For more than a century, Poitiers has been the scene of bloody battles. Medieval Europe is not surprising with frequent wars, but it is curious that it was the battles under this city that changed the fate of states, rulers, and the course of history. The first significant battle near Poitiers occurred in 486, when the Franks defeated the Roman ruler of Gaul and created their own state. In 732, local residents managed to defend the onslaught of the Arabs and save the southwestern regions. But the most ambitious battle took place during the Hundred Years War between the King of France John II and the Black Prince, the son of an English ruler.
Prerequisites for a bloody battle
The British needed only one thing - complete control over southwestern Aquitaine, but the
king of France did not want to cede these lands to the enemy, because under such conditions the state could not become strong and independent. Edward III decided to put John II in place and planned an offensive in three directions. The Black Prince, the son of Edward III, was the vicar in Aquitaine; he was remembered by contemporaries as a fearless warrior, an intelligent strategist. He was distinguished by a completely black decoration: black shield, helmet, armor, feathers of the same color, black horse.
In the year of the battle of Poitiers, the Black Prince walked through Aquitaine with fire and sword, pacifying the rebellious inhabitants. Those who resisted, he was captured and killed. At the end of the summer, John II decided to try his luck and defeat the British army. He gathered a huge army, the number of soldiers superior to the enemy twice, and went to the southwest. The Black Prince began to hastily retreat, but suddenly fell into a trap. The battle of Poitiers was inevitable, because the army of the British was surrounded by the French on all sides.
Trying to resolve the conflict peacefully
The Black Prince immediately realized that his army was doomed, so he tried to resolve the conflict peacefully. On his behalf, the papal cardinal spoke with John II, agreeing on a truce. The prince offered 100 thousand gold florins, the return of all the fortresses and castles that he captured in three years. In addition, the son of Edward III offered himself as a hostage, provided that his troops could freely go home. But John II, foreseeing a brilliant victory over the enemy, refused all conditions.
The fiercest battle of the Hundred Years War
The battle of Poitiers in 1356 is considered one of the bloodiest and most unpredictable. The Black Prince realized that he would have to fight to the last, so he carefully thought out everything, personally went around all the fighters and encouraged them with a parting speech. The British settled on a hilly field with vineyards surrounded by a hedge. From the left flank they were protected by a stream and a swamp, archers were placed along the hedge, heavy riders were behind the hedge.
Everything indicated that the battle of Poitiers would be a failure for the British, but the French made a fatal mistake. They built their army in four detachments, moving one after another. In addition, the king refused the help of the townspeople, fearing that this would diminish the glory of his victory. As a result, the marshals were the first to attack, but they were so detached from the main army that they were instantly defeated and captured. Then the Duke of Normandy went, but his fighters were in a cloud of arrows.
The French fled wherever, some troops did not even warn the king of the retreat, so John II lost his cavalry under the control of the Duke of Orleans. The battle of Poitiers became a real shame for the French. The king fought to the last, his unit was most affected by the English archers. When the whole army fled, John II surrendered.