Lentorama 2023: It Happened on Holy Saturday

Day 27: Bye, Guy

Guy of Thouars is a minor French noble, who served as the regent of Brittany for his daughter, Alix, who served as duchess from 1203 until her death in 1221 (at least in name; in 1206 the French king Philip II made himself regent, and served in that role until Alix married, at which point her husband became duke).

 
Guy's most notable (infamous?) historic achievement was the 1204 siege of Mont-Saint-Michel, the island community and abbey which is separated from the French mainland at high tide. Guy led troops to take the island away from the Normans, but was unable to take the abbey due to its stout walls and hilltop location. So he chose to slaughter the townsfolk and set fire to the settlement, a blaze that would spread and burn the roofs of the abbey buildings. Which I guess could be seen as a minor victory, except that Philip wound up paying the abbot to replace the roofs.

Guy died on Saturday, April 13 1213, and was buried at Villeneuve Abbey, next to his wife (and the abbey's founder) Constance.