The Battle of the Spurs (August 16, 1513)

On August 16, 1513, the Battle of the Spurs (La Journée d'Esperons) took place near Thérouanne, marking a significant English victory during King Henry VIII's French campaign. This clash vividly illustrated the decisive power of tactical awareness and effective use of combined cavalry and infantry forces, leaving lasting consequences for the French military position in northern France.

Prelude: Early French Maneuvers and English Vigilance

French forces under commanders Jacques de La Palice, Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Longueville, and Charles IV, Duke of Alençon, intended to surprise the besieging English army at dawn, relieving the strategically important garrison of Thérouanne. However, their movements were promptly detected by English "border prickers"—light cavalry from the English-Scottish borders famed for their vigilance and scouting skill—who alerted Henry VIII to the impending French advance.

Responding swiftly, Henry organized a substantial force from the siege lines, dispatching a vanguard of approximately 1,100 cavalry followed by 10,000–12,000 infantry.

The Engagement near Bomy and French Tactical Errors

La Palice's cavalry encountered English scouts near the village of Bomy, approximately five miles from Thérouanne. Recognizing their plans had been compromised, the French hesitated on an exposed hillside, ostensibly to allow their stradiots—specialized Albanian light cavalry tasked with delivering supplies—to reach Thérouanne. This hesitation proved a critical tactical misjudgment.

English mounted archers dismounted and delivered sustained, flanking arrow fire from a nearby hedgerow. Simultaneously, English heavy cavalry formed opposite La Palice, who now realized the strength and preparedness of Henry’s approaching infantry.

The English Cavalry Charge and French Rout

With the French delayed and vulnerable, the Clarenceux Herald famously encouraged the Earl of Essex to initiate a cavalry charge. The subsequent English cavalry attack struck precisely as the French began retreating, throwing their ranks into chaos. At this critical juncture, the stradiots—already repelled by Thérouanne’s defenders' cannon fire—collided disastrously with their own heavy cavalry, exacerbating French confusion. Additionally, the timely arrival of Imperial cavalry forces, allied with Henry, further sealed the French collapse.

Panic overtook the French cavalrymen, who, in their rush to escape, discarded lances, banners, and even cut away their horses' heavy armor. This chaotic retreat earned the clash its enduring nickname, "Battle of the Spurs," highlighting the speed with which French cavalry fled the field.

Consequences of the Battle

The English pursuit lasted approximately three miles, capturing high-ranking French prisoners including Jacques de La Palice, the famous knight Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard, and the Duke of Longueville. Sir Rhys ap Thomasnotably captured four French standards. Overall, English forces claimed nine French standards and captured twenty-one noble prisoners clad in luxurious cloth-of-gold.

Reports recorded about three thousand French casualties, compared to minimal English losses, which included only three notable soldiers killed.

Despite formal Imperial cooperation, friction emerged between English and Imperial troops concerning the fate of captured prisoners. Some noble captives taken by Imperial forces were reportedly released without being presented to Henry VIII, highlighting underlying tensions within the allied camp.

During the battle, Thérouanne's garrison launched a diversionary attack on Charles Somerset, Lord Herbert'sposition, but their attempt achieved little strategic success.

Strategic Significance and Legacy

The decisive English victory at the Battle of the Spurs marked a significant morale and strategic triumph for Henry VIII, bolstering his reputation as a successful military leader. The defeat severely weakened French attempts to relieve Thérouanne, contributing directly to its surrender and destruction shortly afterward. The clash also reinforced the growing importance of English tactical flexibility, particularly the effectiveness of combined arms and disciplined infantry support against traditional heavy cavalry charges.

The Battle of the Spurs thus became an iconic military event during Henry’s reign, exemplifying England’s emergence as a formidable power in early 16th-century European warfare.