Battle of Poitiers Summary

On September 19, 1356, amid the Hundred Years' War, the Battle of Poitiers unfolded, pitching King John II's French forces against the Anglo-Gascon army led by Edward, commonly known as the Black Prince. The Black Prince commanded a force of approximately 7,000 knights, men-at-arms, and archers, while the opposing French army, totaling around 35,000, included a Scottish contingent under Sir William Douglas.

The conflict stemmed from Gascon nobles informing King Edward III about continuous attacks on his inherited Gascony lands by the French King's lieutenant, Count of Armagnac Jean I. In 1356, the Duke of Lancaster landed in Normandy, moving south, as the Black Prince conducted raids in central France from the English-held Aquitaine. Meanwhile, King Edward III was involved in conflicts in Scotland.

Responding to Lancaster's threat, French King John I compelled his withdrawal and shifted focus to the advancing Black Prince. The English force, marching through the countryside, inflicted widespread devastation in Armagnac territory.

In early September 1356, King John intercepted the Black Prince near the Loire as the latter turned back towards Bordeaux. Negotiation attempts failed, prompting both sides to fortify their positions. The Black Prince's army camped near Poitiers for the night, securing a strategic hilltop position the following day.

The seasoned English force, including veterans from Creçy, faced a French army relying on crossbowmen, which had a slower firing rate than the English longbows. The disastrous French attack on September 19 featured a mounted charge by 300 German knights. Ultimately, the French king and his bodyguard were overwhelmed, and Jean was captured, held until a substantial ransom was paid in 1360. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the English and Gascons.

The aftermath of the Battle of Poitiers carried profound implications. Under the 1360 Treaty of Brétigny, Edward III retained 25% of France, and the Black Prince's standing as one of the preeminent medieval knights was firmly established.
Battle of Poitiers Summary