Battle of Sandwich (1217)

Battle of Sandwich (1217)
Part of First Barons' War
The Battle of Sandwich, showing the capture of the French flagship and the killing of Eustace the Monk
Date 24 August 1217 Location Off Sandwich, Kent, United Kingdom Result English victory
Belligerents
Plantagenet England	Capetian France
Commanders and leaders
Hubert de Burgh Philip d'Aubigny	Robert of Courtenay Eustace the Monk †
Strength
16–18 large ships 20 smaller ships	10 large ships 70 supply vessels
Casualties and losses
unknown	1 large ship, 36 knights 64 supply vessels

Coordinates: 51°16′30″N 1°25′12″E / 51.275°N 1.420°E / 51.275; 1.420

The Battle of Sandwich, also called the Battle of Dover took place on 24 August 1217 as part of the First Barons' War. A Plantagenet English fleet commanded by Hubert de Burgh attacked a Capetian French armada led by Eustace the Monk and Robert of Courtenay off Sandwich, Kent. The English captured the French flagship and most of the supply vessels, forcing the rest of the French fleet to return to Calais.

The French fleet was attempting to bring supplies to Prince Louis, later King Louis VIII of France, whose French forces held London at that time. The English vessels attacked from windward, seizing Eustace's ship, making Robert and the knights prisoner and killing the rest of the crew. Eustace, a notorious pirate, was executed after being taken prisoner. The battle convinced Prince Louis to abandon his effort to conquer England and the Treaty of Lambeth was signed a few weeks later.

Eustace the Monk once belonged to a monastic order, but he broke his vows and became a pirate along with his brothers and friends. His early successes at this endeavor attracted many lawless men and his pirates became a menace to shipping in the English Channel. The English opponents of Eustace credited the man with "diabolical ingenuity".

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