Battle of Formigny
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Formigny (15 April 1450) was a battle of the Hundred Years' War
fought between England and France. It was a decisive victory for the French.
, had taken the time offered by the Treaty of Tours
in 1444 to reorganize and reinvigorate their armies. The English, without clear leadership from the weak Henry VI
, were scattered and dangerously weak. When the French broke the truce in June 1449 they were in a much improved position. Pont-Audemer
, Pont-L'Evêque
and Lisieux
fell in August and much of Normandy
was retaken by October. Cutting north and east the Bureau
brothers oversaw the capture of Rouen
(October 1449), Harfleur
(December 1449), Honfleur
and Fresnoy
(January 1450), before moving on to invade Caen
.
The English had gathered a small army during the winter of 1449. Numbering around 3,000 men, it was dispatched from Portsmouth
to Cherbourg
under the command of Sir Thomas Kyriell. Landing on 15 March 1450, the army was reinforced with a further 2,000 men under Sir Matthew Gough in late March.
in a bloody clash, as further south two French armies joined (around 5,000 men under Charles I de Bourbon, who was also Comte de Clermont) and marched north for Carentan
.
The English army circled Carentan on 12 April, the French declined to sally although there were a number of smaller skirmishes. Kyriell turned east towards Bayeux
, reaching the village of Formigny
on 14 April. At the same time a third French force, under the Arthur de Richemont
, had reached Saint-Lô
from the south.
On 15 April, Clermont's forces were sighted by the English. The armies faced each other on the Carentan-Bayeux
road, near a small tributary of the Aure, the English with their backs to the stream. The English formation numbered around 4,000 — with a three-to-one preponderance in archers — and gathered in a long line behind a thicket of stakes and low earthworks.
Clermont opened the engagement with attacks against the flanks and small charges; these had little chance of success and were easily turned away. He then advanced two cannon
s. After a period of fire that caused a few casualties, the English charged and captured the guns.
These initial skirmishes took some three hours. At this time the Breton army under Arthur de Richemont
arrived from the south, having crossed the Aure and now approaching the English force from the flank. They numbered almost 1,200 Bretons - almost all mounted judging from the pace of their march.
Kyriell drew back from Clermont and shifted his force into an "L", straddling the steam. With the prepared position abandoned and split by the enemy's firepower the English force was soon overwhelmed in a series of charges. Kyriell was captured and his army shattered.
casualties were no more than 1000 dead and wounded. With no other significant English forces in Normandy
, the whole region quickly fell to the victorious French. The advance continued elsewhere, quickly sweeping up all English possessions except Calais
.
The battle is often cited as the first in which cannons played a pivotal role (the first decisive use of cannon is generally considered to have been the following battle, at Castillon
). This is rather difficult to judge, contemporary accounts are dubious and it can be seen that the arrival of the Breton army of Arthur de Richemont
, future duke of Brittany
, Arthur III
, with his powerful force of cavalry on the flank of the English, forcing them to leave their prepared defensive position, was more significant, although the early artillery fire from the two French guns played a role in that as well.
The cannon may have been decisive, not so much for the effect they had themselves, but in that they alerted Richemont to the fact that there was a battle going on, and so caused his appearance on the field. It was fortunate for Clermont that this was so because one of his captains wrote shortly afterwards that if the Constable (Richemont) had not come when he did, Clermont's army would have suffered "irreparable damage".
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
fought between England and France. It was a decisive victory for the French.
Background
The French, under Charles VIICharles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
, had taken the time offered by the Treaty of Tours
Treaty of Tours
The Treaty of Tours was an agreement between Henry VI of England and the French King Charles VII, signed on 22 May 1444. The terms stipulated the marriage of Charles VII's fifteen year old niece, Margaret of Anjou, to Henry VI and the agreement of a 21-month truce between the Kingdoms of England...
in 1444 to reorganize and reinvigorate their armies. The English, without clear leadership from the weak Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, were scattered and dangerously weak. When the French broke the truce in June 1449 they were in a much improved position. Pont-Audemer
Pont-Audemer
Pont-Audemer is a commune in the Eure department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The commune was spared substantial damage to its historic buildings during the Battle of Normandy. Nowadays the half-timbered buildings and the canals running between them are a...
, Pont-L'Evêque
Pont-l'Évêque, Calvados
Pont-l'Évêque is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It has given its name to a type of soft cheese .-Population:-Transport:* A13 autoroute* A132 autoroute...
and Lisieux
Lisieux
Lisieux is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Lisieux is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland...
fell in August and much of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
was retaken by October. Cutting north and east the Bureau
Jean Bureau
Jean Bureau was the Master Gunner of the French artillery under Charles VII during the final years of the Hundred Year's War. Bureau was born in Champagne, but later moved to Paris, where he worked for the English government during the occupation. In 1439 Charles VII made Bureau master of...
brothers oversaw the capture of Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
(October 1449), Harfleur
Harfleur
-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St-Martin, dating from the fourteenth century.* The seventeenth century Hôtel de Ville .* Medieval ramparts * The fifteenth century museums of fishing and of archaeology and history....
