The Battle of Verneuil (occasionally 'Vernuil') was a battle of the Hundred Years' War, fought on 17 August 1424 near Verneuil in Normandy and was a significant English victory. Belligerents House of Valois Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany House of Plantagenet Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War (French: Guerre de Cent Ans) was a prolonged conflict between two royal houses for the French throne, vacant with... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... August 17 - Battle of Verneuil - An English force under John, Duke of Bedford defeats a larger French army under the Duke of Alençon, John Stewart, and Earl Archibald of Douglas. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ... Motto Dieu et mon droit(French) God and my right Territory of the Kingdom of England Capital Winchester; London from 11th century Language(s) Old English (de facto, until 1066) Anglo-Norman language (de jure, 1066 - 15th century) English (de facto, gradually replaced French from late 13th century) Government Monarchy... The following is a list of the Dukes of Burgundy Richard of Autun, the Justicier (880–921) Rudolph of Burgundy (king of France from 923) (921–923) Hugh the Black (923–952) Gilbert of Chalon (952–956) Odo of Paris (956-965) Otto-Henry the Great (965–1002) Otto-William... The borders of modern France closely align with those of the ancient territory of Gaul, inhabited by Celts known as Gauls. ... Motto Latin: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) (Scots: Wha daur meddle wi me) Capital Edinburgh¹ Language(s) Gaelic, Scots Government Monarchy King/Queen  - 843-860 Kenneth I  - 1587–1625 James VI  - 1702-1714 Anne Legislature Parliament of Scotland History  - United 843  - Union of the... John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford also known as John Platagenet (June 20, 1389 - September 14, 1435) was the fourth son of King Henry IV of England by Mary de Bohun, and acted as regent for his nephew, King Henry VI of England. ... John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan, (c. ... Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1372-1424), was a Scottish nobleman. ... Belligerents House of Valois Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany House of Plantagenet Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War (French: Guerre de Cent Ans) was a prolonged conflict between two royal houses for the French throne, vacant with... The first part of the Hundred Years War was from 1337 to 1360, from the outbreak of hostilities until the signing of the Treaty of Brétigny. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The First Castilian Civil War[1] lasted three years from 1366 to 1369. ... Combatants Kingdom of Castile; With the support of: Granada; England; Republic of Genoa; Navarre Crown of Aragon; With the support of: pretender Henry of Trastámara; France Commanders Pedro of Castile Peter IV of Aragon The War of the Two Peters (Spanish: , Catalan: ) was a war fought from 1356 to... Du Guesclin made constable by Charles V. The Caroline War was the second phase of the Hundred Years War between France and England, following the Edwardian War. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants Kingdom of England Kingdom of France Commanders Henry V of England Charles dAlbret Strength About 6,000 (but see Modern re-assessment). ... At the time of the Siege of Rouen (July 1418 - January 1419), the city had a population of 70,000, making it one of the leading cities in France, and its capture crucial to the Normandy campaign during the Hundred Years War. ... Combatants France, Scotland England Commanders John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence † Strength 5,000 1,500 Casualties light heavy The Battle of Baugé, fought between the English and the Franco-Scots on March 21, 1421 in Baugé, France, east of Angers, was one... The Siege of Meaux was fought in 1422 between the English and the French. ... Combatants England, Burgundy France, Scotland, Brittany Commanders Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan Louis, Count of Vendôme Strength 4,000 8,000 Casualties Around 600 6,000 The Battle of Cravant was an encounter fought on July 31, 1423, during the Hundred Years... Combatants England France Commanders Earl of Shrewsbury Earl of Salisbury Duke of Suffolk Jean de Dunois Gilles de Rais Joan of Arc Jean de Brosse Strength 5,000 6,400 soldiers, 4,000+ armed citizens Casualties 4,000 2000+ The Siege of Orléans (1428 – 1429) marked a turning point... Combatants France England Commanders Joan of Arc, Duke John II of Alençon William de la Pole Strength 1,200 700 Casualties  ? 300-400 The Battle of Jargeau took place on June 11 - 12, 1429. ... Combatants France England Commanders Joan of Arc, Duke John II of Alençon John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, Thomas Scales. ... Combatants France England Commanders Joan of Arc, John II of Alençon John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury The Battle of Beaugency took place on 16 - 17 June, 1429. ... Combatants Kingdom of France Kingdom of England Commanders La Hire Poton de Xaintrailles Sir John Fastolf Strength 1,500 cavalry 5,000 Casualties About 100 2,500 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Patay (18 June 1429) was a major battle in the Hundred Years War between the French... Statue of Joan of Arc at Vaucouleurs. ... Combatants Kingdom of France England Commanders La Hire ? The Battle of Gerbevoy was fought in 1435 between French and English forces. ... Combatants England France Brittany Commanders Thomas Kyriell Comte de Clermont Comte de Richemont Strength 4,000 5,000 Casualties 2,500 300 The Battle of Formigny (April 15, 1450) was a clash of the Hundred Years War. ... Combatants England France Brittany Commanders John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury† Jean Bureau Strength 4,000-6,000 8,000 - 13,000 Casualties 4,000 mainly wounded or captured 100 dead or wounded The Battle of Castillon was the last battle fought between the French, the Bretons and the English... For the surname Battle, see Battle (surname). ... Belligerents House of Valois Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany House of Plantagenet Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War (French: Guerre de Cent Ans) was a prolonged conflict between two royal houses for the French throne, vacant with... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... August 17 - Battle of Verneuil - An English force under John, Duke of Bedford defeats a larger French army under the Duke of Alençon, John Stewart, and Earl Archibald of Douglas. ... Verneuil-sur-Avre is a town in the département of Eure in southern Normandy. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ...

