How a small Anglo-Gascon force dismantled the French army at the Battle of Poitiers
In 1356, the Black Prince led 6,000 soldiers against a French force more than double their size. Despite being cornered and starving, the Anglo-Gascons held a fortified position that shattered four successive French assaults, ultimately capturing King John II and turning the tide of the Hundred Years' War.
The Battle of Poitiers, fought on 19 September 1356, was a pivotal engagement of the Hundred Years' War. King John II of France, seeking to intercept the Black Prince’s chevauchée, pursued the Anglo-Gascon army with a force of approximately 14,000 to 16,000 men. The English and Gascon troops, numbering about 6,000, had established a formidable defensive position on a wooded hill south of Poitiers, complete with trenches and pits designed to neutralize mounted cavalry.
The conflict unfolded in four distinct phases. After repelling two initial assaults—one by heavy cavalry and another by infantry under the Dauphin—the French ranks fell into disarray. A third, weak attack failed, and the French regrouped for a final push. However, the tide turned when a small, mounted Anglo-Gascon force of 160 men appeared behind the French lines. Fearing encirclement, the French army collapsed. The defeat was catastrophic for France: King John II and his son Philip were captured, thousands of men-at-arms were killed, and the French sacred banner, the Oriflamme, failed to prevent a total rout.
The aftermath of the battle fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape. The capture of the French king led to the 1360 Treaty of Brétigny, which ceded vast French territories to England and set a ransom of three million gold écu for John’s release. While the war would continue until 1453, the Battle of Poitiers remains a masterclass in defensive warfare, demonstrating how disciplined infantry and the tactical use of the longbow could overcome significant numerical disadvantages, even when the defenders were exhausted and lacking supplies.
Source: Battle of Poitiers
