1341
1341		Surveys done for the Chancellory of the Exchequer find land going out of cultivation all over England. War taxation , military service and fierce purveyance of supplies for the war are principal culprits for this phenomenon.
1341	30 April	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. Despite the will left by Jean III in favor of his niece, Jean de Montfort assumes the title, and seizes the capital of Nantes. [Froissarts's Chronicle Image] 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.
1341	April	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.
1341		King David II of Scotland raids across the border. Edward III leads an army north to repel the incursion, and reinforce the border. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1341	July	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.
1341	Late August	Philippe VI opens hearings on the disputed succession in Brittany
1341	7 September	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
1341	October	A French army assembles at Angers and proceeds to take Champtoceaux, advancing along the Loire, and blockading Jean de Montfort in Nantes
1341	18 November	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.
1341	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
1342		The English destroy a squadron of Genoese ships at Brest [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)] (possibly in conjunction with one of their landings there).
1342	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. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1342	24 April	Pope Benedict XII dies at Avignon.
1342	7 May	Cardinal Pierre Roger is elected and enthroned as pope Clement VI.
1342	August	William de Bohun, Constable of England, along with Robert of Artois, lands in Brest, advances across Brittany and captures Vannes.
1342	30 September	Battle of Morlay. Constable of England William de Bohun defeats Charles de Blois.
1342		Vannes is retaken for the French by Olivier III de Clisson
1342	October	Edward III lands at Brest, lays siege to and recaptures Vannes for the English, and lays siege to Renesse.
1342	Winter	A French army under Prince Jean marches from Normandy to engage the English.
1342	December	Olivier III de Clisson, under suspicion and criticism from the French for failing to hold Vannes against the English, defects to the English.
1343
1343		Pope Clement VI issues the bull 'Unigentius', which grants the city of Rome the right to hold a jubilee every 50 years, as opposed to every 100. He declines however, their invitation to return the papacy to Rome.
1343	January	Cardinals sent by pope Clement VI 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 Montfort goes to England.
1343		Bertrand du Guesclin, with a group of companions disguised as woodcutters, takes the city of Fougeray, earning the attention of Charles of Blois, and the nickname of 'the Black Dog of Brocéliande' from the English. Within a few months he has sold it back to the English, probably to Robert Knowles.
1343	Summer	Olivier III de Clisson, while attending a tourney in French territory, is arrested and brought to trial for treason.
1343	2 August	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. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1343	Spetember	Louis of Bavaria writes to the pope, acknowledging his unlawful succession to the imperial title, and declaring his willingness to annul all his imperial actions and submit to papal penalties. His only condition was that he be named king of the Romans. Pope Celment VI responded say that in addition no law would be passed in the empire without papal sanction,that any of Louis' decrees would be invalid unless and until the pope had confirmed them, that Louis deposed all those bishops and abbots that he had appointed without proper authority, and further that Louis waive all sovereignty over the Papal States, Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica.
1343	December	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
1344		Foundation of the English Order of the Garter.
1344		Philippe declares an amnesty in regard to civil war, and Charles de Blois gains the loyalty of several important Breton lords.
1345
1345	January	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.
1345		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.
1345	August	Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Derby, lands at Bordeaux.
1345	September	Jean de Montfort dies. His son, aged 5, is recognized by the English as Duc de Bretagne.
1345	October	The English win a victory at Auberoche, in Gascony.
1345	December	The English, under Thomas Dagworth, invade Penthièvre and capture La Roche-Derrien. [Grandes Chroniques Image (14thc. BNF, FR 2813)]
1345		The English take Aiguillon, in Gascony.
1345		The French begin recruiting troops and ships in Genoa, Monaco and Nice.
1346
1346	March	The French begin defense measures along the channel coasts.
1346	April	Jean, Duc de Normandie and Prince of France, lays siege to Aiguillon.
1346	May and June	English fleet and army gather in Portsmouth.
1346	6 May	Carlo Grimaldi and his fleet set sail from Nice.
1346	9 June	An English army defeats Charles of Blois at St. Pol de Leon in Brittany. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1346	24 June	Leaders of Ghent, Bruges and Ypres, in rebellion against their count, agree to support Edward III.
1346	June	Edward III close all English ports, to prevent news of the planned invasion from leaking out.
1346		Carlo Grimaldi and his fleet shelter from storms in the Tagus estuary off Portugal.
1346		Scots raid along the northern border of England.
1346	3 July	English fleet attempts to sail, but is forced back by contrary winds.
