Battle of Dover (1217)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Dover was a naval battle
fought in early 1217 between an English
fleet of 30-40 ships under Hubert de Burgh and a French
fleet of 80 (mostly small craft) under Eustace the Monk
. An English victory, the battle is notable as the first known example of the use of sailing tactics.
During the First Barons' War
, the rebelling barons had asked Prince Louis
take the throne of England away from King John
. In 1216, Louis had landed in England and captured all of the Cinque Ports
in the southeast, except for Dover
, where de Burgh stubbornly held out against a siege of many months.
In August, Louis sent reinforcements for the siege across the English Channel
, consisting of 900 troops and supplies on board 10 warships and 70 small craft. De Burgh had a fleet of 16 large ships and about 20 converted merchant vessels; he sailed out from Dover to intercept the French before they could land.
In a novel move, de Burgh attacked from upwind, first launching a shower of crossbow
bolts, followed by quicklime dust to blind the French. After this, the ships closed for the usual boarding and hand-to-hand combat, in which the English were able to destroy or capture 3/4 of Eustace's ships.
Eustace was able to get away, but in the naval Battle of Sandwich
in August, he was captured and beheaded.
Naval battle
A naval battle is a battle fought using boats, ships or other waterborne vessels. Most naval battles have occurred at sea, but a few have taken place on lakes or rivers. The earliest recorded naval battle took place in 1210 BC near Cyprus...
fought in early 1217 between an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
fleet of 30-40 ships under Hubert de Burgh and a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
fleet of 80 (mostly small craft) under Eustace the Monk
Eustace the Monk
Eustace the Monk was a mercenary and pirate, in the tradition of medieval outlaws.-Early life:Eustace was born a younger son of Baudoin Busket, a lord of the county of Boulogne...
. An English victory, the battle is notable as the first known example of the use of sailing tactics.
During the First Barons' War
First Barons' War
The First Barons' War was a civil war in the Kingdom of England, between a group of rebellious barons—led by Robert Fitzwalter and supported by a French army under the future Louis VIII of France—and King John of England...
, the rebelling barons had asked Prince Louis
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
take the throne of England away from King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. In 1216, Louis had landed in England and captured all of the Cinque Ports
Cinque Ports
The Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. It lies at the eastern end of the English Channel, where the crossing to the continent is narrowest...
in the southeast, except for Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, where de Burgh stubbornly held out against a siege of many months.
In August, Louis sent reinforcements for the siege across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, consisting of 900 troops and supplies on board 10 warships and 70 small craft. De Burgh had a fleet of 16 large ships and about 20 converted merchant vessels; he sailed out from Dover to intercept the French before they could land.
In a novel move, de Burgh attacked from upwind, first launching a shower of crossbow
Crossbow
A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
bolts, followed by quicklime dust to blind the French. After this, the ships closed for the usual boarding and hand-to-hand combat, in which the English were able to destroy or capture 3/4 of Eustace's ships.
Eustace was able to get away, but in the naval Battle of Sandwich
Battle of Sandwich (1217)
In the Battle of Sandwich on 24 August 1217 a Plantagenet English fleet commanded by Hubert de Burgh attacked a Capetian French armada led by Eustace the Monk and Robert of Courtenay. The English captured the French flagship and most of the supply vessels, forcing the rest of the French fleet to...
in August, he was captured and beheaded.