Siege of Orléans

Siege of Orléans
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Joan of Arc at the Siege of Orléans by Jules Eugène Lenepveu, painted 1886–1890
Date 12 October 1428 – 8 May 1429 (6 months, 3 weeks and 5 days) Location Orléans, France Result Decisive French victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of England	Kingdom of France Kingdom of Scotland
Commanders and leaders
Earl of Salisbury † Earl of Suffolk John Talbot William Glasdale †	Jean de Dunois Joan of Arc (WIA) Gilles de Rais Jean de Boussac La Hire
Strength
5,000	6,400 soldiers, 3,000 armed citizens
Casualties and losses
more than 4,000	2,000

The Siege of Orléans (1428–1429) was the watershed of the Hundred Years' War between France and England. It was the French Royal army's first major military victory while Joan of Arc was with the army and the first to follow the crushing defeat at Agincourt in 1415. The siege took place at the pinnacle of English power during the later stages of the war. The city held strategic and symbolic significance to both sides of the conflict. The consensus among contemporaries was that the English regent, John of Lancaster, would succeed in realizing Henry V's dream of conquering all of France if Orléans fell. For half a year the English appeared to be winning but the siege collapsed nine days after Joan's arrival.

The siege of Orléans occurred during the Hundred Years' War, contested between the ruling houses of France and England for supremacy over France. The conflict had begun in 1337 when England's King Edward III decided to press his claim to the French throne, a claim based on his being the son of Isabella of France and thus of the contested French royal line.

Following a decisive victory at Agincourt in 1415, the English gained the upper hand in the conflict, occupying much of northern France. Under the Treaty of Troyes of 1420, England's Henry V became regent of France. By this treaty, Henry married Catherine, the daughter of the current French king, Charles VI, and would then succeed to the French throne upon Charles's death. The dauphin Charles, the son of Charles VI and presumptive heir prior to the treaty, was then disinherited.

Orléans is located on the Loire River in north-central France. During the time of this siege it was the northernmost city that remained loyal to the French crown. The English and their allies the Burgundians controlled the rest of northern France, including Paris. Orléans's position on a major river made it the last obstacle to a campaign into central France. England already controlled France's southwestern coast.

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