Chronological list of events in the Hundred Years War, military and civil
Year Month Day Event
1341
Petrarch accalimed as great poet in Rome.
Apr. 30 Death of Jean III, Duc de Bretagne, beginning of the civil war in Brittany between his younger half-brother, Jean Comte de Montfort and Jeanne de Penthièvre, daughter of his brother Guy for the title. Jean de Montfort assumes the title, siezes the capital of Nantes.
He calls on the nobles of Brittany to support him, with mixed result. Jeanne de Penthièvre and her husband Charles de Blois appeal to Philippe VI for aid.
Apr. Parliament amicably settles the disputes between John Stratford and Edward III, and grants Edward the funds necessary to continue the wars in France and Scotland, but only after further concessions on Edwards part.
King David II of Scotland raids across the border. Edward III leads an army north to repel the incursion, and reinforce the border.
Jul. Jean de Montfort arrives in England, to give his fealty for the County of Richmond, and to offer his fealty for Brittany, in return for English support for his claim to the Duchy. Edward accepts, and Jean returns to Brittany.
Late Aug. Philippe VI opens hearings on the disputed succession in Brittany
Sep. 7 At Conflans Philippe VI and his court of peers announce that Charles de Blois and Jeanne de Penthièvre are the rightful inheritors to the Duchy of Brittany
Oct. A French army assembles at Angers and proceeds to take Champtoceaux, advancing along the Loire, and blockading Jean de Montfort in Nantes
Nov. 18 Jean de Montfort is trapped at Nantes by a large force led by Charles de Blois, the French contender to the title. Fearing the results of a long siege the citizens of Nantes hand Jean over to Charles, who sends him to prison in the Louvre.
Winter Jeanne de Montfort, wife of Jean de Montfort, continues her husbands claim for the Duchy of Brittany. Withdrawing with her son, surprisingly named Jean to the town of Hennebont, in the south of Brittany, she conducts a fierce defense.
1342
Clement VI becomes pope (until 1351)
The English destroy a squadron of Genoese ships at Brest. (possibly in conjunction with one of their landings there.)
Spring Edward III sends a force commanded by Sir Walter Manny to Brittany to aid Comtess Jeanne de Montfort, still under siege in Hennebont, wearing armor and leading cavalry forays against the enemy camp and keeping the Hennebont-Brest road open. They arrive just in time, as the garrison is discussing terms of surrender when the English fleet is sighted.
Aug. William de Bohun, Constable of England, along with Robert of Artois, lands in Brest, advances across Brittany and captures Vannes.
Sep. 30 Battle of Morlay. Constable of England William de Bohun defeats Charles de Blois.
Vannes is retaken for the French by Olivier III de Clisson
Oct. Edward III lands at Brest, lays siege to and recaptures Vannes for the English, and lays siege to Renesse.
Winter A French army under Prince Jean marches from Normandy to engage the English.
Dec. Olivier III de Clisson, under suspicion and criticism from the French for failing to hold Vannes against the English, defects to the English.
1343
Desultory fighting between English and French in France.
Jan. Cardinals arrive in Brittany from Avignon, and negotiate the Truce of Malestriot, to last until September 1346, averting a major battle between the French and English. In theory this truce required Philippe VI to release Jean de Montfort, which he didn't do till 1345, and applied to the Flemish and the Scots, who ignored it. Jeanne de Monfort goes to England.
Summer Olivier III de Clisson, while attending a tourney in French territory, is arrested and brought to trial for treason.
Aug. 2 Olivier III de Clisson is beheaded for treason, and his head is displayed at Nantes, as a warning to others.
Several other Breton knights are also executed.
Dec. Jeanne de Montfort is confined is confined to Tickhill Castle. Some say she had a mental collapse, others that Edward III wanted full control of Breton affairs, and she was removed as an obstacle.
1344
Philip VI, king of France, makes the Crown Prince Philip the Duc d'Orleans.
Foundation of the English Order of the Garter.
