Siege of Orléans
The Siege of Orléans took place from October 1428 to May 1429 during the Hundred Years' War, representing a pivotal moment in the conflict between England and France. The English aimed to capture Orléans, hoping to enforce their claims over France following their earlier victories. The siege commenced when English forces, initially led by the earl of Salisbury, captured key positions around the city. Despite being outnumbered, the city's defenders, bolstered by local militia and townspeople, mounted a resilient defense, aided by effective use of artillery.
The situation shifted dramatically with the arrival of a young peasant girl, Joan of Arc, who claimed divine guidance to lead the French forces. Her inspirational leadership rallied the troops and played a crucial role in breaking the English siege. After a series of assaults, including a significant attack on the Orléans bridge, the French forces regained control, ultimately forcing the English to retreat. This victory not only lifted the siege but also paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII. Joan’s contributions became symbolic of national unity and resistance, although her later capture and execution diminished her influence. The siege marked a turning point in the war, showcasing how grassroots leadership could impact larger historical events.
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Siege of Orléans
Type of action: Ground battle in the Hundred Years’ War
Date: October, 1428-May, 1429
Location: Loire Valley, central France
Combatants: English vs. French
Principal commanders: English, William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk (1396–1450); French, Jean, comte de Dunois, known as the Bastard of Orléans (1403–1468), Joan of Arc (1412–1431)
Result: By lifting the Siege of Orléans, Joan of Arc ended the English reputation for military invincibility
The Siege of Orléans was undertaken by the English in the hope of forcing a quick end to the Hundred Years’ War. Despite the victory at Agincourt in 1415 and the 1420 Treaty of Troyes as well as the presence in Paris of English John of Lancaster, duke of Bedford as regent for the French boy-king Henry VI, active resistance continued on behalf of the Dauphin. In 1428, the English Parliament voted funds to finance an expedition to capture the city of Orléans on the north bank of the Loire.
The earl of Salisbury began the operation by establishing a chain of forts northwest of Orléans, as well as upstream and downstream on the Loire. On October 22, 1428, the English capture of the Orléans bridge and its south-bank fortifications began the siege. However, Salisbury’s 4,000 soldiers faced a defense garrison of 2,000 troops, 2,000 militia, and about 30,000 townspeople. The effectiveness of the new French artillery was demonstrated when a cannonball killed Salisbury himself. English command then passed to the unenterprising William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, who had to do battle with Jean, comte de Dunois, a highly capable French commander.
Meanwhile, in France south of the Loire, the Dauphin, claiming to rule as Charles VII, was scraping together money to pay for a relief expedition to Orléans. A somewhat improbable volunteer, a seventeen-year-old peasant girl named Joan of Arc, appeared at the Dauphin’s court, perfectly sincere and serious in her claim that heavenly voices had told her to lead the relief of Orléans and then have Charles crowned at Rheims. After prolonged examination, Joan was given a vague leadership title, equipped as a religious and quasi-military figure, and sent to join the French army of about 5,000 at Blois on the Loire. Setting out for Orléans on April 27, 1429, Joan and her entourage reached the city on April 29, and entered as part of a torchlight parade.
While the army leaders discussed plans, Joan mixed with the troops and citizens of Orléans. On May 4, the comte de Dunois attacked the English garrison in the church of St. Loup east of Orléans. Joan joined the fray and was so effective in rallying French troops that she was assigned a part in the next attack. On May 6, the French committed about 4,000 troops to assaulting English positions at the south end of the Orléans bridge. In a day of fighting, the French captured the fortified monastery of Augustine, although the English held out in the fortified towers on the bridge itself. Joan insisted on renewing the attack on May 7 and repeatedly rallied the French until a complex night attack (including a fireboat) overwhelmed the English. The recovery of the bridge made the rest of the siege nearly meaningless. The English army challenged the French to battle on May 8, then marched away after the French declined. The siege was over, and Orléans gave the credit to the peasant girl.
In the ensuing days, the French proceeded against the smaller English outposts on the Loire. Joan persuaded the French commanders to attack a 5,000-man English relief army on the march near Patay. The English army, surprised, was destroyed as an organized force. After the 1429 coronation of the Dauphin as Charles VII, Joan’s later failures, capture, trial for heresy, and execution in 1431 naturally diminished her moral influence.
Significance
How far Joan of Arc inspired the generation that drove the English out of France cannot be measured. Her military success proved that the English could be driven out of the Loire Valley, even by a common peasant girl claiming heavenly approval.
Resources
Belloc, Hilaire. Joan of Arc. London: Cassell, 1929.
Burne, Alfred. The Agincourt War. London: Eyre and Spottiswode, 1956.
DeVries, Kelly. Joan of Arc: A Military Leader. Stroud, England: Sutton, 1999.
Gies, Frances. Joan of Arc: The Legend and the Reality. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
Sackville-West, Vita. Saint Joan of Arc. New York: Doubleday Doran, 1936.