The Battle of Cravant (July 31, 1423): An Anglo-Burgundian Victory

The Battle of Cravant, fought on July 31, 1423, marked the first major success of the joint English and Burgundian forces during the Hundred Years' War. Commanded by Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, with Lord Willoughby as second-in-command, the allied army of 4,000 men decisively defeated the larger Franco-Scottish force, capturing key commanders and forcing the Dauphin’s army to retreat to the Loire.

I. The Anglo-Burgundian Army and Their Advance on Cravant

• The Anglo-Burgundian forces consisted of:
  • 1,500 men-at-arms (500 English, 1,000 Burgundian).
  • 2,000 English archers.
  • Burgundian crossbowmen and pioneers.
  • 40 veuglaires (light artillery) manned by citizens of Auxerre.
• On July 30, the allied forces sighted the enemy about four miles from Cravant.
• Finding the Dauphinist position too strong, they crossed the Yonne River to approach Cravant from another route.

II. Standoff at the River and the Start of the Battle

• The Dauphinist forces, primarily Scottish troops under John Stewart of Darnley and French troops under the Comte de Vendôme, repositioned on the opposite bank.
• For three hours, the two armies stared each other down, neither willing to attempt an opposed river crossing.
• Eventually, Scottish archers began shooting into the allied ranks, triggering an exchange of archery fire and artillery bombardment.

III. The Anglo-Burgundian Attack and the Franco-Scottish Defeat

• Salisbury seized the initiative, ordering his forces to wade across the waist-high, 50-meter-wide river under a barrage of English longbow fire.
• Simultaneously, Lord Willoughby launched an attack over a narrow bridge, splitting the Dauphinist forces in two.
• The French forces began withdrawing, but the Scottish troops refused to retreat and fought to the death.
• The Scots suffered heavy losses, with approximately:
  • 3,000 killed along the bridgehead and riverbanks.
  • 2,000 taken prisoner, including Darnley (who lost an eye) and the Comte de Vendôme.

IV. Aftermath and Strategic Consequences

• The Dauphin’s forces retreated to the Loire, leaving Burgundy secure for the time being.
• On August 2, the allied armies separated:
  • The Burgundians marched to Dijon.
  • The English withdrew to Montaiguillon.
• Despite the success at Cravant, Anglo-Burgundian cooperation remained rare, as both factions typically operated separately in their respective spheres of influence.

V. The Significance of Cravant

• The battle proved the effectiveness of joint English and Burgundian forces in battle.
• It reaffirmed English dominance in France, maintaining their momentum after Agincourt (1415).
• The heavy Scottish casualties weakened the Franco-Scottish alliance, reducing the effectiveness of future Scottish reinforcements for the Dauphin.

The Battle of Cravant (1423) was a decisive victory for the Anglo-Burgundians, reinforcing English control in France and inflicting devastating losses on the Franco-Scottish forces. However, the uneasy alliance between England and Burgundy remained fragile, and rarely would they fight together in such a coordinated manner again.