Philippe declares an amnesty in regard to civil war, and Charles de Blois gains the loyalty of several important Breton lords.
1345
Bankruptcy of the Florintine banking houses of Bardi and Peruzzi (due to loaning King Edward III 400 million ducats, on which Edward defaulted. This brought about the collapse of several other banks, and a long period of what we would today call "tight money.")
Jan. The French Parlement decides in favor of Charles de Blois and Jeanne de Penthièvre in the matter of the succession of Limoges, another part of the Brittany succession.
Jean de Montfort escapes, and goes to England, to do Homage to Edward III for Brittany.
He then returns to Brittany to support his cause.
Aug. Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Derby, lands at Bordeaux.
Sep. Jean de Montfort dies. His son, aged 5, is recognized by the English as Duc de Bretagne.
Oct. The English win a victory at Auberoche, in Gascony.
Dec. The English, under Thomas Dagworth, invade Penthièvre and capture La Roche-Derrien.
The English take Aiguillon, in Gascony.
The French begin recruiting troops and ships in Genoa, Monaco and Nice.
1346
Mar. The French begin defense measures along the channel coasts.
Apr. Jean, Duc de Normandie and Prince of France, lays siege to Aiguillon.
May and Jun. English fleet and army gather in Portsmouth.
May 6 Carlo Grimaldi and his fleet set sail from Nice.
Jun. 9 An English army defeats Charles of Blois at St. Pol de Leon in Brittany.
Jun. 24 Leaders of Ghent, Bruges and Ypres, in rebellion against their count, agree to support Edward III.
Jun. Edward III close all English ports, to prevent news of the planned invasion from leaking out.
Carlo Grimaldi and his fleet shelter from storms in the Tagus estuary off Portugal.
Scots raid along the northern border of England.
Jul. 3 English fleet attempts to sail, but is forced back by contrary winds.
Jul. 11-12 English fleet sails from Portsmouth to St. Vaast-la-Hogue, in Normandy.
Jul. 12-18 English fleet disembarks at St. Vaast-la-Hogue, defeating the resistance offered by Marshal Robert Bertrand.
They proceed to pillage and burn the surrounding villages of the Cotentin.
Jul. 16 An English force led by Sir Hugh Hastings arrives in Flanders, Joining up with the Flemish forces in Ghent.
Philippe VI receives news of the English landing at St. Vaast.
Jul. 18 Edward III marches to Valognes.
Jul. 19 Edward III marches to St. Côme-du-Mont and Coigny.
Jul. 20 Edward III takes Carentan.
Jul. 21 Edward III marches to Pont-Hébert.
Jul. 22 Edward III takes St. Lô
Philippe VI raises the Orriflamme at St. Denis.
Jul. 23 Edward III marches to Torigny and Cormolain
Jul. 24-25 Edward III reaches the villages west of Caen.
The English fleet, having destroyed coastal towns and villages, arrives in the Orne estuary.
Jul. 25 Philippe VI marches down the Seine, towards Rouen.
Jul. 26 Edward III takes Caen.
Jul. 29 Edward III writes to his council demanding men, supplies and money, to be sent to Le Crotoy.
Philippe VI orders a general mobilisation of men, to assemble at Paris and Amiens.
Jul. 30 Philippe VI and the main French force march to Vernon.
Jul. 31 Philipe VI and the main French force reach Rouen.
Edward III marches from Rouen to Troarn and Argences.
End of Month Scots make a truce until the end of September.
Philippe VI is informed of the secondary invasion of Flanders.
Aug. Carlo Grimaldi and the Genoese fleet arrive in the Seine estuary. The boats are beached, and all the available men on board join the army.
Aug. 1 Edward III and the English army march to Rumesnil, Leaupartie and St. Pierre-de-Jonque.
Sir Hugh Hastings and the Anglo-Flemish force march from Ypres to Baileul.
Aug. 2 Edward III marches to Lisieux.