The Black Time

The early 1420s was a particularly bleak time in the history of France. The country had scarcely recovered from the disaster at Agincourt, and most of the northern provinces were in the hands of the English following Henry V's conquest of Normandy. The civil war between the factions of Armagnac and Burgundy showed no sign of ending. The Dauphin was recognised in the south of the country as Charles VII, following the death of his father Charles VI in 1422, but he remained uncrowned. The death of Henry V in the same year as Charles VI brought little relief as the continuing English war effort was effectively managed by John, Duke of Bedford, acting for the infant Henry VI. France desperately needed soldiers, and looked to Scotland, her old ally, to provide essential military aid. Combatants Kingdom of England Kingdom of France Commanders Henry V of England Charles dAlbret Strength About 6,000 (but see Modern re-assessment). ... Henry V of England (16 September 1387 – 31 August 1422) was one of the great English warrior kings of the Middle Ages. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ... Charles VII the Victorious, a. ... Charles VI Charles VI the Well-Beloved, later known as the Mad (French: Charles VI le Bien-Aimé, later known as le Fol) (December 3, 1368 – October 21, 1422) was a King of France (1380 – 1422) and a member of the Valois Dynasty. ... John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford also known as John Platagenet (June 20, 1389 - September 14, 1435) was the fourth son of King Henry IV of England by Mary de Bohun, and acted as regent for his nephew, King Henry VI of England. ... Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471, and King of France from 1422 to 1453. ...

The Army of Scotland

The first large contingent of Scots troops came to France in the autumn of 1419, some 6000 men under the command of John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan. These men, supplemented from time-to-time with fresh volunteers, soon became an integral part of the French war effort; and by the summer of 1420 the 'Army of Scotland' was a distinct force in the French royal service. They proved their worth the following year, playing a large part in the victory the Battle of Bauge, the first serious setback experienced by the English. The mood of optimism this engendered collapsed in 1423, when many of Buchan's men fell at the Battle of Cravant. Buchan was not present, having returned to Scotland to raise fresh troops, a task now all the more vital. John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan, (c. ... The Battle of Bauge was fought on March 21, 1421 in Bauge, France, East of Angers. ... Combatants England, Burgundy France, Scotland, Brittany Commanders Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan Louis, Count of Vendôme Strength 4,000 8,000 Casualties Around 600 6,000 The Battle of Cravant was an encounter fought on July 31, 1423, during the Hundred Years...

Buchan Returns

At the beginning of 1424 Buchan arrived back, bringing with him a further 6500 men. He was accompanied by Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, an experienced but unlucky soldier, whose propensity for defeat had earned him the nickname of Tyneman-'the Loser.' On 24 April 1424 the army-2500 men at arms and 4000 archers-entered the Dauphin's headquarters at Bourges, helping to raise Charles' spirits. Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1372-1424), was a Scottish nobleman. ...

March to Verneuil

In August the new army made ready to march into action to relieve the castle of Ivry near Le Mans, under siege by the Duke of Bedford. Douglas (the newly created Duke of Touraine), and Buchan left Tours on 4 August to link with the French commanders, the duke of Alencon and the viscounts of Narbonne and Aumale. But before the army could arrive Ivry surrendered to the English. Uncertain what to do the allied commanders held a council of war. The Scots and some of the younger French officers were eager for battle; but Narbonne and the senior nobility had not forgotten Agincourt, and were reluctant to take the risk. As a compromise it was agreed to attack the English strongholds on the Norman border, beginning with Verneuil in the west. The town was taken by a simple trick: a group of Scots, leading some of their fellow countrymen as prisoners, pretended to be English, and claimed that Bedford had defeated the allies in battle, whereupon the gates were opened. Flag of Touraine The Touraine is a former province of France. ...

