Poitiers: The Day a Prince Captured a King
How did a teenage prince in black armor outwit a seasoned king with twice his numbers? Why did the sacred Oriflamme fall into the mud, and what made the French elite charge headlong into a hedge-lined death trap?
What happens when pride outruns strategy?
How did a wounded knight and a flanking cavalry turn the tide?
And why did the Black Prince refuse to surrender even when all seemed lost?
Then buckle up — because this isn’t just history. It’s steel, sweat, and strategy at its finest.
Battle of Poier. How Edward turned the tables on France. How did a teenage prince in black armor outwit a seasoned king with twice his numbers? Why did the sacred oraflam fall into the mud? And what made the French elite charge headlong into a hedgedlined death trap? What happens when pride outruns strategy? How did a wounded knight and a flanking cavalry turned the tide? And why did the black prince refuse to surrender even when all seemed lost? Then buckle up because this isn’t just history. It’s steel, sweat, and strategy at its finest. It’s late 1355. The Hundred Years War is in full swing. And Edward the Black Prince, son of King Edward III, heir to the English throne and possessor of a wardrobe full of black armor and even blacker moods, has just finished torching Langodok like a man who mistook diplomacy for arson. Back in England, his father is thrilled. Edward III, ever the strategist, believes in the timeless principle, if your enem is down, kick him again. And then once more for good measure. So in 1356, the black prince obliges. He and his Angloascan army conquer 36 fortified towns and castles, leaving King Jon II of France fuming and French nobles wondering if their king had misplaced his sword or his spine. Up north, things are no better. On April 5th, King Jon storms into Ruan Castle like a medieval soap opera villain. His son, the Dolphin Charles, is hosting a party. Among the guests, Charles of Navar, aka Charles the Bad, a man with a claim to the French throne, a taste for intrigue, and a name that screams trust issues. Jon, already paranoid from past betrayals. He executed Raul, Count of U for suspected English sympathies, sees Charles the Bad, and snaps. He arrests him and four other nobles, declaring, “You do not know what I know. These are wicked traitors.” Four are executed. Charles is imprisoned. The fallout. Charles’s brother, Philillip, defects to Edward III, dragging half of Normandy’s nobility with him. Gene, ever the opportunist, uses this as an excuse to confiscate rebel lands. In June, Edward III sends Henry, Duke of Lancaster, to support his new Norman allies. Lancaster lands in the Cotenine Peninsula, raids towns, seizes 2,000 horses, and generally behaves like a man who read How to Invade France and skipped straight to the fun bits. Jon tries to catch him but fails. Lancaster vanishes back into rebel territory and Jon turns his attention to Brale laying siege after capturing a Vo and Tillier. But while Jon is busy playing whack-a-mole in Normandy, the real threat is brewing in the south. With French eyes fixed on Normandy, the Black Prince sees an opening. He sets out from Berak on August 4th with 6,000 men, leaving 2,000 behind to guard Gasconi from the suddenly energetic Count of Armenyak. Edward’s army moves 10 mi a day, avoiding strongholds and pillaging weak settlements. In Liman, they repeat the devastation of Langok. But when they reach Bellac, they spare it. It belongs to the widow of the Earl of Pembroke, a royal relative. Even pillagers have manners. Edward assumes this campaign will be another walk in the park, or rather a march through burning villages, but he’s cautious. Scouts led by James Oddley and John Chandos ride ahead, sniffing out danger. To the east, the Count of Pier, Jon’s son, receives orders to hold the Lirine. He retreats from Bourj to decease, denying Edward a juicy prize. The Earl of Warwick, leading a portion of Edward’s army, assaults Bourj’s suburbs, but finds no royal banners, just empty streets and disappointed looters. Warwick sends scouts north. Shondos and oddly strike Obi, just 20 m from the Lir. Meanwhile, Edward targets Isudan. Isudan offers two options. A fortified chateau with ramparts and the fearsome Tour Blah. A walled town with fewer towers and a vulnerable suburb. St. Pn Edward, never one to back down from a challenge, assaults the chateau. His lawn bowman reign death and his men at arms storm the gates, but the defenders hold. The attack fails, and Edward’s forces suffer heavy losses. The next day, Edward changes tactics. He sets fire to the houses outside the walls. The flames engulf the gate, sweep through the town, and reduce Isuden to ash. Churches burn, homes vanish, and St. Pn is so thoroughly destroyed, it’s never rebuilt. Edward’s message is clear. If King Gene can’t protect you, maybe you should reconsider your loyalties. With smoke blackening the skies, the Angloascan army marches on to Verson. Now, pause for a sec. Join the front lines of history and power. Welcome to European Battle, where epic clashes, legendary warriors, and untold stories come alive. By subscribing and turning on notifications, you’re not just joining a