Philip II’s Deep Invasion of Normandy: The March to Dieppe (1193 CE)

Following the fall of Gisors, Philip II of France rapidly advanced deeper into Normandy, taking advantage of Richard I’s imprisonment in Germany. With no strong leadership to resist him, Philip penetrated Norman territory as far as Dieppe, posing a serious threat to the Angevin stronghold in France.

Philip’s Rapid Advance into Normandy (1193)

• After securing the Vexin, Philip pushed deeper into Normandy, facing little organized resistance.
• His campaign extended to the Channel coast, reaching Dieppe, a critical port town on the English Channel.
• The Norman fortifications, already weakened by years of conflict, failed to mount an effective defenseagainst Philip’s aggressive campaign.

Strategic Significance of Dieppe

• Dieppe was a major port, and its capture would have allowed Philip to threaten English supply lines across the Channel.
• It demonstrated the weakness of Norman defenses under the absence of Richard, proving that Philip could challenge Angevin power deeper than ever before.
• By pushing into coastal Normandy, Philip consolidated Capetian gains, making it harder for Richard to reclaim lost territory upon his eventual return.

Impact of Philip’s Campaign in Normandy

• The French invasion of Normandy in 1193 marked a turning point in the Capetian-Plantagenet struggle.
• With Gisors and parts of Normandy in his hands, Philip’s territorial ambitions were no longer limited to minor border disputes—he was now seeking the complete dismantling of the Angevin Empire in France.
• Richard’s imprisonment left his lands vulnerable, and Philip capitalized fully on this power vacuum.

Philip II’s deep penetration into Normandy in 1193 was a major victory, setting the stage for further French expansion at the expense of the Angevins.

Philip II’s Raid on Dieppe and the Burning of Richard’s Fleet (1195 CE)

Following his treacherous actions at Verneuil, Philip II of France pressed his advantage in northeastern Normandy, launching a bold raid on Dieppe. During this campaign, Philip’s forces burned the English ships in the harbor, successfully repelling an attempted counterattack by Richard I.

Philip’s Raid on Dieppe

• Dieppe, a key port on the English Channel, was vital to Richard’s supply lines and control over Normandy’s northern coast.
• Philip launched a surprise assault, targeting Richard’s fleet in the harbor to disrupt Angevin naval operations.
• His forces set fire to the English ships, causing widespread destruction.

Richard’s Counterattack and Philip’s Victory

• Richard arrived in time to challenge Philip, attempting to drive the French forces out of Dieppe.
• However, Philip successfully repulsed Richard’s attack, forcing him to withdraw.
• This marked a rare direct battlefield success for Philip against Richard, who was known for his superior military skills.

Strategic Consequences

• Philip’s success at Dieppe weakened Richard’s naval capabilities, making it harder for him to supply and reinforce his forces in Normandy.
• The loss of ships in the harbor disrupted Angevin sea routes, allowing Philip to exert more pressure on Normandy’s northern front.
• The raid further escalated the war, showing that Philip was willing to engage in aggressive, preemptive strikes to weaken Richard’s position.

Though Richard remained formidable, Philip’s raid at Dieppe in 1195 demonstrated his growing confidence in challenging the Angevin forces both on land and at sea.

Thomas Aubert’s Expedition to Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence (1508–1509)

In 1508, Thomas Aubert, sailing from Dieppe as captain of the vessel La Pensée, equipped by prominent shipowner Jean Ango, Sr., embarked on a voyage to explore the coastlines of Newfoundland and the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in present-day Canada. Aubert likely sailed alongside the renowned Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano, who was possibly involved in this early exploration of the northern Atlantic shores.

The region, particularly the island of Newfoundland, was already familiar to Breton, Norman, and Dieppois sailors, who had earlier recognized its abundant cod-fishing grounds. Indeed, in 1506, pilot Jehan Denis had visited and produced one of the earliest maps of these coastal regions.

During his expedition, Aubert captured seven indigenous individuals from the Mi’kmaq tribe, returning with them to Dieppe in 1509. He was convinced that he had discovered the coveted Northwest Passage, a maritime route believed by European explorers of the period to provide direct access to Asia.

Upon arriving in Normandy, Aubert publicly presented the Mi’kmaq captives, their traditional attire, weapons, and canoes, capturing the interest and curiosity of the European public. This notable event was recorded and disseminated by the printer Estienne in a detailed Latin account, providing one of the earliest descriptions of the indigenous peoples of Atlantic North America.

Cultural and Historical Significance

Thomas Aubert’s voyage and return significantly impacted European perceptions of the North American continent. His mistaken belief that he had located the Northwest Passage fueled further European exploration, intensifying maritime expeditions and competition in the North Atlantic. Moreover, Aubert's public exhibition of indigenous individuals in France vividly introduced Europeans to the distinct peoples and cultures encountered in the New World, shaping subsequent perceptions, interactions, and colonial approaches.