Bedford Comes

On 15 August Bedford received news that Verneuil was in French hands and resolved to make his way there as quickly as he could. As he neared the town two days later the Scots persuaded their French comrades to make a stand, Douglas apparently having forgotten the lessons of Homildon Hill. He is said to have received a message from Bedford that he had come to drink with him and prayed for an early meeting. Douglas replied that having failed to find the duke in England he had come to seek him in France. Categories: Possible copyright violations ...

The army then deployed a mile north of Verneuil on an open plain astride the road leading out of the Forest of Piseux. Narbonne and the French division was situated on the left of the road, supported by a wing of French cavalry, while Douglas and Buchan were on the right supported by a similar wing of Lombard cavalry, recruited in northern Italy. Aumale was given overall command; but this heterogeneous army defied all attempts at co-ordinated direction. On emerging from the Forest Bedford drew up his men in two divisions to match the disposition of the enemy, with the usual distribution of men-at-arms in the centre and archers on the wings. He also took the precaution of posting a strong reserve of 2000 archers to the rear to guard the baggage. Bedford commanded the division facing the French, and Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury, that facing the Scots. The title Marquess of Salisbury is a British title of Peerage, created in 1789 for James Cecil, 7th Earl of Salisbury. ...

A Bloody Day

At 4pm, as if by some prearranged signal, the two hosts advanced simultaneously. Once Bedford had taken his troops within arrow range he ordered a halt and the archers started to drive their stakes into the ground, a simple but effective device for snaring cavalry. The ground had been baked hard by the summer sun, and the stakes could only be forced in with difficulty. Seeing an opportunity the French began an immediate charge out of synchronisation with the Scots division. The archers on Bedford's extreme right were caught off balance (the tough armour worn by the Lombards may also have compounded the threat), allowing the French cavalry to break through their ranks, leaving that flank dangerously exposed. The opportunity was lost when the cavalry failed to wheel round. They continued their charge away towards the baggage train to the north, while the men-at-arms in Bedford's division began a spirited attack on the French infantry to their front. Unable to withstand the onslaught Narbonne's division broke and was chased back to Verneuil, where many, including Aumale, were drowned in the moat.

Having disposed of the French, Bedford called a halt to the pursuit and returned to the battlefield, where Salisbury was closely engaged with the Scots, now standing alone. The Lombard cavalry, anxious that their French counterparts were poised to take all the spoils, charged round the English left flank towards the baggage. By the time they arrived the French had been driven off by Bedford's reserve, soon to be followed by the Lombards. Having tasted blood the reserve decided on their own initiative to enter the main battle, advancing on the unsupported Scottish right wing. The Battle of Verneuil reached its closing stages when Bedford returned from the south to take the Scots in the rear. Now almost completely surrounded the Scots made a ferocious last stand.

A high price

Verneuil was one of the bloodiest battles of the Hundred Years War, described by the English as a second Agincourt. Altogether some 6000 allied troops were killed, including 4000 Scots. The English lost 1600 men, an unusually high figure for them, far greater than their losses at Agincourt, indicating the ferocity of the fight. The Tyneman fought on the losing side for the last time, joined in death by the earl of Buchan. The Army of Scotland had been severely mauled; but it was not yet ready to march out of history. Greatly saddened by the catastrophe at Verneuil, Charles continued to honour the survivors, one of whom, John Carmichael of Douglasdale, the chaplain of the dead Douglas, was created Bishop of Orléans. The diocese of Orléans (Aurelianum in Latin) comprises the Départment of Loiret, and was suffragan of the archbishopric of Paris since 1622, previously of the archbishopric of Sens. ...

References

• Burne, A. H., The Agincourt War. A Military History of the Latter Part of the Hundred Years War from 1369 to 1453, 1956.
• Casavetti, E., The Lion and the Lilies, 1977.
• Donaldson, G., The Auld Alliance, 1985.
• Forbes-Leith, W., The Scots Men-at-Arms and Life Guards in France, 1882.
• Griffiths, R. A., The Reign of Henry VI, 1981.
• Seward, D. The Hundred Years War, 1978.
• Simpson, M. A, The Campaign of Verneuil, in the English Historical Review, vol. 49 1934.
• Stuart, M. W., The Scot who was a Frenchman, 1940.

Links

• The Battle of Verneuil
• Classic Campaign: The Battle of Verneuil, Channel 4