Siege of Compiègne

Siege of Compiègne
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Siege of Compiègne by Martial d'Auvergne
Date 18 June 1430 Location Near Compiègne, south of Amiens, France Result French victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	Duchy of Burgundy Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Joan of Arc (POW) Others	Philip the Good John II of Luxembourg Others
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Joan of Arc captured	Heavy

The Siege of Compiègne (1430) was Joan of Arc's final military action. Her career as a leader ended with her capture by the Burgundians during a skirmish outside the town on 23 May 1430. Although this was otherwise a minor siege, both politically and militarily, the loss of France's most charismatic and successful commander was an important event of the Hundred Years' War.

During this era, late in the Hundred Years' War, the politically independent Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, was allied with England under the regency of John, Duke of Bedford (who was the uncle of the child King, Henry VI). These two allies had conquered most of northern France during the preceding ten years. They suffered stunning losses in 1429 to a reinvigorated French army under joint command of Joan of Arc and Duke John II of Alençon.

The French had defeated the English at Patay on 18 June 1429 and had proceeded northeastward to crown King Charles VII of France at Rheims without further resistance, accepting the peaceful surrender of every town along their path. Compiègne was not along that road, its location is north of Paris, but along with several other cities it declared allegiance to Charles VII shortly after his coronation. It had previously been under Burgundian control.

In March 1430 the French court learned that Philip the Good, the duke of Burgundy planned to lay siege to the city. The count of Clermont delivered a message to the city that Compiègne was his according to legal treaty and demanded a surrender. Residents of the city expressed strong opposition to the demand and the French garrison commander Guillaume de Flavy readied the city for action.

...
Wikipedia