Battles of the High Middle Ages

High Middle Ages 987 – 1328

42 battles in this era

Characteristics of the era

Capetian dynasty and royal centralisation

Crusades and expansion towards the East

Struggle against the Plantagenets

Rise of towns and trade

Key figures

PIA

Philip II Augustus

LI(L

Louis IX (Saint Louis)

WtC

William the Conqueror

Battles of the era

992 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Conquereuil

Conquereuil, Brittany (modern France) · Territorial conflicts between Anjou and Brittany

The Battle of Conquereuil, fought on June 27, 992, pitted Fulk Nerra, young and ambitious Count of Anjou, against Duke of Brittany Conan I, in a decisive clash for control of the markets between Anjou and Brittany. Fulk, barely ascended to the count's throne, seeks to assert his power in the face of the Breton threat. Conan, with his prestige and his alliances, advances into Angevin territory to impose his authority. The fight began near the town of Conquereuil, in an area of humid and wooded plains. Despite a numerical balance, the discipline and military cunning of the Angevins made the difference. By feinting a retreat followed by a rapid counterattack, Fulk traps the Bretons in marshy terrain. Duke Conan I was killed in the melee, causing his army to flee and disorganize. The victory at Anjou established Fulk as a formidable strategist and marked the end of Breton claims east of the Vilaine. Sourced context (English Wikipedia): Conan was besieging Nantes; Fulk marched to relieve it; fight on 27 June 992; Conan killed; Geoffrey I succeeds him still young; Fulk installs a governor at Nantes. Brother-in-law of Conan via Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou.

Coots NerravsConan I of Rennes

1016 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Pontlevoy

Pontlevoy plateau (Loir-et-Cher), between Blois and Tours; Pessons edge to the north, Ail Vert to the south; near Montrichard on the Cher (French Wikipedia) · Power struggle between the counties of Blois and Anjou

On July 6, 1016, Fulk III of Anjou rushed from Langeais with an incomplete host to rescue the fortress of Montrichard besieged by Odo II of Blois. His initial shock fails and he is thrown off his horse, but the intervention of Knight Goscelin allows him to get back into the saddle. While the Blesois knights pursue the Angevins in dispersed order, the column of Herbert I of Maine emerges from the wooded edges and strikes from the flank. Caught between Fulk' counterattack and the arrival of these fresh reinforcements, the Blesois ost collapsed; several Champagne barons perished there and Odo had to abandon the battlefield. Sources: Gesta Consulum Andegavorum / lords of Amboise (French Wikipedia). Millennium stele 2016 along the Battle path.

Coots III of AnjouvsOdo II of Blois

1033 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Moncontour

Moncontour (Poitou); French Wikipedia (Geoffrey II) does not fix the exact site — traditions: area of Moncontour / Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes (Dive) · Feudal conflict between the counties of Blois and Anjou

In 1033, Geoffrey Martel, son of Fulk Nerra and count of Vendôme, defeated William VI the Fat, duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitiers, at Moncontour in Poitou. The victory opened Saintonge to him, and he seized it. The chronicles record neither the numbers engaged nor the tactical course of the encounter.

Geoffrey II MartelvsWilliam VI the Fat

1037 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Bar-le-Duc

Bar-le-Duc, Lorraine (modern France) · Clash between Frankish and Imperial forces for control of Lorraine

In November 1037, Eudes II of Blois attempted to seize Lorraine left vacant by the death of Conrad the Younger. His army, composed of Champenois, southern Lorraines and Burgundian reinforcements, was intercepted near Bar-le-Duc by the imperial forces united by Gothelo I and his brother Godfroid the Bearded. After an initial engagement favorable to the Blesois knights, an imperial countercharge led by Lotharingian heavy cavalry broke their center and Eudes was killed on the battlefield, leading to the dissolution of his army.

Odo II of BloisvsGothelo I

1054 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Mortemer

Mortemer (Seine-Maritime), Pays de Bray, Duchy of Normandy (FR/EN Wikipedia) · King Henry I's campaign against William of Normandy

During the winter of 1053-1054, Henry I of France and Geoffrey Martel of Anjou invaded Normandy to weaken William the Bastard. While the king besieged Arques, a French corps led by Odon de Champagne, Renaud de Clermont and Guy de Ponthieu camped near Mortemer. On the night of February 6, Robert de Mortain, Robert d'Eu and Hugues de Gournay surprised this contingent: the Normans burned the camp, overwhelmed the royal cavalry and captured numerous barons, forcing the king to lift the siege of Arques. Aftermath: peace; Guy of Ponthieu hostage ~2 years then homage to William; Roger of Mortemer banished for freeing Ralph of Valois (French Wikipedia).

