Bernard Stewart, 3rd Lord of Aubigny

Bernard was the grandson of Sir John Stewart of Darnley, who was given the lands of Aubigny-sur-Nere and Concressault by Charles VII of France for his service during the Hundred Years' War.

Because of his family background he was chosen as the envoy to James III of Scotland to announce the accession of King Charles VIII of France.

In 1485, Bernard Stewart was chosen to command the French troops that accompanied the invasion and helped the Earl of Richmond become King Henry VII of England at the Battle of Bosworth Field establishing the Tudor Dynasty.

When Alexander refused to recognize Charles' claim to Naples the king raised an army of 25,000 men (including 8,000 Swiss mercenaries) and began his descent into Italy.

On 30 May 1495, Charles split his army taking half of his troops northward to fight their way back into France and leaving the rest to hold the recently conquered Neapolitan territories.

Although he was seriously ill with malaria which he had recently contracted, Aubigny lost no time in responding to the allied challenge, quickly consolidating his forces to confront the Neapolitan/Spanish invasion by calling in isolated garrisons throughout Calabria and requesting that Précy reinforce him with the Swiss mercenaries.

In the following Battle of Seminara the Spanish and Neapolitan armies were routed by the French cavalry and Swiss pikemen led by the Scotsman Aubigny.

But, after a few successes in Calabria, he was completely defeated at the second Battle of Seminara (1503) and became a prisoner at the Castel Nuovo in Naples until he was released by a truce signed on 11 November 1503.