channel, you’re stepping into a world of thrilling battles. From ancient empires to modern warfare, we deliver cinematic storytelling, expert insights, and exclusive content that will leave you breathless. Don’t just watch history, live it. Hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications to never miss a moment of the action. European battle where legends clash. Though King Gene II of France was stubbornly invested in the siege of Breul, he wasn’t blind to the growing storm south of the Lir. With the Black Prince carving a fiery path through central France, Jean knew he had to act. But first, Brit had to fall. And fall it did, not by sword, but by silver. Jon bribed the defenders, offering them safe passage back to rebel territory. The siege ended not with a bang, but with a quiet transaction. Jon returned to Paris, and at Shart, a massive army was assembling under marshals Cler and Odra. An army Gene believed would finally crush the Black Prince. By 28th August, Prince Edward reached the charred ruins of Verzon, a grim reminder of his own campaign’s fury. The Earl of Warwick converged on the town, but with Shandos and Oddly scouting elsewhere, Warwick sent Capal Debuk ahead with another force. Meanwhile, Shandos and Oddly had struck Oini, where they clashed with Greece Muton’s French scouts north of the Sher River. From this skirmish, Edward learned the truth. A large French army was mustering at Chart. And worse, King Jean now knew the Angloascans were dangerously close to the Lir. Still, Edward remained confident. He expected Lancaster’s army from Britany to arrive any day. But fate had other plans. Lancaster tried to cross the Lir only to find every bridge broken or heavily defended. At Le Ponday, he was halted by a fortified island fortress. The law was flooded from Na to Somure and with no viable crossing, Lancaster turned back. Edward, unaware of this, pressed on. Near Ramaranton, two skirmishes saw Buso defeated and retreating to the castle. For us art records Edward’s reaction, “We will ride that way. I would like to have a closer look at them.” A costly curiosity. Busl though outnumbered, was unyielding. It took 5 days and incendiary attacks to drive him out. The delay gave Jean precious time to tighten the noose. Edward then moved west to Montlie, lingering for 4 days, perhaps still hoping for Lancaster. He tried to assault Tours but rain extinguished the fires in the suburbs. Worse news followed. On a 4th September, King Jon left Chartreth and by the 8th he had crossed the Liris. Other parts of his army crossed at different points. Jon now sat just 20 mi from Edward’s position. With supplies dwindling from Rome and delays, Edward moved to Ma Bazon, then south via Saint Moore and Lae, arriving at Shadow on the 14th. Despite the urgency, Edward stayed three days, still hoping for Lancaster, but his scouts brought grim news. Lancaster was nowhere to be found. Edward would face the French alone. Jean raced south, parallel to Edward’s march, reaching Chauvini by the 15th. Edward planned to confront him at the Vienn crossing, but by the time the Angloas arrived, the French had already crossed, heading toward Poetsier. Not all had crossed, though. Gascon riders attacked the French rear guard suffering heavy losses. The French main body meanwhile linked up with reinforcements from Son and by the 18th Jean deployed his army near Poetsier. Jean sent us Dereamont to scout the enemy. What he found was a fortress of terrain. Wooded ground protected Edward’s rear. High ground gave the Angloascon a commanding view. The Mosan River and marshland flanked one side. A thick hedge ran the length of the line. On the left, the vanguard anchored near the marsh. On the right, the Earls of Suffach and Salisbury dug defensive ditches. In the center, Edward stood with his men, all dismounted, save for a small cavalry reserve under Capital Debuke. Ribmont advised Jon to dismount due to the broken terrain and to clear the archers before engaging. Gene agreed, dividing his army into three dismounted divisions. First under the Dolphin, second under the Duke of Orlons, third and largest under Jon himself. To clear the archers, Jon deployed two mounted groups under Claremont and Audreham. Edward, aware of the danger, considered negotiation. The cardinal of Perigore arrived to mediate, but mistrust in Gene’s stronger position doomed the talks. In a flourish of chivalry, Jeffrey Dashney, bearer of the Oruraflam, proposed a battle of a hundred picked men on each side. Others more practical suggested Edward surrender himself. Nothing came of it, but a short truce was agreed. Edward’s men used the time to fortify their position. That night, both armies settled in. The French confident, the English quietly resolute. Edward tooured the camp, urging his captains to keep their men close to their banners. He knew the day would be brutal. On Monday, 19th September, Edward faced a grim truth. His supplies were low and he couldn’t hold his position indefinitely. Though willing to negotiate, he knew the French would force the action. Jean had a plan, but he hadn’t accounted for the initiative of his marshals. And so the final act was about to begin. The Angloascan left