Henry IvsWilliam II the Bastard

1057 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Varaville

Varaville (Calvados), ~15–20 km north-east of Caen; Varaville causeway / Dives; Bavent wood; Basbourg hill (French Wikipedia) · Second campaign of Henry I against William of Normandy

In August 1057, Henry I and Geoffrey Martel launched a second expedition to Normandy and reached the Dives estuary. Taking advantage of the low tide, the Franco-Angevine army begins the crossing, but the vanguard passes before the rearguard can cross the mudflats. William the Bastard, informed by his scouts, attacks the late detachment: the Norman cavalry crushes the still scattered troops, captures the baggage and throws many knights into the swollen river. Date correction: engagement 22 March 1057 (not “August 1057” as the fight). Sources: Wace, Roman de Rou; William of Poitiers; William of Jumièges (French Wikipedia).

Henry I of France and Geoffrey Martel of AnjouvsWilliam the Bastard

1071 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Cassel

Cassel (Nord); Robert entrenched on the height; Philip at Bavinchove at the foot (French Wikipedia) · War of succession of the County of Flanders

On February 22, 1071, on the heights of Cassel, Robert the Frisian faced the army of his nephew Arnoul III supported by Richilde of Hainaut, by King Philip I and by imperial contingents. After several hours of fierce melee, Robert managed to break through the opposing vanguard, took Count Eustache de Boulogne prisoner and killed Arnoul himself, causing the rout of the loyalist party. Aftermath: Philip recognises Robert as count (homage); 1072 marriage to Bertha of Holland, Robert’s stepdaughter; Richilde defeated at Broqueroie 1072 (French Wikipedia).

Philip IvsRobert I the Frisian

1097 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Nicaea

Nicaea / İznik (Turkey), east shore of Lake Ascanius — capital of the Sultanate of Rûm (English Wikipedia) · First Crusade

From May 14 to June 19, 1097, the armies of the First Crusade surrounded Nicaea, capital of Kilij Arslan. The French contingents, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, Raymond of Saint-Gilles and Bohémond, established countervallation lines while the Byzantine fleet of Manuel Boutoumites locked Lake Askania. The repeated assaults on the walls, combined with the failed return of Kilij Arslan, led to the negotiated capitulation of the garrison for the benefit of the Byzantine Empire.

Godfrey of BouillonvsSeljuk Empire of Rum – Kilij Arslan I

1097 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Dorylaeum

Dorylaeum (present-day Eskişehir, Türkiye) · First Crusade

On July 1, 1097, the column of Bohemond and Robert of Normandy, loaded with baggage, was attacked near Dorylaeum by the horsemen of Kilij Arslan and the Danichmendide emir. The Turks surrounded the crusaders and harassed their lines until the arrival of Godfrey of Bouillon, Raymond of Saint-Gilles and Hugh of Vermandois who, after a forced march, reached the enemy rear. Stuck between two masses of heavy cavalry, the Turkish army disbanded and abandoned its camp. Albert of Aix losses (~4,000 / ~3,000) preferred to the corpus “10,000” Turks; John France stresses imprecision (English Wikipedia).

Bohemond of TarantovsSeljuks of Roum

1098 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Antioch

Antioch (now Antakya, Türkiye) · First Crusade

After the capture of Antioch thanks to the betrayal of Firouz on June 3, 1098, the crusaders found themselves surrounded by Kerbogha of Mosul. Hungry and demoralized, they nevertheless organized an outing on June 28 in seven aligned battles, led by Bohemond, Robert of Flanders, Hugues of Vermandois and Raymond of Saint-Gilles. The Frankish lines pierce the Muslim left wing, while the rearguard of Tancred fixes the Turks; Kerbogha, fearing betrayal by his allies, ordered a retreat, leaving Antioch to the crusaders.

Godfrey of BouillonvsMuslim coalition led by Kerbogha

1099 High Middle Ages Victory

Capture of Jerusalem

Jerusalem · First Crusade

After a month of siege punctuated by unsuccessful assaults, the crusaders relaunched the attack on July 15, 1099: the siege tower moved during the night by Godfrey and Tancred opened a breach near the gate of Saint-Étienne, while Raymond of Saint-Gilles fixed the defenders on Mount Sion. The Frankish troops then swept through the northern districts and, after two days of street fighting and massacres, Jerusalem fell, marking the triumphant completion of the First Crusade. Kingdom of Jerusalem founded; Fatimids had retaken the city from the Seljuks in 1098 (English Wikipedia).

Godfrey of BouillonvsFatimids of Egypt

1099 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Ascalon

Ascalon (now Ashkelon, Israel) · First Crusade

On August 12, 1099, barely a month after the conquest of Jerusalem, the Crusader host marched at night from Ramla and rushed at dawn on the Al-Afdal camp in Ascalon. Despite their numerical inferiority, the Frankish contingents broke the Fatimid right wing, seized the banners and transformed the confrontation into a general rout, definitively ensuring the military success of the crusade. Often seen as the last action of the First Crusade (English Wikipedia). City of Ascalon remains Fatimid.

