Battle of Poitiers (1356)

{{Campaignbox Hundred Years' War}} {{Campaignbox Edwardian War}} The '''Battle of Poitiers''' was fought between the Kingdoms of [[Kingdom of England|England]] and [[France in the Middle Ages|France]] on 19 September 1356 near [[Poitiers]], resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the [[Hundred Years' War]]: [[Battle of Crécy|Crécy]], Poitiers, and [[Battle of Agincourt|Agincourt]]. On 8 August 1356, the eldest son of King Edward III of England, known as [[Edward, the Black Prince]], began a great ''[[chevauchée]]'' (modern term would be [[scorched earth]] raids) north from the English base in [[Aquitaine]], in an effort to relieve allied [[garrison]]s in central France, as well as to raid and ravage the countryside. His [[sortie]] met little resistance, his Anglo-[[Gascony|Gascon]] forces burning numerous towns to the ground and living off the land, until they reached the [[Loire River]] at [[Tours]]. His forces were unable to take the castle nor could they burn the town, due to a heavy downpour. His delay there allowed [[John II of France|John II]], [[List of French monarchs|King of France]], to attempt to catch Edward's army and eliminate it. The King, who had been besieging [[Breteuil]] in [[Normandy]], arranged the bulk of his army at [[Chartres]] to the north of the besieged Tours, dismissing around 15,000–20,000 of his lower-quality [[infantry]] to increase the speed of his forces. ==Background== Upon receiving reports of the French army on the move, Edward decided a retreat was in order. He marched south pursued in earnest by John (Jean II). The French caught up to the English a few miles southwest of [[Poitiers]]. A veteran of the battle of Crécy, at which he had fought when he was only sixteen years old, the Black Prince decided on the same tactical scheme employed at that earlier battle. He positioned his troops in a strongly defensive position, in a plain surrounded by natural obstacles, such as a stream on the left and woods to his back. The luggage wagons, with a great amount of plunder, remained along the old [[Roman road]], the main route from Poitiers to [[Bordeaux]], to give protection to his weak right side. All his men dismounted and were organized in two, or perhaps three units, with [[English longbow|longbowmen]] placed in a [[V formation|V-formation]] on both [[Flanking maneuver|flanks]] and a small [[cavalry]] unit, commanded by Jean de Grailly, the [[Captal de Buch]], hidden in woods at the rear. The attacking French forces were divided in four parts. At the front were around 300 elite [[knight]]s, commanded by general Clermont and accompanied by German [[mercenary]] [[Pike (weapon)|pikemen]]. The purpose of this group was to charge the [[Archery|archers]] and eliminate the threat they posed. These were followed by three groups of [[infantry]] ([[Dragoon|dismounted cavalry]]) commanded by the [[Charles V of France|Dauphin (later Charles V of France)]], the [[Philip of Valois, Duke of Orléans|Duke of Orléans]] and King Jean. == Nobles and Men-at-Arms who fought with the Black Prince == Froissart states as follows: " Now will I name some of the principal lords and knights (men-at-arms) that were there with the prince : the [[Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick|earl of Warwick]], the [[William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk|earl of Suffolk]], the [[William de Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury|earl of Salisbury]], the [[John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford|earl of Oxford]], the lord [[Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham|Raynold Cobham]], the lord Spencer, the [[James Audley|lord James Audley]], the lord Peter his brother, the lord Berkeley, the lord Basset, the lord Warin, the lord Delaware, the lord Manne, the lord illoughby, the [[Bartholomew de Burghersh, 2nd Baron Burghersh|lord Bartholomew de Burghersh]], the [[lord of Felton]], the lord Richard of Pembroke, the lord Stephen of Cosington, the lord Bradetane and other Englishmen ; and of [[Gascony|Gascon]] there was the lord of Pommiers, the lord of [[Langoiran|Languiran]], the captal of Buch, the lord john of Caumont, the lord de [[Lesparre-Médoc|Lesparre]], the lord of [[Rauzan]], the lord of Condon, the lord of [[Montferrand (district of Clermont-Ferrand)|Montferrand]], the [[Landiras|lord of Landiras]], the lord Soudic of Latrau and other (men-at-arms) that I cannot name ; and of Hainowes the lord Eustace d'Aubrecicourt, the lord John of Ghistelles, and two other strangers, the lord Daniel Pasele and the lord Denis of Amposta, a fortress in Catalonia". [[Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer]] also fought at Poitiers under The Black Prince. Sir Thomas Felton fought not only at Poitiers but also the Battle of Crécy. He was also a member of the [[Order of the Garter]]. One of the chief commanders at both Crecy and Poitiers was John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, mentioned above. *Another account states that John of Ghistelles perished at the Battle of Crecy. == Nobles and Men-at-Arms who fought with King Jean II at, or just prior to the Battle == Froissart describes, with less specificity in this passage, some of the nobles that were assembled at, or just prior to