Battle of Patay
Hundred Years' War · Patay, Orléanais (France)
Summary
On 18 June 1429 at Patay near Orléans, the French vanguard under La Hire and Xaintrailles crushed an English foraging detachment. French cavalry inflicted heavy losses on English archers whose cavalry fled; nearly all senior English commanders were captured. A turning point in the Hundred Years' War, the victory opened the road to Reims.
Historical context
After the lifting of the Siege of Orléans (8 May 1429), the English withdrew to Loire garrisons. Joan of Arc accompanied the royal army but was not in the forefront at Patay, led by the vanguard. A month of campaigning had gathered men and supplies to continue the offensive.
Tactics
One hundred eighty knights of the French vanguard led by La Hire, Xaintrailles, and Richemont attacked the English archers on the flanks before they could plant their stakes. Heavy cavalry cut down the elite archers, a mirror image of the French defeat at Agincourt.
Consequences
The French secured control of the Loire valley and the kingdom's east. The campaign continued to Reims where Charles VII was crowned on 17 July 1429. Patay marked the start of steady English retreat until only Calais remained in 1453.