(December 1449), Honfleur
Honfleur
Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie...
and Fresnoy
Fresnoy
Fresnoy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A tiny village situated some 20 miles southeast of Montreuil-sur-Mer on the D109 road. Fresnoy Mountain is a mountain in Canada named after the town.-Population:-References:* -External links:*...
(January 1450), before moving on to invade Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
.
The English had gathered a small army during the winter of 1449. Numbering around 3,000 men, it was dispatched from Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Cherbourg
Cherbourg-Octeville
-Main sights:* La Glacerie has a race track.* The Cité de la Mer is a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects.* Cherbourg Basilica* Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière, a private botanical garden.* Le Trident theatre...
under the command of Sir Thomas Kyriell. Landing on 15 March 1450, the army was reinforced with a further 2,000 men under Sir Matthew Gough in late March.
Battle
Kyriell advanced south and captured ValognesValognes
Valognes is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It lies on the Merderet river, southeast of Cherbourg.-History:...
in a bloody clash, as further south two French armies joined (around 5,000 men under Charles I de Bourbon, who was also Comte de Clermont) and marched north for Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
.
The English army circled Carentan on 12 April, the French declined to sally although there were a number of smaller skirmishes. Kyriell turned east towards Bayeux
Bayeux
Bayeux is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy in northwestern France.Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England.-Administration:Bayeux is a sub-prefecture of Calvados...
, reaching the village of Formigny
Formigny
-External links:*...
on 14 April. At the same time a third French force, under the Arthur de Richemont
Arthur III, Duke of Brittany
Arthur III , known as the Justicier and as Arthur de Richemont, was Lord of Parthenay and titular Count of Richmond in England and for eleven months at the very end of his life, Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort after inheriting those titles upon the death of his nephew.-Biography:Belonging...
, had reached Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
from the south.
On 15 April, Clermont's forces were sighted by the English. The armies faced each other on the Carentan-Bayeux
Bayeux
Bayeux is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy in northwestern France.Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England.-Administration:Bayeux is a sub-prefecture of Calvados...
road, near a small tributary of the Aure, the English with their backs to the stream. The English formation numbered around 4,000 — with a three-to-one preponderance in archers — and gathered in a long line behind a thicket of stakes and low earthworks.
Clermont opened the engagement with attacks against the flanks and small charges; these had little chance of success and were easily turned away. He then advanced two cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s. After a period of fire that caused a few casualties, the English charged and captured the guns.
These initial skirmishes took some three hours. At this time the Breton army under Arthur de Richemont
Arthur III, Duke of Brittany
Arthur III , known as the Justicier and as Arthur de Richemont, was Lord of Parthenay and titular Count of Richmond in England and for eleven months at the very end of his life, Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort after inheriting those titles upon the death of his nephew.-Biography:Belonging...
arrived from the south, having crossed the Aure and now approaching the English force from the flank. They numbered almost 1,200 Bretons - almost all mounted judging from the pace of their march.
Kyriell drew back from Clermont and shifted his force into an "L", straddling the steam. With the prepared position abandoned and split by the enemy's firepower the English force was soon overwhelmed in a series of charges. Kyriell was captured and his army shattered.
Aftermath
The English had been dealt a major blow, 2,500 killed or seriously wounded and 900 taken prisoner while French and BretonBreton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
casualties were no more than 1000 dead and wounded. With no other significant English forces in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, the whole region quickly fell to the victorious French. The advance continued elsewhere, quickly sweeping up all English possessions except Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
.
The battle is often cited as the first in which cannons played a pivotal role (the first decisive use of cannon is generally considered to have been the following battle, at Castillon
Battle of Castillon
The Battle of Castillon of 1453 was the last battle fought between the French and the English during the Hundred Years' War. It resulted in a decisive French victory.-Context:...
). This is rather difficult to judge, contemporary accounts are dubious and it can be seen that the arrival of the Breton army of Arthur de Richemont
Arthur III, Duke of Brittany
Arthur III , known as the Justicier and as Arthur de Richemont, was Lord of Parthenay and titular Count of Richmond in England and for eleven months at the very end of his life, Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort after inheriting those titles upon the death of his nephew.-Biography:Belonging...
, future duke of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, Arthur III
Arthur III, Duke of Brittany
Arthur III , known as the Justicier and as Arthur de Richemont, was Lord of Parthenay and titular Count of Richmond in England and for eleven months at the very end of his life, Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort after inheriting those titles upon the death of his nephew.-Biography:Belonging...
, with his powerful force of cavalry on the flank of the English, forcing them to leave their prepared defensive position, was more significant, although the early artillery fire from the two French guns played a role in that as well.
The cannon may have been decisive, not so much for the effect they had themselves, but in that they alerted Richemont to the fact that there was a battle going on, and so caused his appearance on the field. It was fortunate for Clermont that this was so because one of his captains wrote shortly afterwards that if the Constable (Richemont) had not come when he did, Clermont's army would have suffered "irreparable damage".