Battlefields›Siege of Calais 1346
Medieval

Siege of Calais 1346

1346–1347
Pas-de-Calais, france
Also known as: Calais 1346-1347 · Burghers of Calais
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Pas-de-Calais, france
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Calais garrison and citizens
Forces
French: Calais garrison under Jean de Vienne, c.1,000 men
VS
Victor
Edward III of England
Forces
English: full royal army under Edward III, c.30,000 at peak, supported by fleet
Outcome
Calais surrendered after eleven months; the famous six burghers submitted with ropes around their necks; Edward expelled the French population and repopulated with English settlers
The Battle

History & Significance

The Siege of Calais was the longest and most consequential siege of the Hundred Years War home front. After Crecy, Edward III methodically starved Calais into submission over eleven months. The captured port became the Staple town for English wool exports and the gateway to France for over two centuries, finally lost in 1558.

Casualties & Losses

French garrison and civilian population starved; French relief army turned back

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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