Battle of Lincoln (1217)
Battle of Lincoln | |||||||
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Part of the First Barons' War | |||||||
An illustration by Matthew Paris accompanying an account of the battle | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Kingdom of England |
Kingdom of France Army of God and the Holy Church | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William Marshal William Longespée Ranulf de Blondeville Peter des Roches William de Ferrers William Marshal |
Thomas, Count of Perche † Robert Fitzwalter (POW) Saer de Quincy (POW) Gilbert de Clare (POW) Henry de Bohun (POW) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
923+[2] 406 knights 317 crossbowmen 200+ sergeants Castle garrison |
1,611[2] 611 knights 1,000 infantry | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Moderate | 300 knights captured, many killed or captured during the retreat south |
The Second Battle of Lincoln occurred at Lincoln Castle on Saturday 20 May 1217, during the First Barons' War, between the forces of the future Louis VIII of France and those of King Henry III of England. Louis's forces were attacked by a relief force under the command of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke. Thomas, Count of Perche, commanding the French troops, was killed and Louis was expelled from his base in the southeast of England. The looting that took place afterwards is known as the "Lincoln Fair". The citizens of Lincoln were loyal to Louis so Henry's forces sacked the city.
Background
In 1216, during the
Once John died, many barons were willing to change sides and fight for Henry against Prince Louis' claim.
Battlefield
At the time of the battle in May 1217, Louis's forces had taken the city of Lincoln, but Lincoln Castle remained intact. Its
Battle
Marshal's forces made their approach from the town of Stow, a few miles northwest of Lincoln. The advance was known to Thomas, Count of Perche, but his knights were uncertain as to the enemy's strength.[3] Two strategies were formed. Those who believed Marshal's force was relatively small in number favoured an offensive plan: a meeting in an open battlefield at the base of the hill, before Marshal could reach the city gates. Those who believed Marshal had a dangerously large force favoured a more defensive plan: delay Marshal at the gates of the city wall, and at the same time press the siege, capture the castle, and occupy this much stronger position. The defensive plan was taken, though not without some continuing dissension.[3]
Marshal proceeded to the section of the city walls nearest the castle, at the north gate. All of Marshal's crossbowmen, led by the nobleman
Marshal's main force secured the north gate, while Breauté's crossbowmen took up high positions on the rooftops of houses.[3] Volleys of bolts from this high ground rained death, damage and confusion on Perche's forces. Then, in the final blow, Marshal's knights and footsoldiers charged Perche's siege forces. Perche was offered a surrender, but fought to the death as the siege collapsed into a scattered rout.[3] Those of Louis's army who were not captured fled Lincoln, by the south city gate, to London. The battle took about six hours.[3]
Aftermath and effects
The city of Lincoln was pillaged by Marshal's victorious army, on the pretence that it was loyal to Louis, later euphemistically called 'the Lincoln Fair'.[3] To the south, inhabitants of towns between Lincoln and London ambushed and killed some of the escaping French soldiers on their flight south to London.[3]
The Battle of Lincoln was the turning point in the
See also
Notes
- ^ "The second battle of Lincoln (1217AD)". English Heritage. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ a b Verbruggen 1997, p. 9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The Battle of Lincoln (1217), according to Roger of Wendover Archived 24 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Lincoln: A city on top of the world – Property, House & Home – Independent.co.uk Archived 27 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Lincoln Castle | Lincolnshire County Council". Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
- ^ Asbridge, Thomas (May 2017). "The battle of Lincoln". BBC History Magazine. Bristol. p. 24.
- ^ a b Freeman, Edward Augustus. The History of the Norman Conquest of England: Its Causes and Its Results. Clarendon Press. Oxford: 1879. p. 719
References
- Asbridge, Thomas (May 2017). "The battle of Lincoln". BBC History Magazine. Bristol. pp. 22–26.
- The Battle of Lincoln (1217), according to Roger of Wendover.
- Freeman, Edward Augustus. The History of the Norman Conquest of England: Its Causes and Its Results. Clarendon Press. Oxford: 1879. p 719
- Lincoln: A city on top of the world
- Lincoln Castle
- Verbruggen, J.F. (1997) [1954]. De Krijgskunst in West-Europa in de Middeleeuwen, IXe tot begin XIVe eeuw [The Art of Warfare in Western Europe During the Middle Ages: From the Eighth Century to 1340]. Translated by Willard, S. (2nd ed.). ISBN 0-85115-630-4.