under the Earl of Warwick begins to move south toward the ford. Was it a tactical withdrawal, a baited fight, or just the beginning of a general repositioning? Whatever the intent, it was enough to trigger Marshall Audreham’s nerves. From his vantage point, Otterheim saw movement and panicked. He feared the Black Prince might once again slip through the kings fingers like a particularly slippery eel in chain mail. So, without waiting for full coordination, he charged, dispatching word to Marshall Claremont and thundering toward Warwick’s division. Warwick, ever the cool-headed commander, ordered a halt. His long bowman melted into the marshy ground, boughs raised, eyes sharp. As the French cavalry closed in, the long bowman loosed their deadly volleys into the flanks. Horses screamed, panicked, and collapsed. Some threw their riders, others refused to advance. A few turned tail and fled. The charge disintegrated into chaos. Warwick’s men at arms surged forward and completed the route. Among the wounded was Lord Douglas, who only escaped by being hauled to safety by his comrades. Audrehams remnants slunk back to the French lines, but the bold marshall himself was captured. On the French left, Marshall Claremont had been skeptical of Audraham’s claim, but he charged anyway, perhaps slightly later, and managed to keep his men at arms in formation. Then came the hedge, a thick, thorny, arrow swept nightmare. Waves of longbowow fire stung the French ranks. Yet some knights mounted on powerful warh horses broke through. Forsart writes, “There were some knights and squires so well-mounted that by the strength of their horses, they passed through and broke the hedge. A fierce melee erupted. The Earl of Suffukk rushed to support Salisbury, and despite the French fury, they were beaten back. Claremont himself was slain. Reportedly, after a heated altercation with John Chandos, unaware of the twin disasters, the Dolphins division crept forward. Dismounted and slowm moving, they were easy targets for Angloaskan volleys. Survivors from Claremont’s shattered force disrupted their cohesion. As they reached the hedge, they found gaps already torn open or had to rip new ones. What followed was a brutal slugfest lasting 2 hours with reinforcements needed to hold the line. The Duke of Bourbon was slain and the Dolphin standard bearer captured. A devastating blow to morale. The loss of the banner likely shook the French and the Dolphins advisers ordered a withdrawal. To their credit, the retreat was orderly, but it was the turning point of the battle. King Gene ordered the Dolphins withdrawal, but this only disheartened the second division under the Duke of Orlons. Whether from confusion or despair, Orlons and two of Jon’s sons also withdrew. Now came a pause, a breath before the storm. King Jean’s final division, the largest and freshest, braced for the assault. The Black Prince and his captains watched with grim resolve. One man muttered, “Alas, we are beaten.” Edward turned, eyes blazing. “Miserable coward. Are you suggesting that I can be defeated while I am still alive?” Edward wasn’t done. He unleashed his Gaskan cavalry reserve under Jean Degrli, who began a wide flanking maneuver. Meanwhile, Sir James Oddley, wounded but eager, requested his own mounted charge on the southern flank. Jean’s division, though fresh and elite, was now engaged on multiple fronts. Crossbowmen clashed with lawn bowmen, but the English archers were low on arrows and couldn’t penetrate the pavvisers. Then came the final clash. Two vast lines of armored flesh and steel, hacking, screaming, dying. Degra raised the banner of St. George. Oddly, already galloping, struck the constable of France’s men, likely diverting attention and softening the flank for Degra’s blow. Edward ordered a general advance. Lawnbomen, out of arrows, grabbed swords and axes and charged into the fry. Warwick’s division joined from the left. Gene’s division cracked. They were pushed back toward an enclosed area bounded by a meander of the Miasan. Warwick’s longbomen, possibly still in the marsh, cut them to pieces. The final stand came with Jeffrey Desarie, bearer of the Oruraflam. He died with the sacred banner in hand. With its fall, French resistance collapsed. King Jon fought bravely alongside his 14-year-old son, Philip, who warned him of incoming blows. But it was feudal. Gene, ironically, was in danger because of his value. Men fought over the prestige of capturing him. Eventually, he surrendered to an exiled knight of Artois, but was rescued by the Earl of Warwick. The Anglo Gasaskcans had taken King Gene, Prince Philip, and around a thousand captives worthy of ransom. The French army was crushed. Edward marched south unopposed, re-entering Bordeaux on the 5th October with his royal prize. It was a triumph beyond imagining. The scales of war had tipped, and Edward III son had delivered the blow. If this tale of kings, chaos, and courage kept you on the edge of your seat, don’t forget to follow us, subscribe, click the notification bell so you never miss another epic chapter in our journey through history. Next up, the siege of Harlo, where the English crown sets its sights on Normandy once more. Stay tuned.