1346	11-12 July	English fleet sails from Portsmouth to St. Vaast-la-Hogue, in Normandy.
1346	12-18 July	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.
1346	16 July	An English force led by Sir Hugh Hastings arrives in Flanders, Joining up with the Flemish forces in Ghent.
1346		Philippe VI receives news of the English landing at St. Vaast.
1346	18 July	Edward III marches to Valognes.
1346	19 July	Edward III marches to St. Côme-du-Mont and Coigny.
1346	20 July	Edward III takes Carentan.
1346	21 July	Edward III marches to Pont-Hébert.
1346	22 July	Edward III takes St. Lô
1346		Philippe VI raises the Oriflamme at St. Denis.
1346	23 July	Edward III marches to Torigny and Cormolain
1346	24-25 July	Edward III reaches the villages west of Caen.
1346		The English fleet, having destroyed coastal towns and villages, arrives in the Orne estuary.
1346	25 July	Philippe VI marches down the Seine, towards Rouen.
1346	26 July	Edward III takes Caen. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1346	29 July	Edward III writes to his council demanding men, supplies and money, to be sent to Le Crotoy.
1346		Philippe VI orders a general mobilisation of men, to assemble at Paris and Amiens.
1346	30 July	Philippe VI and the main French force march to Vernon.
1346	31 July	Philipe VI and the main French force reach Rouen.
1346		Edward III marches from Rouen to Troarn and Argences.
1346	End of Month	Scots make a truce until the end of September.
1346		Philippe VI is informed of the secondary invasion of Flanders.
1346	August	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.
1346	1 August	Edward III and the English army march to Rumesnil, Leaupartie and St. Pierre-de-Jonque.
1346		Sir Hugh Hastings and the Anglo-Flemish force march from Ypres to Baileul.
1346	2 August	Edward III marches to Lisieux.
1346		Cardinals sent to negotiate peace reach Philippe VI at Rouen
1346		Anglo-Flemish forces fight with French along the Lys.
1346	2-3 August	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.
1346		Papal envoys negotiate with Edward III at Lisieux.
1346	4 August	Edward III marches to Duranville.
1346		Northern French forces gather at Amiens.
1346	5-6 August	Edward III reaches Le Neubourg.
1346	7 August	Edward III, having taken counsel with his nobles, changes his direction and marches towards Rouen, reaching the Seine at Elbeuf.
1346	8 August	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.
1346		Philippe VI and the French army shadow the English movements from the north bank of the River.
1346	9 August	Edward III makes an unsuccessful assault on Vernon.
1346		Edward III marches to Mounceux and Freneuse, where he is met by Cardinals bearing a peace proposal from Philippe VI.
1346		Robert de Ferrers, leading an English raiding party, crosses the Seine and attacks the castle of La Roche-Guyon.
1346	11 August	Edward III outflanks the French vanguard at Mantes, and makes an attack on Meulan, which is driven off.
1346	12 August	Edward III marches through Ecquevilly and Bures.
1346	13 August	Philippe VI returns to Paris, establishing his headquarters at St. Denis.
1346	13-15 August	English rebuild the bridge across the Seine at Poissy
1346	14 August	From the base at Poissy the English raid Montjoi, St. Cloud, St. Germain-en-Laye and Neuilly.
1346		The Anglo-Flemish army lays siege to Bethhuné
1346	15 August	Philippe VI leads the French cavalry south of Paris in anticipation of battle.
1346	16 August	Edward III burns Poissy and crosses the Seine, marching to near Grisy-les-Plâtres.
1346	17 August	Edward III marches north to Auteuil and Vessancourt.
1346		Philippe VI breaks the bridge at St. Cloud.
1346	18 August	The English vanguard defeats a French force from Amiens near Beauvais. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1346		Edward III marches to Milly and Troissereux.
1346		Philippe VI and the French cavalry march to Clermont.
1346	19 August	Edward III marches to Grandvilliers and Sommereux.
1346		French vanguard reaches Amiens.
1346	20 August	The English pillage Poix and skirmish with the French vanguard while marching to Camps-en-Amienois and Molliens.
1346		Philippe VI marches to Nampty.
1346		Jean, Duc de Normandie, finally abandons the siege of Aiguillon and marches north.
1346	21 August	French and English armies skirmish.
1346	22 August	Philippe VI marches to Amiens, and orders the destruction of all the bridges across the Somme.
