The Battle of Jarnac was an encounter during the French Wars of Religion that occurred on March 13, 1569 between the Catholic forces of Marshal Gaspard de Tavannes and the Huguenots led by the Prince of Condé. The forces met at Jarnac on the right bank of the river Charente between the towns of Angoulême and Cognac. Marshal Gaspard de Tavannes was successful in defeating the Huguenots due to his execution of surprise attacks. The Huguenots were ultimately defeated with their leaders both captured in the fray and murdered in the aftermath. Under the leadership of Gaspard de Coligny, however, a significant portion of the Huguenot army managed to escape. The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts fought between Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) from the middle of the sixteenth century to the Edict of Nantes in 1598, including civil infighting as well as military operations. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... Events January 11 - First recorded lottery in England. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ... Jarnac is a city and commune in France in the Charente département. ... Charente is a river in western Atlantic Ocean. ... Angoulême is a town and commune in southwestern France, préfecture (capital city) of the Charente département. ... Cognac is a commune in the French département of Charente, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Gaspard de Coligny (February 16, 1519 – August 24, 1572), Seigneur (Lord) de Châtillon, Admiral of France and Protestant leader, came of a noble family of Burgundy. ...

A minor participant was the English volunteer Walter Raleigh. Walter Raleigh, by Nicholas Hilliard, c. ...

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