Cardinals sent to negotiate peace reach Philippe VI at Rouen
Anglo-Flemish forces fight with French along the Lys.
Aug. 2-3 Philippe VI decides to defend the line of the Siene, ordering the Duc de Normandie to abandon the siege of Aiguillon and march to Paris, and ordering the troops at Amiens to Paris.
Papal envoys negotiate with Edward III at Lisieux.
Aug. 4 Edward III marches to Duranville.
Northern French forces gather at Amiens.
Aug. 5-6 Edward III reaches Le Neubourg.
Aug. 7 Edward III, having taken counsel with his nobles, changes his direction and marches towards Rouen, reaching the Seine at Elbeuf.
Aug. 8 Edward III sends Godfrey de Harcourt to study the defenses of Rouen, while he and the army return to Elbeuf. There he attempts and fails to cross the Seine. A further attempt, also fruitless, is made at Ponte del'Arche, and Edward marches to Louviers.
Philippe VI and the French army shadow the English movements from the north bank of the River.
Aug. 9 Edward III makes an unsuccessful assault on Vernon.
Edward III marches to Mounceux and Freneuse, where he is met by Cardinals bearing a peace proposal from Philippe VI.
Robert de Ferrers, leading an English raiding party, crosses the Seine and attacks the castle of La Roche-Guyon.
Aug. 11 Edward III outflanks the French vanguard at Mantes, and makes an attack on Meulan, which is driven off.
Aug. 12 Edward III marches through Ecquevilly and Bures.
Aug. 13 Philippe VI returns to Paris, establishing his headquarters at St. Denis.
Aug. 13-15 English rebuild the bridge across the Seine at Poissy
Aug. 14 From the base at Poissy the English raid Montjoi, St. Cloud, St. Germain-en-Laye and Neuilly.
The Anglo-Flemish army lays seige to Bethhuné
Aug. 15 Philippe VI leads the French cavalry south of Paris in anticipation of battle.
Aug. 16 Edward III burns Poissy and crosses the Seine, marching to near Grisy-les-Plâtres.
Aug. 17 Edward III marches north to Auteuil and Vessancourt.
Philippe VI breaks the bridge at St. Cloud.
Aug. 18 The English vanguard defeats a French force from Amiens near Beauvais.
Edward III marches to Milly and Troissereux.
Philippe VI and the French cavalry march to Clermont.
Aug. 19 Edward III marches to Grandvilliers and Sommereux.
French vanguard reaches Amiens.
Aug. 20 The English pillage Poix and skirmish with the French vanguard while marching to Camps-en-Amienois and Molliens.
Philippe VI marches to Nampty.
Jean, Duc de Normandie, finally abandons the siege of Aiguillon and marches north.
Aug. 21 French and English armies skirmish.
Aug. 22 Philippe VI marches to Amiens, and orders the destruction of all the bridges across the Somme.
Edward III marches to Airaines, and sends troops to try and find a bridge, but all are destroyed or defended. An attwmpt to take the bridge at Pont Remy is repulsed by the French.
French forces in Bethuné make a sucessful sortie against their Anglo-Flemish besiegers.
Aug. 23 Finding Abbeville and Caubert too strongly defended Edward III makes for a ford below Abbeville, defeating the local militia at Oisemont. The bulk of the army marches to Acheux.
Philippe VI marches to Abbeville and Airaines, sending some troops the northern side of the Somme towards Le Crotoy.
Aug. 24 Edward III crosses the Somme at Blanchetaque ford, and, dispersing the defenders on the north bank, proceeds to pillage Noyelles sur Mer, Le Crotoy and Rue before making camp north of Noyelles.
Philippe VI reach the ford, but are delayed by the rising tide.
The Flemings abandon the siege of Bethuné, retreating to Merville.
Aug. 25 Edward III establishes a fortified position north east of Crecy. There he recieves the news that the Flemings have abandoned the siege of Bethuné
Philippe Vi returns to Abbeville. The French main force remains in Abbeville and St. Riquer, with additional contingents arriving.
