver scallop shells laid along it, carried across the barding and his own coat. Set him with Augier de Montaut, Sire de Mussidan, another Gascon in English service, and with Sir Richard Pembridge, who was at Poitiers in the same army; face them with Gautier VI Compte de Brienne, the Constable of France who died on that field. For a diorama, Grailly is the flank — the piece you place away from the main line, coming in from the side, because that is precisely what won him the day.

Model: MK06 / Tradition of London / 54mm (1/32) scale / 1 piece set

All hand painted Toy Soldier sets packed in the Classic Tradition Red Boxes. All Toy Soldiers cast in quality white metal, and individually hand painted in gloss enamels.

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