Siege of Breteuil

Siege of Breteuil
Part of the Edwardian Phase of the Hundred Years' War
A Medieval depiction of a fortification being assaulted
Date April – c. 20 August 1356 Location Breteuil, Normandy 48°50′13″N 0°54′53″E / 48.8369°N 0.9147°E / 48.8369; 0.9147 Result French victory
Belligerents
Navarrese garrison	Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
	John II of France
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown
Breteuil class=notpageimage| Location within Normandy

The siege of Breteuil was the investment (surrounding) of the Norman town of Breteuil, held by partisans of Charles II, King of Navarre, by French forces between April and about 20 August 1356. It was interrupted on 5 July when a small English army commanded by Henry, Earl of Lancaster, relieved and resupplied the town. The French king, John II, attempted to bring Lancaster to battle with the much larger French royal army, but Lancaster successfully avoided this. John then renewed the siege of Breteuil.

The French force attracted praise for its splendour and the high status of many of its participants, but it made little progress as the town was well-garrisoned and had been left by Lancaster with food for a year. John attempted to mine under the walls, to no avail. Meanwhile, Edward the Black Prince, the son and heir of the English King, assembled an Anglo-Gascon army at Bergerac in south-west France. On 4 August this marched into French-held territory, devastating the countryside as it went. At some point in August an unusually large mobile siege tower was pushed up to the walls of Breteuil and an assault launched. The defenders set fire to the tower and repulsed the attack, inflicting many casualties. Taking Breteuil became a matter of prestige for John and he refused to take the army south to face the Black Prince.

Eventually, some time around 20 August, John gave the garrison of Breteuil free passage to the Cotentin in north-west Normandy and a huge bribe to persuade them to vacate Breteuil. All available French forces were then concentrated at Chartres to oppose the Black Prince. John and his army pursued the Black Prince's force, cut off their retreat and forced it to battle at Poitiers. The French were defeated with heavy casualties and John was captured.