Battle of Poitiers 1356 - The English Masterpiece!

September 19th, 1356, near the city of Poitiers in western France, a battered English army, perhaps numbering 6,000, were outnumbered, exhausted, and deep in enemy territory. Even still, they were prepared to fight. Facing them stood John II, King of France, commanding a much larger army. The King of England, Edward III's son, the Black Prince, led the English army. In his ranks were English and Welsh longbowmen, dismounted heavy knights and men-at-arms, Gascon allies and mailed spearmen. The longbowmen were the key. Veterans of Crecy, they carried six-foot war bows capable of piercing armor at effective range. Their arrows, loosed in volleys, could devastate cavalry charges. To understand the events at Poitiers, we must step into the long conflict between England and France, the Hundred Years' War. The war began in 1337, when Edward III claimed the French crown through his mother's lineage. The French rejected him, instead recognizing Philip VI of the Valois line. What followed was a dynastic struggle layered with economic rivalry and feudal politics. The English shocked Europe with their first great victory at the Battle of Crecy ten years prior, a battle where English longbowmen devastated French knights, and the Black Prince gained his fame. The French, led by King John II, commanded one of the finest knightly forces in all of Europe. His army, about 12,000 to 14,000 men at least, was divided into multiple divisions. A vanguard under marshals and nobles. A second line, including the Dauphin, the future Charles V of France. A third division under the Duke of Orléans. Finally, the king himself, leading the elite French men-at-arms and dismounted knights in the reserve. John II made an important decision. Much of his cavalry would fight dismounted, hoping to avoid the disasters of Crecy. This would be a fight on foot. Disciplined, armored men pushing forward in waves. Sheer numbers would be the French advantage. Or so they thought. The battlefield lay near the Abbey of Nouaillet, southeast of Poitiers. The Black Prince selected defensive ground with care. A narrow lane, bordered by hedges and vineyards. Grassy and rough terrain, broken by scrub and ditches. A slight rise to anchor his position. It was classic English defensive doctrine. Force the overly confident French to attack through constricted terrain. September 19th dawned tense. Negotiations were attempted for a truce, but ultimately an agreement could not be struck and both sides prepared for battle. On the English left flank, a strange order was given. Either it was to reposition that section of troops, or maybe it was a false retreat order given to entice the French into engaging. Whatever the facts, the French reacted. The first wave, led by the French Marshal, Audrey M., attempted a mounted attack on Warwick's left flank division. The right flank of the French heavy mounted knights and mounted men-at-arms advanced forward to attack what they believed was a retreating enemy. What the French vanguard assumed would be a simple task of mowing down the English infantry on foot, would prove to be yet again another act of overconfidence and foolishness, which seemed to have forever plagued them throughout the long and tedious Hundred Years' War. The French heavy cavalry smashed into the English lines. The result of the reckless French charge was pure chaos. The longbowmen loosed volleys into the horsemen. Although French knights were well armoured, animals screamed and collapsed due to the arrow barrage. Riders fell from their horses being mortally injured or easily picked off by English troops. Having sustained heavy losses, the French riders were forced to retreat. The rapid attack backfired and failed. Their commander, Marshal Audrey M., as well as a handful of his French knights, were captured and taken prisoner. Simultaneously, the French left cavalry division, commanded by Marshal Clermont, charged Salisbury's right flank. Clermont's division were off to a rough start. His heavy riders were forced to slow to a crawl's pace as they struggled to traverse the ruthless, uneven, ditch-laden terrain. English commander Salisbury's longbowmen took full advantage. They rained arrows down onto the exposed French riders, causing them all sorts of pain and suffering. The longbowmen withdrew behind the safety of the spearmen. The spearmen locked their shields, pointed their spears outward, and braced for the ruthless charge. The clash of the two forces was brutal. Mounted French knights and men-at-arms fought with their dismounted foes. Many French riders had sustained injuries due to the relentless arrow strikes they endured, weakening their effectiveness. The constricted terrain magnified the confusion. Many were torn from their horses by English infantry. The result of Marshal Clermont's attack was no better than his comrade on the opposite flank. The Marshal signaled a retreat. King John gave the order for his vanguard to join the battle. Led by the Dauphin, they advanced steadily in good formation. As they edged closer, they came within English longbow range. Under intense arrow bombardment, shields were raised, but many of the arrows found their mark, cutting down handfuls of French infantry. The French advance, although tedious, having lost many men from the arrow storm, had finally reached the English line. Brutal hand-to-hand fighting followed. Axes, swords, and maces were used to menacing effect. For nearly two hours, the Dauphin's division pressed the English lines. Although pressed extremely hard, the English troops held firm. The French were making no progress in their hard-fought effort. Their cohesion was lost, coordination broke down, and heavy French losses mounted. With their struggle being near in vain, the French 1st Division was near complete deterioration. In a controversial decision, the Dauphin withdrew. Whether ordered or not remains debated. His retreat sowed confusion among the French ranks. Next in line to give battle was the French 3rd Division. But there was hesitation. Confusion spread. Some in the French 3rd line believed the Dauphin's vanguard had been destroyed entirely, leading to low morale. The Duke of Orléans was convinced that the battle was futile. He and his 3rd Division followed suit in the retreat, further destabilizing the army. Now only the King's Division remained intact. John II was no coward. Surrounded by his most elite troops, his household knights and heavy infantry, he advanced into the fray. Historians describe him fighting valiantly, wielding a battle axe. The elite French center surged forward. The English line was strained. Arrows were running low. French crossbowmen led the final attack in a vicious exchange of bolts and arrows. The two main bodies of infantry now stood face to face. The finest knights and infantry of both England and France would now duke it out in a barbaric style of combat. The English were at a near breaking point due to their exhaustive fights throughout the day. At this critical moment, the Black Prince unleashed a decisive maneuver. He gave the signal for his infantry to push forward. Whilst a mounted force, under the Gascon noble Jean de Grailly, circled the French flank and attacked from the rear. The Gascon Anglo cavalry struck the French crossbows, then smashed into the French line's rear. The charge was extremely effective, not just in smashing the cohesion of the French line, but also the morale of King John's men. Though the charge alone was not enough to break the French. The Black Prince rapidly gathered some of his dismounted knights and had them remount their horses and charge the French left flank, mirroring that of what his Gascon allies had done on the right side. The result was devastating. Encircled and overwhelmed, the French were broken. Amid the chaos, John II continued to fight. Eventually surrounded, he was compelled to surrender. Accounts differ as to the exact circumstances, but a knight named Denis de Morbeck is often credited with accepting the King's submission. A King of France had been taken prisoner. The battlefield was littered with dead and wounded nobles. Casualty estimates vary, but thousands of French soldiers were killed or captured. English losses were comparatively light. Another English masterpiece had been achieved.