Godfrey of BouillonvsFatimid army of Egypt

1101 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Heraclea

Heraclea Cybistra (Cappadocia / Anatolia) — English Wikipedia Battles of Heraclea also situates the theatre toward Konya / Iconium (evacuated, poisoned wells) · Crusade of 1101 – clash against the Seljuks

In mid-August 1101, the contingents led by William IX of Aquitaine, Stephen of Blois and Hugh of Vermandois were surprised near Heraclea of Cappadocia: forced to cross a narrow gorge, they were surrounded by Kilij Arslan and his Danishmendide allies. After two days of harassing combat, the crusader columns gave way, the cavalry was isolated and the army was almost wiped out, with only a handful of lords reaching the Byzantine asylum of Germanicaea. Two distinct defeats at Heraclea Cybistra in 1101 (English Wikipedia) — Nevers then Aquitaine/Bavaria.

1) William II of NeversvsKilij Arslan I

1101 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Mersivan

Mersivan (now Merzifon, Türkiye) · Crusade of 1101

In late August 1101 the army of the Crusade of 1101 was surrounded near Mersivan by the Seljuks of Kilij Arslan I, who cut off every line of retreat. It marched in five divisions: the Lombards and Italians of Anselm IV of Milan in the vanguard, Raymond IV of Toulouse with his Pecheneg cavalry, the Burgundians, the Germans, then the French under Stephen of Blois. The crusaders entrenched a camp to shelter the non-combatants, but the army was destroyed. William II of Nevers, marching in a separate column, was not present: his own defeat came at Heraclea.

Raymond of Saint-GillesvsKilij Arslan I

1101 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Ancyra

Ancyra / Ankara (Anatolia) — returned to Alexios I Komnenos after capture (English Wikipedia) · Crusade of 1101

On 23 June 1101 the army of the Crusade of 1101 captured Ancyra (Ankara), a Seljuk-held stronghold in Galatia, and returned it to the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos. It was the crusade's main success before the run of defeats that destroyed it in Anatolia. The rout of William II of Nevers, long attached to Ankara, in fact took place at Heraclea.

Raymond IV of ToulousevsSeljuk garrison / control of Ancyra — not a pitched “William of Nevers vs Kilij Arslan” battle

1102 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Ramla

Ramla, kingdom of Jerusalem (present-day Israel) · Wars of the Latin States of the East against the Fatimids of Egypt

On May 17, 1102, Baldwin I led around two hundred knights and a few hundred infantrymen against the Fatimid army of Al-Afdhal. Deceived by scouts who announced a reduced column, he accepted the battle near Ramla. After an initial victorious shock, the Franks discovered the immensity of the Egyptian corps, were overwhelmed and retreated into the tower of Ramla. A core of knights held the tower all night while Baldwin, escorted by a handful of men, broke through the encirclement and reached Arsouf then Jaffa by sea. Second Ramla (17 May 1102) ≠ First (7 Sept 1101, victory) (English Wikipedia).

Baldwin I of JerusalemvsFatimid army under Sharaf al-Maʿali

1104 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Harran

Plain opposite Raqqa, ~two days from Harran (Şanlıurfa) — Ibn al-Athir: ~12 km from Harran; pursuit 2–3 days (English Wikipedia) · Frankish expansion in Syria – clash against the Seljuks

In the spring of 1104, Baldwin II of Edessa and Bohemond of Antioch besieged Harran in order to control the trade route to Mosul. When Sökmen of Artuq and Jikirmish of Mosul arrive to rescue the city, the Franks abandon the siege and regroup on the plain of Balikh. The Turks simulate a retreat; the Antiochian wing which pursued them found itself isolated and the Turkish horsemen fell back on the army of Edessa, which was quickly crushed. Baudouin II and Joscelin de Courtenay are captured while the rest of the army disperses. First major defeat of the Latin states after 1099 (English Wikipedia). William of Tyre: “no more disastrous battle”.

Baldwin II of EdessavsJikirmish

1105 High Middle Ages Victory

Third Battle of Ramla

Ramla (Kingdom of Jerusalem) — not Jaffa; meeting between Ibelin and Ramla camps (secondary sources / English Wikipedia Ramla 1105) · Wars between the Crusader States and the Fatimids of Egypt

On July 27, 1105, Baldwin I faced a new Fatimid invasion near Jaffa led by Al-Afdhal and reinforced by Seljuk contingents from Damascus. He divided his knights into five squadrons supported by the recently landed Genoese infantry and archers. After several frontal shocks, the royal reserve pushed the enemy center while a sortie of the knights of Jaffa struck the Fatimid rear, transforming the battle into a rout. Identity: Third Ramla (27 August 1105), not Jaffa 1105 (English Wikipedia).

Baldwin I of JerusalemvsFatimid army

1108 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Tell Bashir

Tell Bashir / Turbessel (Tilbeşar, Gaziantep) (English Wikipedia) · Conflict between Crusaders and Seljuks

In the summer of 1108 Baldwin II of Edessa, back from captivity and backed by the atabeg Jawali Saqawa, faced his former regent Tancred, allied with Ridwan of Aleppo, near Tell Bashir. The engagement went Tancred's way. The conflict set two coalitions against each other, each combining Franks and Muslim allies — a configuration that had become common in the Latin states of the Levant.

