Background
Enguerrand III was born at the Château de Coucy.
Enguerrand III was born at the Château de Coucy.
He succeeded as Lord of Coucy (sieur de Couci) in 1191, and held it until his death. He was also lord of Marle and Boves. He became one of the most ambitious and powerful of all the French nobles, called by one historian "the greatest baron in all Picardy", and earning himself his epithet, Enguerrand le Grand, or Enguerrand "the Great".
Enguerrand had an illustrious military career, helping the King of the French Philip Augustus reduce the French territories of the King of England.
Enguerrand campaigned in Anjou in 1205, and in 1214 fought in the French victory over an Anglo-German alliance at the Battle of Bouvines. His arms at Bouvines were blazoned: Barry of six vair and gules.
Enguerrand made his mark on the Picardy landscape by constructing Coucy Castle, and he is said by tradition to have started the famous rhyme associated with his successors:.
He was a notable member of the French force which invaded the Kingdom of England (1216–1217) to depose King John.