Battle of Saintes facts for kids

The Battle of Saintes was a fight between French and English forces. It happened on April 1, 1351, during the Hundred Years' War. The French army was trying to capture the town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély. An English army arrived to help the town. The English won this battle. However, their victory did not stop the French from taking Saint-Jean-d'Angély later that year.

Why the Battle Happened

In August 1350, John II of France became the new king. He decided to ignore a peace agreement his father, Philip VI of France, had made. King John II wanted to fight the English in a region called Saintonge.

A large French army gathered. It was led by Guy II de Nesle and Arnoul d'Audrehem. In February 1351, they surrounded the town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély. The town's walls were old and broken in places. The French also blocked the main roads, stopping supplies from reaching the town.

The English soldiers inside Saint-Jean-d'Angély were running out of food. They had about 600 men. An English relief force was on its way to help them. This force had several hundred men. It was led by John de Cheverston and Arnaud-Amanieu. The French army learned about this English force. On the night of March 31, a part of the French army marched to stop them. The English force was not planning to break the siege. They just wanted to bring supplies to the town.

The Fight at Saintes

After marching all night, the French leader de Nesle found the English force. They met about three miles outside the town of Saintes. When the English saw the French, they got off their horses. This was a common way to fight back then. They formed a battle line. Their horses were taken to the back.

Guy de Nesle also ordered most of his soldiers to get off their horses. But he kept small groups of cavalry (soldiers on horseback) on each side. The French then spread out on a high piece of ground.

The battle was short. The French army was quickly defeated. Another English force arrived. These soldiers came from nearby English forts. They attacked the French from behind. More than 600 French knights were killed or captured. Both Guy II de Nesle and Arnoul d’Audrehem were captured. They had to pay a lot of money to be set free.

What Happened After

The English won the battle, but John de Cheverston could not reach Saint-Jean-d'Angély. A small English group did manage to get some supplies to the town. Cheverston then went back to Bordeaux. King John II sent more soldiers to the French army around Saint-Jean-d'Angély. The town finally fell to the French on August 31.