TancredvsBaldwin II of Edessa allied with Jawali Saqawa

1124 High Middle Ages Victory

Siege and capture of Tire

Tire (today Sur, Lebanon) · Consolidation of the Latin States of the East

From November 1123 to July 1124, Baldwin II, supported by the Venetian fleet of doge Domenico Michiel and by contingents from France, besieged Tyre, the last major Fatimid port on the coast. The Latins built giant towers, relentlessly bombarded the ramparts and suffocated the city with a complete maritime blockade. Exhausted by famine, the garrison capitulated on July 7, 1124. Venetian Crusade 1122–1124; Tyre ceded to the Kingdom of Jerusalem (English Wikipedia).

Patriarch Warmund of PicquignyvsCity of Tyre

1129 High Middle Ages Defeat

Crusader Invasion of Damascus (1129)

Approaches to Damascus (camp near Wooden Bridge / Dārayyā); foragers beaten at Burāq / Marj al-Ṣuffar — not “Raphanie near Deraa” (English Wikipedia) · Expedition against Damascus

In October 1129, the Frankish expedition lifted the siege of Damascus in pouring rain. The convoy retreats through the Raphanie gorges when the Burid horsemen emerge from the rearguard. The banners of Tripoli are toppled, the columns break and the retreat turns into flight: only a few groups led by Fulk of Anjou and Baldwin II reach the Galilee. Identity: Damascus Crusade 1129 (Baldwin II), not Rafaniyya 1133 (English Wikipedia).

Baldwin II of JerusalemvsTāj al-Mulūk Būrī

1148 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Mount Cadmus

Mount Cadmus / Honaz Dağı; near Laodicea / Chonae; mountains separating Phrygia and Pisidia (English Wikipedia) · Second Crusade – crossing Anatolia

On January 6, 1148, the French column crossed Mount Cadmus (Honaz Dağı) when Seljuk mounted archers attacked it from the slopes. The line of pilgrims and baggage broke up, the rear guard was cut to pieces and many carts were thrown into the ravines. Louis VII, separated from the main body of the army, took refuge with his guard on a rocky spur before joining the column in the evening. Second Crusade; after the Meander crossing; before Attaleia (English Wikipedia).

Louis VII of FrancevsSeljuks of Rûm

1148 High Middle Ages Defeat

Siege of Damascus

Damascus, Syria · Second Crusade – offensive against Damascus

From July 24 to 28, 1148, the armies of Louis VII, Conrad III and Baldwin III surrounded Damascus. After conquering the western orchards, they installed siege machines and palisades but suffered violent counter-offensives led by Mu'in ad-Din Unur. Fearing the arrival of Zengid reinforcements, the crusaders moved their camp to the southeast; the maneuver fails and the siege is raised in confusion. Failure that hastens the end of the Second Crusade (English Wikipedia).

Louis VII of FrancevsMuʿīn ad-Dīn Unur

1149 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Inab

Inab (today Syria, northwest of Aleppo) · Conflict between Antioch County and Zengid forces

On June 29, 1149, Raymond of Poitiers led the army of Antioch and Armenian auxiliaries against Nur ad-Din near the ford of Inab. After repelling a raid on Artah, he seeks a pitched battle; Nur ad-Din lures the Franks to an isolated hill, closes the noose and annihilates the army. Raymond died fighting and his head was sent to Aleppo. 29 June 1149; ~400 knights / ~1,000 infantry vs Nur ad-Din’s ~6,000 (English Wikipedia).

Raymond of PoitiersvsNur ad-Din

1157 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Laodicea

Laodicea-sur-Mer (today Latakia, Syria) · Clashes between Antioch and Zengid forces

In September 1157, Renaud de Châtillon led a daring raid against Laodicée-sur-Mer to collect tribute. Warned, Nur ad-Din descends from Aleppo with his cavalry and surprises the Franks in the middle of a raid. Wedged between the sea and the walls, the troops of Antioch are crushed; few escape capture.

Renaud de ChâtillonvsNur ad-Din

1164 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Harenc

Harenc (near Aleppo, today Harim, Syria) · Conflicts between Tripoli County and Nur ad-Din

On August 12, 1164, Raymond III of Tripoli and Bohemond III of Antioch marched to clear the fortress of Harenc besieged by Nur ad-Din. After having pushed the Muslim vanguard and pillaged the enemy camp, the crusaders continued beyond the Orontes River; Nur ad-Din, who had retained reserves, then launched an enveloping counter-offensive which crushed the Frankish army and captured most of its leaders.