Consequences and Legacy

Aubert’s voyage, while not achieving its intended objective of a direct passage to Asia, nonetheless had lasting historical importance. It reinforced Dieppe’s role as an early center of North Atlantic exploration and cod-fishing commerce, further stimulating European maritime expansion. Aubert’s expedition thus became a formative episode in the broader narrative of European discovery, exploration, and eventual colonization in North America, influencing subsequent voyages by explorers such as Jacques Cartier and Giovanni da Verrazzano himself.

Thomas Aubert and the Mi'kmaq Captives Presented in Rouen (1512)

In 1512, French navigator and merchant Thomas Aubert presented seven indigenous individuals—Mi'kmaq captives he had brought back from Atlantic Canada—to the authorities in Rouen. Captured during Aubert’s earlier exploratory voyages around the island of Newfoundland and the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, these individuals quickly became subjects of intense curiosity and religious interest among both local citizens and Church authorities in Normandy.

Following their arrival in Rouen, the Mi'kmaq captives were promptly baptized, becoming objects of considerable public fascination and ecclesiastical scrutiny. Their presence sparked lively discussions on both the ethics of exploration and conversion, and the potential opportunities for evangelization in newly discovered lands. Aubert's public presentation of these captives was emblematic of the broader European curiosity regarding the peoples and resources of the New World, reflecting both the excitement and moral complexities surrounding early colonial ventures.

Aubert's vivid reports emphasized the abundant natural wealth of the explored regions: he described vast resources of valuable fur-bearing animals and seas filled with fish, particularly cod, thus highlighting economic incentives to further exploration. Aubert's enthusiastic accounts convinced authorities and merchants alike of the potential riches awaiting European exploitation in North America.

Economic and Geopolitical Significance:

Aubert’s report of rich fur resources and abundant fisheries had immediate practical consequences. Persuaded by these commercial opportunities, French monarchs and regional authorities increased support for maritime exploration, leading to intensified fishing, fur trading, and settlement expeditions to North America. Aubert’s revelations provided concrete evidence fueling French ambitions in what would become Canada, shaping France’s subsequent colonial strategies in the New World.

Consequences and Legacy:

The public presentation of Mi'kmaq captives in Rouen significantly heightened public interest in and awareness of Atlantic exploration. The encounter marked an early step toward sustained French involvement in North America, encouraging subsequent expeditions by explorers such as Giovanni da Verrazzano and Jacques Cartier. Aubert’s voyage thus profoundly impacted the trajectory of European expansion into North America, reinforcing Rouen’s and Normandy’s roles as significant gateways for transatlantic exploration, trade, and colonial ambition.

(1524)

Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485–1528) is generally accepted by scholars to have been born in the Val di Greve, south of Florence, within the Republic of Florence. Most historians suggest he was born at the Castello di Verrazzano, similar to the birthplace naming convention for Leonardo da Vinci. Although alternative theories—including claims from French scholarship that he was born in Lyon—exist, Verrazzano himself consistently identified as Florentine and was recognized as such by his contemporaries.

In 1506, Verrazzano settled in Dieppe, France, establishing himself as a navigator under the patronage of notable French merchants such as Jean Ango. He first voyaged to North America, possibly in 1508, accompanying captain Thomas Aubert on the ship La Pensée, exploring regions around Newfoundland and perhaps the St. Lawrence Riverin Canada, in addition to numerous subsequent trips to the eastern Mediterranean.

French Ambitions and the 1524 Voyage

The return of Ferdinand Magellan’s surviving crew in 1522, after circumnavigating the globe, intensified European competition for trade routes, particularly against Portuguese and Spanish interests. Prompted by French financiers from Lyon and Rouen, King Francis I tasked Verrazzano in 1523 with exploring the area between Florida and Terranova ("New Found Land"), aiming specifically to discover a sea route to the Pacific Ocean to facilitate trade and territorial claims for France.

Initially, four ships sailed westward toward the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, but severe storms resulted in the loss of two ships and compelled the survivors to return for repairs. By late 1523, Verrazzano and his remaining ship, La Dauphine, piloted by Antoine de Conflans, prepared to sail again. After a brief stop in Madeira, La Dauphine finally departed on January 17, 1524, boldly heading for the North American coast despite Spanish and Portuguese dominance in the southern Atlantic.

Long-term Consequences and Significance

Verrazzano's voyage marked an important moment in Atlantic exploration, laying the groundwork for subsequent French territorial claims and settlement attempts along North America's Atlantic seaboard. His detailed observations from this journey provided early European descriptions of the region's geography and Indigenous populations, significantly influencing the future cartography and exploration narratives of North America.

