The Navarre company is a generalized name in modern historical writings for a group of mercenaries (mainly originating from Navarre and Gascony), who fought on the territory of mainland Greece and adjacent islands on the side of the Frankish states at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries.
Appearance
For the first time the Navarre company appeared during the struggle of the Navarre king Charles II against the French king Charles V. Peace between these kings was concluded in 1366.
In 1365, the younger brother of Charles of Navarre - Louis d'Evreux (comte de Bomon-le-Rogers) - married John (Duchess of Durazzo) . Soon the Durazzo was taken by the Albanians, who were led by Karl Topia . To regain possession, Louis and John turned to relatives for help. King Carl of France allocated 50,000 ducats, and King Carl of Navarre provided mercenaries with combat experience.
By 1372, Angerran VII de Cussy hired (mainly in Gascony) 500 spearmen and 500 horse archers concentrated in Naples . In the years 1375-1376, they were joined by additional forces employed in Navarre. In 1376, with the help of these mercenaries, Louis took Durazzo, but died the same year, as a result of which the mercenaries found themselves without an employer. At the beginning of 1377 they surrendered themselves to the beginning of the Aragonese King Pedro IV , and they were organized into four companies, commanded by Gascons Piot de Coquerel and Pedro de la Saga, and Navarrans Juan de Urtubia and Guarro.
Morea
In April 1378, the Grand Master of the Hospitaller Order Juan Fernandez de Heredia was captured by the despot Arta Gin Bois Shpatoy . The Hospitaller commandant in the Achaean principality of Gaucher de la Bastide immediately hired the Navarre company for 8 months.
After completing his service with the Hospitallers, the Navarrets were hired by Jacques de Baux , who claimed the Achaean principality. The Navarre company became in fact the ruling force in Morea, and fought against the Catalan company that ruled in the Duchy of Athens . Using his title of "emperor of Constantinople", Jacques de Beaux distributed titles to the heads of the Navarre company, which secured their acquisitions in the Achaean principality. After the death of Jacques de Beaux, these new barons did not recognize his heirs, and began to choose their own overlords.