Raymond III of TripolivsNur ad-Din

1187 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Hattin

Hill of Hattin, near Lake Tiberias (present-day Israel) · Saladin's campaign against the kingdom of Jerusalem

On July 3 and 4, 1187, the army of Guy of Lusignan left Sephoria to rescue the besieged Tiberias. Diverted towards the volcanic hills known as the 'horns of Hattin', it suffered two days of harassment, lost its water reserves and saw its infantry squares broken by Ayyubid charges. On the morning of July 4, the banner of the True Cross was captured, Guy, Renaud de Châtillon and Gérard de Ridefort fell into the hands of Saladin and the crusader camp was overwhelmed.

Guy of LusignanvsSaladin

1188 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Soindres (Mantes)

Soindres, near Mantes-la-Jolie, France · Conflicts between Capetians and Plantagenets

On August 17, 1188, taking advantage of a truce broken by Henry II, an Anglo-Norman column set fire to the suburbs of Mantes. Philip II urgently gathered royal knights and urban militias, blocked the road to Soindres and, after a charge of his heavy cavalry, pushed the looters back towards the Seine where many of them drowned. The English ride is dispersed and the loot abandoned.

Philip II AugustusvsEnglish forces loyal to Henry II Plantagenet

1189 High Middle Ages Victory

Siege of Acre

Acre (now Akko, Israel) · Third Crusade

From August 28, 1189 to July 12, 1191, the Crusader armies surrounded Acre. Guy of Lusignan established a camp in the north, soon joined by French reinforcements led by Philip II then Richard the Lionheart. For nearly two years, daily fighting, rolling tower assaults and naval blockade stifled the Ayyubid garrison. Exhausted by famine and deprived of hope of relief, the city capitulated to the crusading kings.

Philip II of FrancevsAyyubids

1194 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Fréteval

Fréteval, France · Franco-English conflict – War between Philip Augustus and Richard the Lionheart

On July 3, 1194, Philip II Augustus marched towards Vendôme when Richard the Lionheart, released a few months earlier, arrived from Chinon with a light cavalry of Brabançons and Poitevin knights. Overtaken at Fréteval, the Capetian host is jostled; Philip briefly organized a line of battle before ordering a retreat, abandoning his chariots, his treasure and almost all of the royal archives.

Philip II AugustusvsRichard the Lionheart

1198 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Gisors

Gisors, Normandy (France) · Franco-English conflict – War between Philip Augustus and Richard the Lionheart

On September 27, 1198, Philip II Augustus attempted to cut an Anglo-Norman column near Courcelles-lès-Gisors. Richard the Lionheart, warned, concentrated his cavalry and charged before the French occupied the Epte bridge. The Capetian banners are overturned; the king of France is thrown into the river with several knights and owes his salvation only to his light chain mail.

Philip II AugustusvsRichard the Lionheart

1213 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Damme

Damme, near Bruges (present-day Belgium) · Franco-English conflict – Preamble to the Battle of Bouvines

On May 30, 1213, Philip II Augustus sent a fleet from Gravelines to strike the transports that John Lackland had gathered at Damme. The French ships, led by Eustace the Monk and supported by the troops of William des Roches and Robert de Courtenay landed on the quays, surprised the English garrison. Within hours, nearly four hundred cargo ships were captured or burned, ruining invasion preparations.

William of the RocksvsJohn Lackland

1214 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Bouvines

Bouvines, Flanders (today in the North, France) · Franco-English War – Imperial Coalition against Philip II Augustus

On July 27, 1214, Philip II Augustus confronted the coalition army of Otto IV near Bouvines, strong of Flemings, Brabançons and English knights. The battle begins with the attack of the imperial left wing on the French communal militias; after fierce fighting, the counter-charge of the Capetian chivalry pushed the imperial center. Otto IV fled, while Ferrand of Flanders, Renaud of Boulogne and William Longsword were captured, sealing the Capetian victory.

Philip II AugustusvsOtto IV

1219 High Middle Ages Victory

Capture of Damietta

Damietta, Nile Delta, Egypt · Fifth Crusade

On November 5, 1219, after sixteen months of grueling siege, the crusaders of the Fifth Crusade captured Damietta, a strategic citadel controlling access to the Nile delta and the road to Cairo. The final assault is led by John of Brienne, king of Jerusalem, and the papal legate Pelagius Galvani, at the head of a multinational army including large contingents of French, German, Italian and military orders. The city, defended by the Ayyubid garrison of Al-Kamil, succumbed after the crusaders pierced the fortifications and isolated the citadel. This victory represented the greatest military success of the Fifth Crusade, but proved short-lived as the Crusaders failed to exploit this position to threaten Cairo.

John of BriennevsAyyubid Sultanate of Egypt

1242 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Taillebourg

Taillebourg, Saintonge (today Charente-Maritime, France) · War of Saintonge – Conflict between Capetians and Plantagenets

On July 21, 1242, Louis IX (Saint Louis) won a decisive victory on the Taillebourg bridge, on the Charente, against the army of Henry III of England and his revolting Poitevin allies led by Hugh X of Lusignan, Count of La Marche. The battle began when the French, having taken up position on the north bank of the bridge, repelled the English and Poitevin assaults. Louis IX, present in person, led a daring counterattack which crossed the bridge and broke through the enemy lines. The French cavalry, superior in discipline and equipment, caused the complete rout of the Allies, who retreated in disorder towards Saintes where they were defeated again two days later.

