In order to attack the royal army, Coligny directed the Protestant army toward the Limousin region, hoping thus to regroup with 14,000 mercenaries being led by the Duke of Zweibrücken () and financed by Queen Elizabeth I of England. After a brief fight with a detachment of the royal army, the Duke of Zweibrücken was able to cross the Vienne at Aixe, but died on 11 June at Nexon. The Protestant army and the Duke of Zweibrücken's mercenaries were able to regroup at Châlus, for a total of 25,000 men.