the Battle: "... the Englishmen were coasted by certain expert knights of France, who always made report to the king what the Englishmen did. Then the king came to the Haye in [[Touraine]] and his men had passed [[Loire (river)|the river of Loire]], some at the bridge of [[Orléans]] and some at [[Meung-sur-Loire|Meung]], at [[Saumur]], at [[Blois]], and at [[Tours]] and whereas they might : they were in number a twenty thousand men of arms beside other ; there were a twenty-six dukes and earls ([[Count]]s) and more than sixscore [[banner]]s, and the four sons of the king, who were but young, [[Charles V of France|the duke Charles of Normandy]], the [[Louis I, Duke of Anjou|lord Louis]], that was from thenceforth duke of [[Anjou]], and the [[John, Duke of Berry|lord John duke of Berry]], and the lord Philip, who was after duke of Burgoyne". The French army also comprised a contingent of Scots commanded by [[William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas|Sir William Douglas]]. Others who were either killed or captured at the actual Battle were as follows: King Jean II; Prince Philip (youngest son and progenitor of the House of Valois-Burgundy), [[Geoffroi de Charny]], carrier of the [[Oriflame|Oriflamme]], Peter I, Duke of Bourbon, Walter VI, Count of Brienne and Constable of France, [[Jean de Clermont]], Marshal of France, Arnoul d'Audrehem, the [[John of Artois, Count of Eu|Count of Eu]], the [[James I, Count of La Marche|Count of Marche and Ponthieu]] Jacques de Bourbon taken prisoner at the Battle and died 1361, the [[Louis I, Count of Étampes|Count of Étampes]], the Count of [[Tancarville]], [[possibility Renaud de Trie|the Count of Dammartin]], the Count of [[Joinville, Haute-Marne|Joinville]], Guillaume de Melun, Archbishop of Sens. ==The battle== [[File:The battle of Poitiers.jpg|thumb|alt=painting|The Battle of Poitiers]] At the beginning of the battle, the English simulated flight on their left wing. This provoked a hasty charge by the French knights against the archers. However, the English were expecting this and quickly attacked the enemy, especially the horses, with a shower of arrows. Prominent chronicler [[Jean Froissart]] writes that the French [[armour]] was invulnerable to the English arrows, that the arrowheads either skidded off the armor or shattered on impact. English history of the battle disputes this, as some claim that the narrow [[bodkin point]] arrows they used have been proven capable of penetrating most [[plate armour]] of that time period. While tests have been done to support this with fixed pieces of flat metal, the result is inconclusive with respect to the curved armour of the period. Given the following actions of the archers, it seems likely Froissart was correct. The armour on the horses was weaker on the sides and back, so the archers moved to the sides of the cavalry and shot the horses in the flanks. This was a popular method of stopping a cavalry charge, as a falling horse often destroyed the cohesion of the enemy's line. The results were devastating. The Dauphin attacked Salisbury and pressed his advance in spite of heavy fire by the English archers and complications of running into the retreating vanguard of Clermont's force. Green suggest that the Dauphin had about 4000 troops with him in this phase of the attack. He advanced to the English lines but ultimately fell back. The French were unable to penetrate the protective hedge the English were using. This phase of the attack lasted about two hours. This attack was followed by the [[Dauphin of France|Dauphin]]'s infantry, who engaged in heavy fighting, but withdrew to regroup. The next wave of infantry under [[Duke of Orléans|Orléans]], seeing that the Dauphin's men were not attacking, turned back and panicked. This stranded the forces led by the King himself. This was a formidable fighting force, and the English archers were running very low of arrows: the archers joined the infantry in the fight and some of both groups mounted horses to form an improvised cavalry. At about this time, King John hesitated and sent his sons from the battlefield. His youngest son, Philip, stayed with him and fought at his side in the final phase of the attack. When the Dauphin and other sons withdrew, the duke of Orléans also withdrew. This had a demoralizing effect on the French. Combat was hard, but the Black Prince still had a mobile reserve hidden in the woods, which was able to circle around and attack the French in the flank and rear. The French were fearful of encirclement and attempted to flee. King John was captured with his immediate entourage only after a memorable resistance. Amongst the notable captured or killed according to Froissart were: * King John II of France, captured. * Prince [[Philip the Bold|Philip]], the King's youngest son and progenitor of the [[House of Valois-Burgundy]], captured * [[Peter I, Duke of Bourbon]], killed. * [[Walter VI, Count of Brienne]] and [[Constable of France]], killed. * [[Jean de Clermont]], [[Marshal of France]], killed * [[Arnoul d'Audrehem]], Marshal of France, captured. * The [[John of Artois, Count of Eu|Count of Eu]], wounded and captured. * The [[James I, Count of La Marche|Count of Marche and Ponthieu]], captured. * The [[Louis II d'Évreux|Count of Étampes]], captured. * The Count of Tancarville, captured. * The Count of Dammartin, captured. * The Count of Joinville, captured. * Guillaume de Melun, [[Archbishop of Sens]], captured * [[Geoffroi de Charny]], carrier of the [[Oriflamme]], killed. The Duke of Bourbon and the Counts of Étampes, Eu and Marche were members of junior branches of the [[House of Capet]]. {{double image|center|Maneuvers prior to the battle of Poitiers 1356 map-en.svg|250|Battle of Poitiers 1356 map-en.svg|300|Pre-battle maneuvers|Map of the Battle|Map showing the pre-battle maneuvers|Map showing the battle maneuvers}} == The capture of the French King == Froissart again gives us a vivid description of the capture of King Jean II and his youngest son in this passage:

