sep 19, 1356 - Battle of Poitiers
Description:
The Battle of Poitiers was fought on September 19, 1356 near the city of Poitiers. King John II’s army comprised of approximately 8,000 men-at-arms who had been ordered to dismount to prevent a repeat of Crécy, and 3,000 common infantry fought against the once again outnumbered English army of approximately 2,000 longbowmen, 3,000 men-at-arms and a force of 1,000 Gascon infantry led by Edward Black Prince.
Before the battle, Cardinal Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord tried to broker a truce between the warring nations. When Earl of Warwick, Earl of Suffolk, Bartholomew de Burghersh, James Audley, and Sir John Chandos representing England offered all the war booty taken from the French and a seven years truce, King John flatly refused and believing that his forces could destroy the outnumbered English army and ordered their imedit surrender. His request was refused.
Knowing that a conflict was inevitable, Edward ordered his troops to be positioned by a fork in the road. His longbowmen positioned themselves behind a hedgerow giving them adequate cover. He also saw to it that the baggage train was moved from the battlefield giving the French the illusion that the English forces were retreating urging John to attack.
The first French wave of 300 German knights led by Jean De Clermont was decimated by the English longbows and was to late reinforced by Dauphin's march-wearied troops and after two hours of long hard fighting were forced to retreat into the Duke of Orléans advancing troops throwing the French army into chaos.
As King John’s division advanced, the disarrayed forces began to regroup. The Black Prince saw that he must make his move or face defeat so he devised a daring plan. He had ordered Captal de Buch’s force to purse the retreating French and when they started to regroup he ordered Buch to press the attack. Edward then had a force of 200 cavalry mount and attack the French left flank.
This stunning attack decimated the French army. In fear of encirclement, the majority of the
French forces retreated abandoning their King and his son to the English forces. When Sir Denis Morbeke of Artois requested the King’s surrender he replied, “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 replied; “Sir, he is not here; but yield you to me and I shall bring you to him”. The king handed him his right gauntlet, saying; “I yield me to you”.
Following the battle, France was left in disarray. With so many of its nobles gone the kingdom was left in the hands of Dauphin Charles who faced many rebellions. Mercenary companies on both sides proved to be a problem, plundering and pillaging many small villages. King Edward assembled his army at Calais in 1359 and led his army on a campaign against Rheims. Unable to take Rheims or the French capital, Paris, the English army advanced to Chartres. Later, the Dauphin Charles offered to open negotiations with the English, Edward agreed.
Read more:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Poitiers
Added to timeline:
Hundred years war/Edwardian phase
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