Battle of Laval

The Battle of Laval (1243) was a decisive military engagement in the Anglo-French war, resulting in a decisive French victory. The remaining English host was forced to retreat to Rennes, where they were placed under siege.
==Prelude==
Having put down the Pale Rebellion, Henry III of England crossed into Brittany to resume the war against France, lifting the siege of Rennes in the process. Overconfident at the poor French defenses, who had expected an attack from Normandy, Henry III marched into Maine, but found himself outnumbered by the French army. He met with Louis IX of France under an apple tree to come to terms, but an agreement was not reached.
==Description==
The battle of Laval ended up a bloody meatgrinder. Henry’s Scotsmen and mercenaries had been positioned opposite Louis’ Gascon troops hoping to break those exhausted men with sheer brutality. Meanwhile Henry’s cavalry and Englishmen faced the French mounted nobility and common levies. As soon as battle was met it became clear what was going on. The English cavalry clashed with the French and no matter where it went the French royal banner was ever under assault from the English nobles. As Louis fought for his life the English army soon found that the French outnumbered them way too much. The Gascons may have been exhausted, but so were the English after three years of constant marching and fighting. Soon their right flank crumbled and started to retreat. Seeing this Henry ordered a full retreat, but by this point his troops were too entangled with the French to follow said order. Dozens upon dozens of English noblemen were slain in this battle or taken as prisoner. Henry managed to flee and whole up in Rennes, but Louis soon gave chase and put the remnants of his army under siege. His mercenaries had abandoned him and his noblemen were pressuring him to make peace. Louis meanwhile stood outside the castle grinning. There was still blood dripping from the hole where his right eye had been, but what was a little but against the sweet taste of victory?
Category:Battles