" ... So many Englishmen and Gascons came to that part, that perforce they opened the king's battle, so that the Frenchmen were so mingled among their enemies that sometime there was five men upon one gentleman. There was taken the lord of Pompadour and ^ the lord Bartholomew de Burghersh, and there was slain sir Geoffrey of Charny with the king's banner in his hands : also the lord Raynold Cobham slew the earl of Dammartin. Then there was a great press to take the king, and such as knew him cried, ' Sir, yield you, or else ye are but dead.' There was a knight of Saint Omer's, retained in wages with the king of England, called sir Denis Morbeke, who had served the Englishmen five year before, because in his youth he had forfeited the realm of France for a murder that he did at Saint-Omer's. It happened so well for him, that he was next to the king when they were about to take him : he stept forth into the press, and by strength of his body and arms he came to the French king and said in good F'rench, ' Sir, yield you.' The king beheld the knight and said : ' To whom shall I yield me ? Where is my cousin the prince of Wales ? If I might see him, I would speak with him.' Denis answered and said : ' Sir, he is not here ; but yield you to me and I shall bring you to him. ' ' Who be you ? ' quoth the king. ' Sir,' quoth he, ' I am Denis of Morbeke, a knight of Artois ; but I serve the king of England because I am banished from the realm of France and I have forfeited all that I had there.' Then the king gave him his right gauntlet, saying, ' I yield me to you.' ... "

== Aftermath of the Battle == [[Image:Capture de Jean le Bon.jpg|thumb|200px|Jean II, the Good, being captured.]] The result was a decisive [[Plantagenet]] victory, and a catastrophe for the Valois. France was asked to pay a [[ransom]] equivalent to twice the country's yearly income to have the King returned. Jean, who was accorded royal privileges [[Ransom of King John II of France|whilst being a prisoner]], was permitted to return to France to try to raise the required funds. Dissatisfaction of the commons over this arrangement, and having to bear the burden of the ransom, shortly led to the [[Jacquerie|Jacquerie Revolt]]. Following some time in France John subsequently handed himself back to the English, claiming to be unable to pay the ransom, and died a few months later. Finally, only one-fifth of the ransom was paid. In many ways, Poitiers was a repeat of the battle of [[Crécy]] showing once again that a good defensive tactic can overcome a disadvantage in numbers. As the Black Prince wrote shortly afterward in a letter to the people of London: {{quote|It was agreed that we should take our way, flanking them, in such a manner that if they wished for battle or to draw towards us, in a place not very much to our disadvantage, we should be the first ... the enemy was discomfited, and the king was taken, and his son; and a great number of other great people were both taken and slain[.]}} The new French King [[Charles V of France|Charles V]] "the Wise" learnt the lesson from Crécy and Poitiers. When he resumed the war against the English in 1370, he named the great tactician [[Bertrand du Guesclin]] as [[Constable of France]]. == Aftermath in France == Jean de Venette, a Carmelite friar and medieval chronicler vividly describes the chaos in France after the time of this Battle. He states:"...From that time on all went wrong with the Kingdom and the state was undone. Thieves and robbers rose up everywhere in the land. The nobles despised and hated all others and took no thought for the mutual usefulness and profit of lord and men. They subject and despoiled the peasants and the men of the villages. In no wise did they defend their country from enemies. Rather did they trample it underfoot, robbing and pillaging the peasants' goods". He is talking, not only of the French Nobles, but the "Companies" (mercenaries) also plundering the peasants and Churches. ==External links== {{Commons category|Battle of Poitiers (1356)}} *[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/froissart1.html ''On The Hundred Years War'', a primary source written by Jean Froissart] *[http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_battle_poitiers.html Great Battles: The Battle of Poitiers] (myArmoury.com article) *[http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_is_the_flank_located_in_the_horse&altQ=What_is_a_horse's_flanks] {{Coord missing|France}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2010}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Poitiers (1356)}}