Louis IXvsHenry III of England

1250 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Mansoura

Mansourah, Nile Delta (present-day Egypt) · Seventh Crusade

On February 8, 1250, the crusader army of Louis IX confronted the Ayyubid and Mamluk forces at Mansourah, a fortified city in the Nile delta. The battle began with a remarkable tactical success: the king's brother, Robert of Artois, crossed a ford of the Nile with the vanguard and surprised the Ayyubid camp, killing the commander Fakhr ad-Din. But this initial victory turned into disaster when Robert, disobeying orders, plunged into the narrow streets of Mansourah without waiting for the main body of the army. Baybars' Mamluks counterattack fiercely, trapping the French knights in an urban maze where their heavy cavalry loses all advantage. The Crusader army suffered catastrophic losses, including the death of Robert of Artois and many knights. Louis IX, arriving as reinforcement, managed to stabilize the situation but could not prevent the gradual encirclement of his army, a prelude to the final defeat of Fariskur.

Louis IXvsAyyubid forces led by Fakhr ad-Din

1250 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Fariskur

Fariskur, Nile Delta (present-day Egypt) · Seventh Crusade

On April 6, 1250, the crusader army of Louis IX, retreating from Mansourah towards Damietta, was surrounded and annihilated at Fariskur by Mamluk forces. After two months of siege in front of Mansourah, decimated by fighting, epidemics and hunger, the crusader army tried to regain Damietta. But the retreat turned into a rout: harassed by the Mamluk cavalry, deprived of supplies, the army was surrounded at Fariskur. The crusaders, weakened and demoralized, attempted a last desperate breakthrough but failed. Louis IX, refusing to flee, surrendered with his surviving knights. It is the first and only time in French history that a Capetian king was taken prisoner on a battlefield. The king's captivity, his exorbitant ransom and the loss of Damietta mark the complete failure of the Seventh Crusade.

Louis IXvsMamluks of Egypt

1285 High Middle Ages Defeat

Naval Battle of Formigues

Formigues Islands, Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Catalonia · Aragon Crusade

On September 4, 1285, the Aragonese fleet of Roger de Lauria, admiral of Peter III of Aragon, inflicted a crushing defeat on the French fleet commanded by Jean de Grailly off the Formigues Islands, near the Catalan coast. The battle took place at night, exploiting the effect of surprise and the tactical superiority of the Aragonese sailors. The French fleet, made up of around 40 galleys, was surprised while cruising offshore to secure supplies for the French land army in Catalonia. Roger de Lauria, with around 30 galleys but seasoned crews, used encirclement and boarding tactics which caused panic in the French ranks. Several French ships were sunk or captured, and Jean de Grailly was taken prisoner. This naval defeat deprived the French army of its maritime supplies and directly contributed to the failure of the Aragon Crusade.

Jean de GraillyvsRoger de Lauria

1285 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Col de Panissars

Col de Panissars, Pyrenees, near Perthus · Aragon Crusade

On October 1, 1285, the French army retreating from Catalonia was wiped out in an ambush at the Col de Panissars, a strategic passage in the Pyrenees near Perthus. The army, reduced to around 12,000 able-bodied men (from the initial 50,000), ravaged by dysentery and hunger, attempted to return to France. The Catalan and Aragonese forces, commanded by Roger de Lauria and local lords, prepared an ambush in the narrow gorges of the pass. The surprise attack, launched from the heights, cut the French column into several sections. The rearguard was isolated and massacred, while the rest of the army, unable to maneuver in the defile, suffered massive losses. Philippe III, seriously ill and transported in a litter, narrowly escaped capture but died four days later in Perpignan. This defeat marks the catastrophic end of the Aragon Crusade.

Philip III the BoldvsRoger de Lauria

1302 High Middle Ages Defeat

Battle of Courtrai (or the Golden Spurs)

Kortrijk, county of Flanders (today Belgium) · War of Flanders

On July 11, 1302, the French chivalry suffered a humiliating and historic defeat against the Flemish militias at Courtrai, in a battle which marked a turning point in the art of medieval warfare. The French army, made up of around 8,000 men including 2,500 heavily armed knights, commanded by Robert II of Artois, faced around 9,000 Flemish militiamen led by William of Juliers and the communal chiefs Pieter de Coninck and Jan Breydel. The battle took place on marshy terrain crossed by the Lys and ditches, where the Flemings had prepared defensive positions. The French cavalry charges failed in the face of the defensive stakes and the waterlogged terrain. The knights, dismounted and bogged down, are massacred by the Flemish infantry. Robert II of Artois was killed, and the Flemings recovered nearly 700 golden spurs from the corpses of the knights, giving the battle its name 'Battle of the Golden Spurs'. This defeat marks the first major victory of urban infantry over feudal chivalry in Western Europe.