Jean Ango and the Verrazzano Expedition to Brazil (1527)

Jean Ango, a prominent and influential French shipowner from Dieppe, significantly shapes maritime exploration and trade in the early sixteenth century. His father, also Jean Ango, had notably sponsored voyages to Newfoundland, including the 1508 expedition captained by Thomas Aubert aboard the Pensée, marking the second recorded French voyage to the Grand Banks following John Cabot's exploration.

Upon inheriting his father's wealth, the younger Ango withdraws from direct trading voyages but maintains control of a formidable maritime operation, eventually commanding a fleet comprising some seventy vessels, including merchantmen and fishing ships. He leverages his naval resources not only for legitimate trade and wartime raids sanctioned by the crown, but also engages openly in acts of piracy against foreign competitors, enriching himself and enhancing his prestige. Ango's prominence at court is reflected by his appointment as Viscount of Dieppe in 1521 and Captain of Dieppe in 1533, following a personal visit by King Francis I to his Normandy estate.

In 1527, Jean Ango, alongside Philippe de Chabot, Admiral of France, provides substantial financial backing for Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano’s second major expedition. Departing Dieppe early that year with four ships, the expedition encounters severe weather near the Cape Verde Islands, causing one ship's separation from the fleet. Verrazzano, however, successfully reaches the Brazilian coast with two of the remaining vessels. He and his crew gather a valuable cargo of brazilwood—highly sought after in Europe for dye production—and return to Dieppe by September. The third ship, initially separated, also returns successfully later, similarly laden with brazilwood.

Long-term Consequences and Significance

Ango's patronage of the 1527 voyage bolsters France's burgeoning maritime exploration and furthers its ambitions in overseas expansion. The voyage to Brazil contributes significantly to France's early colonial and trade efforts in the Americas, highlighting the strategic value of transatlantic voyages and intensifying competition among European maritime powers. Ango's combination of legitimate and illicit maritime activities reflects the complexities of early modern maritime law and diplomacy, positioning France prominently in the increasingly competitive Atlantic world.

Giovanni da Verrazzano’s Final Voyage (1528)

In early 1528, the Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano, sailing once more under the French flag, sets out from Dieppe on his third and final voyage of exploration. Inspired by the moderate success of his 1527 expedition, which had harvested brazilwood from the Brazilian coast but failed to discover the long-sought western passage to the Pacific Ocean, Verrazzano aims once again to identify a viable maritime route connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific, critical for securing new trade routes and challenging Spanish and Portuguese dominance.

Key Thematic Elements:

• Motivation and Goal: The voyage is directly inspired by the partial success of the 1527 expedition. Though lucrative in acquiring valuable brazilwood, that expedition had not achieved its primary goal of finding a transcontinental maritime route.
• Economic Context: Financed largely by the influential Jean Ango, Dieppe’s wealthiest shipowner, and supported politically by Admiral Philippe de Chabot, the expedition represents the growing French ambition to establish a presence in the Americas and challenge Iberian hegemony.
• Geopolitical Ambitions: Verrazzano’s mission is part of a broader French strategy under King Francis I to establish alternative trade routes and expand French commercial and colonial influence.

Long-term Consequences and Significance:

Though launched with significant expectations, Verrazzano’s final voyage does not succeed in discovering a western passage. Instead, it ends tragically. Historical accounts indicate that after exploring areas of the Caribbean and potentially the coastlines of present-day Florida, Verrazzano will be killed—likely during an encounter with indigenous inhabitants. His death marks a major setback in early French exploration efforts, leaving his envisioned passage undiscovered. Nonetheless, Verrazzano’s earlier voyages provide crucial geographic knowledge, paving the way for future French colonization and exploration in North America.

Henry of Navarre, as the nominally king of France, had quickly declared his intention to "maintain and preserve the Catholic, apostolic and roman religion" of the country (French: maintenir et conserver la religion catholique, apostolique et romaine), but the major French cities side with the Catholic League and its leader, the Duke of Mayenne, younger brother to the deceased Henry I, Duke of Guise.

Strengthened by support from outside, especially from Spain, the League is strong enough to force him to the south.

He has to set about winning his kingdom by military conquest, aided by money and troops bestowed by Elizabeth of England.

The royal army is in a shambles and Henry can only count on barely twenty thousand men to conquer a rebellious country.

In order to accomplish this task, he divides his troops into three commands: Henri d'Orléans, duc de Longueville for Picardy, Jean VI d'Aumont for Champagne and himself for Normandy, where he awaits reinforcements from Elizabeth.

Henry sets up camp with 8,000 men at the port of Dieppe on August 6, 1589.

Three hundred colonists depart Dieppe for New France on July 23, 1632.

Edgar Degas meets Paul Gauguin and Walter Sickert at Dieppe during the summer; he also visits St-Malo and Mont St-Michel in Normandy.