1346		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.
1346		French forces in Bethuné make a successful sortie against their Anglo-Flemish besiegers.
1346	23 August	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.
1346		Philippe VI marches to Abbeville and Airaines, sending some troops the northern side of the Somme towards Le Crotoy.
1346	24 August	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.
1346		Philippe VI reach the ford, but is delayed by the rising tide.
1346		The Flemings abandon the siege of Bethuné, retreating to Merville.
1346	25 August	Edward III establishes a fortified position north east of Crecy. There he receives the news that the Flemings have abandoned the siege of Bethuné
1346		Philippe VI returns to Abbeville. The French main force remains in Abbeville and St. Riquer, with additional contingents arriving.
1346	26 August	Edward III draws up his forces in battle array between Crecy and Wadicourt, Philippe VI marches from Abbeville to Crecy.
1346		Battle of Crecy. Philippe VI and the French are defeated, Philippe retreats to the castle of Labroye. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1346		A second French force, commanded by the Duc de Lorraine and the Comte de Blois arrives at Abbeville, and marches on to Crecy.
1346	27 August	The Duc de Lorraine and Comte de Blois reach the battlefield, but are defeated.
1346		Philippe VI retreats to Doullens
1346	28-31 August	Philippe VI retreats to Amiens, where the surviving French leaders are gathering. A number of the Genoese are accused of treachery, and executed.
1346		Edward III marches up the coast to Neufchatel.
1346	2 September	Edward III marches to Wimille, and decides to abandon his conquest of Normandy and concentrate on taking Calais.
1346	4 September	Edward III reaches Calais, and invests it for siege. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)] The English fleet attacks the city, but is driven off.
1346	8 September	Philippe VI moves to the castle at Pont St. Maxence.
1346	8 October	The Duc de Normandie and his army reach Paris, where they are joined by Philippe VI.
1346	17 October	English forces defeated the Scots under David II during the Battle of Neville's Cross, Scotland. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)]
1347
1347	June	Charles de Blois, 'French' claimant to the duchy of Brittany, is defeated and captured at La Roche-Derrien. [Grandes Chroniques Image (14thc. BNF, FR 2813)] He is sent to the Tower of London as a prisoner.
1347	August	Capitulation of Calais. 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. [Froissart's Chonicle Text] A truce is signed to last until April, 1351.
1347	October	Arrival of the Genoese trading fleet in Messina, carrying the Black Death.
1348
1348	January	Plague reaches Marseille and Languedoc.
1348	March	Plague reaches Avignon.
1348	May	Plague reaches Toulouse, Narbonne, Montpellier and Carcassone.
1348	9 June	Pope Benedict XII purchases the sovereignty of Avignon from queen Joanna of Naples, who is also countess of Provence, for the sum of 80,000 florins.
	1348	August	Plague reaches Bordeaux, Lyon, Burgundy, Normandy, Paris and the south of England, then disappears for the winter.
1349
1349		The Comte d'Eu is freed by the English, supposedly in exchange for the Castle and County of Guines.
1349		Dauphine
1349	10 April	William of Ockham, philosopher and theologian, dies.
1349	Summer	Plague resumes in Paris, spreads to Picardy, Flanders and the Low Countries.
1349	Summer	Plague resumes in London and Spreads to Scotland, Ireland and Norway.
1350
1350	All Year	Pope Clement VI declares a Jubilee Year, with a plenary indulgence for all who made pilgrimage to Rome.
1350		Battle of Winchelsea. The Franco-Castillian fleet defeats the English.
1350		Bertrand du Guesclin, with a group of companions disguised as woodcutters, takes the city of Fougeray, earning the attention of Charles of Blois, and the nickname of 'the Black Dog of Brocéliande' from the English. Within a few months he has sold it back to the English, probably to Robert Knowles.
1350		Jeanne de Malmains, mother of Bertrand du Guesclin, dies.
1350		The Visconti seize Bologna, a Papal fief, beginning a long feud between them and the Papacy.
1350	August	Death of Philippe VI. [Froissart's Chronicle image (15thc. BNF, FR 2643)] Coronation of Jean II. [Grandes Chroniques Image (14thc. BNF, FR 2813)]
1350	November	Jean II executes the Comte d'Eu, Constable of France without trial or public procedure, alienating much of his nobility Jean II makes Charles d'Espange Constable.

1331-1340 | Top of Page | 1351-1360



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