Aug. 26 Edward III draws up his forces in battle array between Crecy and Wadicourt, Phillipe VI marches from Abbeville to Crecy.
Battle of Crecy. Philippe VI and the French are defeated, Philippe retreats to the castle of Labroye.
A second French force, commanded by the Duc de Lorraine and the Comte de Blois arrives at Abbeville, and marches on to Crecy.
Aug. 27 The Duc de Lorraine and Comte de Blois reach the battlefield, but are defeated.
Philippe VI retreats to Doullens
Aug. 28-31 Philippe VI retreats to Amiens, where the surviving French leaders are gathering. A number of the Genoese are accused of treachery, and executed.
Edward III marches up the coast to Neufchatel.
Sep. 2 Edward III marches to Wimille, and decides to abandon his conquest of Normandy and concentrate on taking Calais.
Sep. 4 Edward III reaches Calais, and invests it for siege.
The English fleet attacks the city, but is driven off.
Sep. 8 Philippe VI moves to the castle at Pont St. Maxence.
Oct. 8 The Duc de Normandie and his army reach Paris, where they are joined by Philippe VI.
Oct. 17 English forces defeated the Scots under David II during the Battle of Neville's Cross, Scotland.
1347
Black Death sweeps Europe.
Cola di Rienzi "tribune of the people" rules in Rome, keeping the French pope in Avignon out.
Aug. Capitulation of Calais to Edward III. In the famous 'Burghers of Calais' incident six of the most prominent citizens of the city present themselves as demanded to Edward III, but are pardoned after Queen Philippa pleads for their lives.
A truce is signed to last until April, 1351.
Oct. Arrival of the Genoese trading fleet in Messina, carrying the Black Death.
1348
1348-49 The 'Black Death' (bubonic plague) spread in France and England. Edward III founds the Order of the Garter.
Jan. Plague reaches Marseille and Languedoc.
Mar. Plague reaches Avignon.
May. Plague reaches Toulouse, Narbonne, Montpellier and Carcassone.
Aug. Plague reaches Bordeaux, Lyon, Burgundy, Normandy, Paris and the south of England, then disappears for the winter.
1349
Black Death kills about a third of the population of England. Jews persecuted in Germany (they had previously been expelled from France and England.)
The Comte d'Eu is freed by the English, supposedly in exchange for the Castle and County of Guines.
Apr. 10 William of Ockham, philosopher and theologian, dies.
Summer Plague resumes in Paris, spreads to Picardy, Flanders and the Low Countries.
Summer Plague resumes in London and Spreads to Scotland, Ireland and Norway.
1350
All Year Pope Clement VI declares a Jubilee Year, with a plenary indulgence for all who made pilgrimage to Rome.
Phillipe VI of France dies, succeeded by his son Jean II. Edward III begins to rebuild Winsdor castle.
Cambrai, not Paris, becomes center of French music, under the aegis of the Prince Bishop's court.
Lute (the forerunner of the modern guitar) playing gains popularity in Europe.
Master singer movement in Germany. Shogun of Japan prohibits drinking tea.
The Visconti seize Bologna, a Papal fief, beginning a long feud between them and the Papacy.
Aug. English defeated a Castilian fleet in battle of Les-Espagnols-sur-Mer, off Winchelsea
Aug. 22 Death of Philippe VI (22 Aug) and accession of Jean II le Bon (the Good) (1350-64).
Nov. Jean II executes the Comte d'Eu, Constable of France without trial or public procedure, alienating much of his nobility
Jean makes Charles d'Espange Constable.
Mar. 26 Combat of the Thirty in Brittany. Beaumanoir, commander of the castle of Jossein, which holds for the French claimant, Charles de Blois meets Bemborough, commander of the castle of Polormel, which holds for the English for an passage of arms with daggers, axes and spears. Beaumanoir emerges victorious, and Bemberough dies in the exchange.