Battle of Castillon: How Gunpowder Artillery Ended the Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War concluded in favor of France in the summer of 1453, following the defeat of an English army near Castillon, notable for being the first European battle featuring massed field artillery. In October 1452, John Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury, arrived near Bordeaux and reclaimed much of Gascony. Charles VII, alongside Peter II, Duke of Brittany, laid siege to Castillon. On July 17, under the false belief that the French were retreating, Talbot launched an attack but faced devastating losses from French artillery, resulting in his death and that of his son, along with approximately 4,000 English casualties. Castillon capitulated, and Bordeaux fell on October 19. The war was officially concluded by the Treaty of Picquigny in 1475, with France capturing Calais in 1558, showcasing the dominance of gunpowder artillery over the longbow.
Key facts
- The Battle of Castillon in summer 1453 was the first European battle to see massed field artillery.
- English forces under John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, landed near Bordeaux in October 1452 and retook much of Gascony with local support.
- Charles VII assembled 7,000–10,000 men, including Bretons under Peter II and artillery led by Jean Bureau, and besieged Castillon.
- Talbot attacked the French fortified camp on July 17 after false reports that the French were withdrawing.
- French artillery and a Breton cavalry flank attack destroyed the English army; Talbot and his son were killed.
- Around 4,000 Englishmen were killed or captured, while French losses were possibly a few hundred at most.
- Bordeaux surrendered on October 19, 1453, after a siege that began on August 13, giving France full control of Gascony.
- The Treaty of Picquigny in 1475 formally ended the Hundred Years' War and the English claim to the French Crown.
Entities
Artists
- Joan of Arc
- John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury
- Charles VII
- Peter II, Duke of Brittany
- Jean Bureau
- Henry VI
- Viscount Lisle
- Adolphe Alexandre Dillens
- Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc
- John Fawkes
Institutions
- English Crown
- Duchy of Bordeaux
- Royal Navy
- Wikimedia Commons
- Warfare History Network
- British Battles
- The Collector
Locations
- Castillon
- France
- Crécy
- Poitiers
- Agincourt
- Orléans
- Gascony
- Normandy
- Bordeaux
- London
- England
- River Lidoire
- Calais
- Channel Islands
- Paris
- Burgundy
- British Isles