![Battle of Patay | How France Finally Beat the English Longbowmen [Episode 20]](https://www.ffood.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1768084804_hqdefault.jpg "Battle of Patay | How France Finally Beat the English Longbowmen [Episode 20]")
The Battle of Patay (1429) is defined as the pivotal moment everything changed in the Hundred Years’ War. Fresh from victory at Orléans — and inspired by Joan of Arc — the French army finally learned how to defeat the feared English longbowmen.
In this episode of the Hundred Years War series, Kevin Hicks explores medieval warfare once again with the gripping story of how Patay shattered England’s battlefield dominance and marked the beginning of the end for English power in France. Expect battlefield tactics, big characters — and a fresh take on one of medieval history’s most important turning points.
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43 Comments
talk about timing am just reading Dan Jones War of the Roses and Kevin's video pops up great stuff Kevin most entertaining and well up to your standard.
13:40 I promise not to tell the French unless they ask really nicely! 😀
Turner is a pirate name too lol
Excellent video my friend. Love your work on the Perry models!
Hmm… I think Joan of Arc was possessed by a power.
Thankyou and all the best for 26 Kevin !! 🙏❤
Ps – Do you have any knowledge on the Australian Light horse of WW1 ?
11:59-Advance! Fight! Move forward!
12:00– Stop! Let’s have a cuppa!
PS thanks, you’ve just made my day😂
You sir are a superb presenter of history, thank you. Subscribed.
Well done France, it only took you 100 years to figure it out 🫣😂
La Hire is the old French word for anger: "La hire de Dieu". Joan of Arc, Poton de Xaintrailles, the Count of Dunois, and the Duke of Alençon closely followed La Hire's vanguard. The English archers lying in ambush were indeed betrayed by a stag, and the 180 French knights carried out a massacre, revenge for past defeats. In fact, the French expression "Prendre une patée" (to get a beating) is still used and refers to a memorable defeat. As for Charles VII, he was not a warrior king, but a talented organizer, politician, and administrator who reorganized taxes and built the first permanent, professional army in Europe since the Roman Empire. He ceased to rely solely on the nobility and established a meritocracy where competence was more important than blood—a truly great king who truly came into his own at his coronation. As for the "bad" French, they were mostly men-at-arms from Guyenne, an English possession since Eleanor of Aquitaine, and therefore good soldiers. misused by English commanders. One only has to remember Jean de Grailly, the Captal de Buch, one of the best "English" commanders.
It’s nice to hear how the English lost for a change. In history at school I was always taught about crecy and agincourt but I don’t remember anything about the battle of patay!
I swear I’m here for you not the models!
I love your channel. Started watching a little a couple of years ago but now am hooked. Love it. You’re making want to go back to uni and study history!
A very good display with a great story! Thank you for your great comment Sir!
Och mon dinna forget the huge aid given the French by the Scots🤔🏴
Great video as always Kevin very interesting
awesome as always, thanks
thank you for making time for posting, I enjoy your work so much!
The title "beginning of the end" is a bit misleading.
The Loire campaign was indeed the first time since the early 1380's that the english side suffered so many defeats in a row (they suffered defeats in the early 1420's with Baugé, Bernay and Brossiniere but there was also the siege of Meaux and the battle of Cravant on the other side) but the situation in the late 1429 was the same as it was in the early 1428.
The anglo-french burgundians alliance controlled all northern france and guyenne while the french armagnacs controlled all southern france minus guyenne.
England still was allied with the french burgundians and the brittons until 1435 and it's only with the congress of Arras where England lost all its allies that any hope of victory was lost (and subsquently, the death of Bedford was a second blow).
Even after the Loire campaign, the war was still winnable for the english side in the early 1430's.
Well hind-sight is 20/20, I suppose…
I had never considered the offensive qualities of pâté.
This was not the end, it was not even the beginning of the end, but perhaps it was the end of the beginning ))
The English army in northern France virtually annihilated but it still took 24 years for them to fully lose the war. Was York that good at holding the line? Did the French not have the money to continue even when winning? Internal politics in France?
Happy New Year Kevin,
Great video as always,
I appreciate the detail of your battle field.🇬🇧👍
13:48 : je ferai semblant de n'avoir rien entendu
Excellent content. Thx
*The Beginning of the Liberation
Amazing work! And since you're a La Hire fan, I hope you'll go back in time a bit and cover battle of Montargis. The story explains the background of La Hire's renown, sets the stage for the siege of Orleans, and is just begging for an awesome model!
I love this channel and these types of videos!
Amazing video, thank you!!!
🏴🏴🏴🏴🏴
The title is a bit deceiving, the English only had 200 archers, compare that to Agincourt with 5000 to 6000 archers.
Thanks Kevin – You put the flesh on their bones, through the gore & the groans, as Julie then films a French victory . . . Thankfully, I still have some roast beef slices in the fridge – 'Sandwich time!' : )
The Scots fighting alongside their "Auld Alliance " partners were considerable and well regarded by the French-including Pope Martin V.
eww the french lol
I really enjoyed, cheers from France and happy new year sir !
Thibault d' Armagnac, a knight and captain of Chartres:
"Except in matters of war she was simple and innocent. But in the leading and drawing up of armies and in the conduct of war, in disposing an army for battle and haranguing the soldiers, she behaved like the most experienced captain in the world, like one with a whole lifetime of experience."
The Duke of Alencon:
"In everything that she did, apart from the conduct of the war, Joan was young and simple; but in the conduct of war she was most skillful, both in carrying the lance herself, in drawing up the army in battle order, and in placing the artillery. And everyone was astonished that she acted with such prudence and clear-sightedness in military matters, as cleverly as some great captain with twenty or thirty years experience; and especially in the placing of artillery, for in that she acquitted herself magnificently."
Thanks for this. English losses in the 100-years War isn't taught very well or at all, probably for obvious reasons
It's actually more interesting to hear an Englishman talking about England's defeat – makes it feel more objective 🙂
answer: If your cavalry can catch a band of archers without their infantry support or other defenses, they are SOL.
The English lost from a witch. 😂
Amazing video and models