Conflict:
The Battle of Formigny occurred during the Hundred Years' War.
Date:
Kyriell was defeated on April 15, 1450.
Armies & Commanders:
English
- Thomas Kyriell
- 4,000 men
French
- Comte de Clermont
- Arthur III, Duke of Normandy
- 5,000 men
Battle of Formigny Summary:
In the winter of 1449, a small English army, led by Sir Thomas Kyriell was assembled at Portsmouth. Sailing for Cherbourg, they were later reinforced by about 2,000 men commanded by Sir Matthew Gough. Moving swiftly, Kyriell captured Valognes before the French were able to concentrate their forces in opposition. As the English advanced, they bypassed Carentan and marched towards Bayeux. To the south, the Comte de Clermont assembled 3,000 men and raced intercept the enemy. On the evening of April 14, Kyriell halted his forces for the night near the village of Formigny.
As Clermont moved to attack the English, he did so with the knowledge that a second French force, led by Arthur de Richemont, was advancing from the south. Around 3:00 PM on April 15, Kyriell's outposts spotted Clermont's force advancing from the west. Assuming the traditional English battle formation, with infantry dispersed among the longbowmen, Kyriell's troops prepared to receive the French attack. The English longbowmen were further protected by a row of stakes and had a small stream to their rear.
Their position was weakened however by the low nature of the ground and the lack of natural terrain on which to anchor their flanks. Clermont opened the battle with two attacks on Kyriell's lines. These were both defeated with significant casualties. Unsuccessful, Clermont advanced two cannon which began to inflict casualties upon English archers. After absorbing fire for some time, the English attacked around 5:00 PM and captured both guns. With his lines breaking, Clermont began to withdraw. This maneuver was quickly halted as Richemont and men began to arrive on the scene.
After a brief council of war, it was decided to continue the battle, with Richemont's force attacking the English left flank. Seeing the new French troops, Kyriell bent his flank back to meet the attack. Lacking reserves, the English line was thinned by the maneuver and there was no time to erect fortifications for the archers. Attacking on two sides, the French forced Kyriell's men back, ultimately breaking their line. With his position shattered, Kyriell and his men began to flee the field, with the French riding down many of the English troops.
Aftermath:
The Battle of Formigny cost Kyriell around 2,500 men, nearly 50% of his total force. For the French, the victory proved relatively cheap with a total loss of around 100-200 men. Lacking an army in Normandy, the English were unable to prevent the French from retaking much of the province.
