Battle of Coffrane
Battle of Coffrane
On February 28, 1296, a battle near Coffrane in the canton of Neuchâtel was fought in a field called la male fin, across the Sauge river. The Lords of Valangin, led by Jean and Thierry de Valangin, with support from the Bishop of Basel, Pierre d'Aspelt, rebelled against Count Rollin of Neuchâtel. The revolt followed a 1293 ruling that forced Valangin to accept Rollin’s suzerainty, which the Valangins refused. Seeking more power, they allied with the bishop by pledging lands to him.
The fight occurred in the Val-de-Ruz, next to Coffrane. Rollin’s forces won quickly, restoring his authority. The Valangin lords were forced to submit, cede the Mairie de Boudevillier to the count, pay the war costs, and hand over two men, each valued at 25 marks, as tribute. These heads were later taken during the Reformation in 1530.
In the aftermath, Count Rollin destroyed Bonneville, a Valangin stronghold. Refugees fled to Engollon, while others founded La Neuveville near Lake Biel.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:14 (CET).