In late 1476, despite earlier defeats at Grandson and Murten, Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy moved to besiege the city of Nancy which had been taken by Duke Rene II of Lorraine earlier in the year. Fighting severe winter weather, the Burgundian army encircled the city and Charles hoped to win a swift victory as he knew Rene to be gathering a relief force. Despite the siege conditions, the garrison at Nancy remained active and sortied against the Burgundians. In one foray, they succeeded in capturing 900 of Charles's men.
Rene Approaches
Outside the city walls, Charles's situation was made more complicated by the fact that his army was not linguistically unified as it possessed Italian mercenaries, English archers, Dutchmen, Savoyards, as well as his Burgundian troops. Acting with financial support from Louis XI of France, Rene succeeded in assembling 10 to 12,000 men from Lorraine and the Lower Union of the Rhine. To this force, he added 10,000 Swiss mercenaries. Moving deliberately, Rene began his advance on Nancy in early January. Marching through the winter snows, they arrived south of the city on the morning of Jan. 5, 1477.