Robert II of ArtoisvsPieter de Coninck and Jan Breydel

1304 High Middle Ages Victory

Naval Battle of Zierikzee

Zierikzee, county of Zeeland (present-day Netherlands) · War of Flanders

On August 10, 1304, the French fleet, reinforced by Genoese ships commanded by Rainier Grimaldi, won a decisive naval victory off the coast of Zierikzee (Zealand) against a numerically superior Flemish-Dutch fleet. The battle pitted around 30 to 40 French and Genoese ships against nearly 80 Flemish and Dutch ships commanded by Guy de Namur, son of the Count of Flanders. Despite numerical inferiority, the French and their Genoese allies exploited their tactical superiority and the experience of their crews. The skillful maneuvers of the Genoese ships, hardened by battles in the Mediterranean, divided and disorganized the opposing fleet. The battle, which took place at high tide in the shallow waters of the Scheldt estuary, saw violent collisions. Several Flemish ships were sunk or captured, and Guy de Namur was taken prisoner. This naval victory allowed Philip IV to reestablish French control over Zeeland and cut off maritime supplies to Flanders.

Rainier GrimaldivsGuy de Namur

1304 High Middle Ages Victory

Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle

Mons-en-Pévèle, French Flanders (today North, France) · War of Flanders

On August 18, 1304, Philip IV the Fair won a difficult and costly victory against the Flemish militias on the plateau of Mons-en-Pévèle, in northern France. The battle pitted approximately 14,000 French soldiers (including 6,000 knights) against 15,000 Flemish militiamen commanded by Gui de Dampierre (Count of Flanders) and William of Juliers. The fight, which lasted all day, was marked by considerable confusion and twists and turns. The French cavalry charges initially failed against the Flemish defensive formations. At a critical moment, Philip IV was nearly captured when the Flemings broke through the French lines. But a well-coordinated counterattack at nightfall, led by the royal guard and the remaining knights, finally broke the Flemish resistance. The losses were heavy on both sides (around 1,500 French and 3,000 Flemish), but the victory allowed Philip IV to reestablish his authority over Flanders.

Philip IV the FairvsGuy de Dampierre

Era timeline

992

Battle of Conquereuil

June 27, 992

Conquereuil, Brittany (modern France)

Victory

1016

Battle of Pontlevoy

1016-07-06

Pontlevoy plateau (Loir-et-Cher), between Blois and Tours; Pessons edge to the north, Ail Vert to the south; near Montrichard on the Cher (French Wikipedia)

Victory

1033

Battle of Moncontour

1033

Moncontour (Poitou); French Wikipedia (Geoffrey II) does not fix the exact site — traditions: area of Moncontour / Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes (Dive)

Victory

1037

Battle of Bar-le-Duc

15 November 1037 (French Wikipedia Gothelo I / English Wikipedia Battle of Bar-le-Duc)

Bar-le-Duc, Lorraine (modern France)

Defeat

1054

Battle of Mortemer

February 1054 (French Wikipedia Battle of Mortemer / William the Conqueror)

Mortemer (Seine-Maritime), Pays de Bray, Duchy of Normandy (FR/EN Wikipedia)

Defeat

1057

Battle of Varaville

22 March 1057 (French Wikipedia Battle of Varaville) — campaign from February; secret entry into Lower Normandy often dated August (previous year / preparation)

Varaville (Calvados), ~15–20 km north-east of Caen; Varaville causeway / Dives; Bavent wood; Basbourg hill (French Wikipedia)

Defeat

1071

Battle of Cassel

22 February 1071 (dominant tradition; English Wikipedia also notes 20–21 per some historians)

Cassel (Nord); Robert entrenched on the height; Philip at Bavinchove at the foot (French Wikipedia)

Defeat

1097

Battle of Nicaea

14 May – 19 June 1097 (English Wikipedia Siege of Nicaea) — Byzantine surrender on 19 June

Nicaea / İznik (Turkey), east shore of Lake Ascanius — capital of the Sultanate of Rûm (English Wikipedia)

Victory

1097

Battle of Dorylaeum

1097-07-01

Dorylaeum (present-day Eskişehir, Türkiye)

Victory

1098

Battle of Antioch

28 June 1098

Antioch (now Antakya, Türkiye)

Victory

1099

Capture of Jerusalem

7 June – 15 July 1099, decisive assault on 14–15 July

Jerusalem

Victory

1099

Battle of Ascalon

1099-08-12

Ascalon (now Ashkelon, Israel)

Victory

1101

Battle of Heraclea

1101 — two ambushes at Heraclea Cybistra: (1) William of Nevers after Mersivan; (2) September: William IX / Hugh of Vermandois / Welf (English Wikipedia Crusade of 1101)

