Q&A · 1:27:52-1:29:34

Castillon joined field artillery to an English command failure

The French victory of 1453 combined extensive field artillery with John Talbot's premature attack on a fortified camp.

Question

Which late Hundred Years War battle gave France a decisive victory over the English?

Short answer

Castillon in 1453, where French field artillery and John Talbot's premature, unsupported attack produced a decisive English defeat.

Notes

Asked about a late French victory over the English, the answer points to the Battle of Castillon in 1453 as a decisive closing battle of the Hundred Years War. It is described as the first battle won through extensive use of field artillery. John Talbot mistook French movement for a retreat, attacked a fortified encampment, and then refused to withdraw or wait for reinforcements once his force came under heavy fire. Technical advantage and command failure reinforced one another.