Siege of Dieppe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Dieppe
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Date 2 November 1442 – 14 August 1443 (1442-11-02 – 1443-08-14) (9 months, 1 week and 5 days) Location Dieppe, Normandy, France 49°55′N 1°05′E / 49.92°N 1.08°E / 49.92; 1.08 Result French victory
Belligerents
France	England
Commanders and leaders
Dauphin Louis Charles Desmarets Antoine de Chabannes	John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury William Peyto (POW)
Strength
Garrison: Hundreds of men-at-arms Relief army: 1,600 men	600 men 200 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
100 killed Hundreds wounded	300 killed 14 executed Artillery pieces captured

The Siege of Dieppe was an important event during the Hundred Years' War. It happened between November 1442 and August 1443. English forces, led by John Talbot, tried to capture the French port of Dieppe in Normandy. However, they were not successful. This battle showed the strength of the French army.

Why Did the Siege of Dieppe Happen?

In October 1442, the English commander John Talbot led about 600 soldiers. They marched from their base in Jumièges, Normandy. Their goal was to capture the French port of Dieppe. On their way, the French castle of Charlemesnil surrendered to Talbot's army. This gave the English a small victory before reaching Dieppe.

The Battle for Dieppe

Talbot's army built a wooden fort on a hill called Le Pollet. This hill was east of Dieppe. He placed 500 soldiers in the fort. Sir William Peyto was in charge of these soldiers. The English also brought 200 cannons and other artillery. They started firing these weapons at Dieppe's walls and houses.

On August 12, 1443, a French army arrived to help Dieppe. This relief army had 1,600 soldiers. It was led by Dauphin Louis, who was the son of the French king. Dieppe already had hundreds of soldiers defending it. These defenders were led by Charles Desmarets. The town had also received help from two other French armies earlier.

The French Attack

At 8 AM on August 14, the French army attacked the English fort. They blew trumpets to signal the start of the attack. The French used special wooden bridges on wheels. These bridges could be lifted by cranes to get over the English walls. But the English soldiers fought back hard. They fired arrows and other weapons. The French attack was stopped. About 100 French soldiers were killed, and many more were hurt.

The people of Dieppe helped the French army. They provided 60 to 80 large crossbows. Dauphin Louis then ordered another attack. This time, the English were defeated. About 300 English soldiers were killed. Fourteen French-speaking survivors were captured and executed by the Dauphin's orders. Important English leaders were also captured. These included Sir William Peyto, Sir John Ripley, and Henry Talbot. After the battle, the French tore down the English fort. They took all the cannons and moved them to Dieppe's weapon storage.