Heraclea Cybistra (Cappadocia / Anatolia) — English Wikipedia Battles of Heraclea also situates the theatre toward Konya / Iconium (evacuated, poisoned wells)

Defeat

1101

Battle of Mersivan

1101-08

Mersivan (now Merzifon, Türkiye)

Defeat

1101

Battle of Ancyra

23 June 1101

Ancyra / Ankara (Anatolia) — returned to Alexios I Komnenos after capture (English Wikipedia)

Victory

1102

Battle of Ramla

17 May 1102 — Second Battle of Ramla (English Wikipedia Battle of Ramla (1102))

Ramla, kingdom of Jerusalem (present-day Israel)

Defeat

1104

Battle of Harran

1104-05-07

Plain opposite Raqqa, ~two days from Harran (Şanlıurfa) — Ibn al-Athir: ~12 km from Harran; pursuit 2–3 days (English Wikipedia)

Defeat

1105

Third Battle of Ramla

27 August 1105 — Third Battle of Ramla (English Wikipedia); corpus “Jaffa / 27 May or July 1105” confuses with the Jaffa relief (27 May 1102)

Ramla (Kingdom of Jerusalem) — not Jaffa; meeting between Ibelin and Ramla camps (secondary sources / English Wikipedia Ramla 1105)

Victory

1108

Battle of Tell Bashir

Late September 1108 (English Wikipedia Battle of Turbessel / Baldwin II)

Tell Bashir / Turbessel (Tilbeşar, Gaziantep) (English Wikipedia)

Victory

1124

Siege and capture of Tire

15/16 February – 7 July 1124 (English Wikipedia Venetian Crusade / Siege of Tyre)

Tire (today Sur, Lebanon)

Victory

1129

Crusader Invasion of Damascus (1129)

October – 5 December 1129 (English Wikipedia Crusade of 1129) — ≠ Battle of Rafaniyya (Oct 1133, Zengi vs Pons)

Approaches to Damascus (camp near Wooden Bridge / Dārayyā); foragers beaten at Burāq / Marj al-Ṣuffar — not “Raphanie near Deraa” (English Wikipedia)

Defeat

1148

Battle of Mount Cadmus

6 January 1148 (Epiphany) — English Wikipedia Battle of Mount Cadmus (corpus “Oct 1148” is wrong)

Mount Cadmus / Honaz Dağı; near Laodicea / Chonae; mountains separating Phrygia and Pisidia (English Wikipedia)

Defeat

1148

Siege of Damascus

24–28 July 1148

Damascus, Syria

Defeat

1149

Battle of Inab

1149-06-29

Inab (today Syria, northwest of Aleppo)

Defeat

1157

Battle of Laodicea

1157-09

Laodicea-sur-Mer (today Latakia, Syria)

Defeat

1164

Battle of Harenc

1164-08

Harenc (near Aleppo, today Harim, Syria)

Defeat

1187

Battle of Hattin

1187-07-04

Hill of Hattin, near Lake Tiberias (present-day Israel)

Defeat

1188

Battle of Soindres (Mantes)

1188-08-17

Soindres, near Mantes-la-Jolie, France

Victory

1189

Siege of Acre

1189-08 to 1191-07-12

Acre (now Akko, Israel)

Victory

1194

Battle of Fréteval

1194-07

Fréteval, France

Defeat

1198

Battle of Gisors

1198-09-27

Gisors, Normandy (France)

Defeat

1213

Battle of Damme

1213-05-30

Damme, near Bruges (present-day Belgium)

Victory

1214

Battle of Bouvines

1214-07-27

Bouvines, Flanders (today in the North, France)

Victory

1219

Capture of Damietta

November 5, 1219

Damietta, Nile Delta, Egypt

Victory

1242

Battle of Taillebourg

1242-07-21

Taillebourg, Saintonge (today Charente-Maritime, France)

Victory

1250

Battle of Mansoura

1250-02-08

Mansourah, Nile Delta (present-day Egypt)

Defeat

1250

Battle of Fariskur

1250-04-06

Fariskur, Nile Delta (present-day Egypt)

Defeat

1285

Naval Battle of Formigues

1285-09-04

Formigues Islands, Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Catalonia

Defeat

1285

Battle of Col de Panissars

1285-10-01

Col de Panissars, Pyrenees, near Perthus

Defeat

1302

Battle of Courtrai (or the Golden Spurs)

1302-07-11

Kortrijk, county of Flanders (today Belgium)

Defeat

1304

Naval Battle of Zierikzee

1304-08-10

Zierikzee, county of Zeeland (present-day Netherlands)

Victory

1304

Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle

1304-08-18

Mons-en-Pévèle, French Flanders (today North, France)

Victory

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Verdun 1916 — Les grandes batailles de l'histoire de France, tome 3

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Bande dessinée historique consacrée à la bataille de Verdun (1916), troisième tome de la collection « Les grandes batailles de l'histoire de France ».

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